You Ask, I Answer: Nitrates in Commercial Baby Food

[In regards to your earlier posting about nitrates and baby food], someone told me that baby food companies can screen for nitrates, any truth to that?

-- Kate (last name unknown)
Via the blog

That is certainly true, but it does not mean those products are nitrate-free.

Nitrates are naturally occurring in many vegetables and can not be removed.

That said, since nitrate levels in vegetables can differ depending on growing conditions (i.e.: the amount of nitrogen in the soil and water), it is very possible to get batches of spinach with higher amount of nitrates than others.

When screening nitrate amounts, individual companies simply set up their own criteria ("we only use vegetables containing x number of parts per million of nitrates or less") and apply it when making baby food.

"Screened for nitrates" does not mean "nitrate free."

Remember, though, babies six months and older are in no danger by eating foods that naturally contain nitrates.

"Screened for nitrates" is a marketing, much like adding vitamins to soda or a pinch of fiber to cookies.

You Ask, I Answer: Nitrates & Baby Food

I read that I should buy jarred baby food for things like spinach since the fresh produce has nitrates, which can be really bad for babies.

Does that sound right?

-- Jane Shou
Waltham, MA

Hmmm. Seems like whatever you read was written by a confused author.

Let's do some untangling.

First, the issue of nitrates (also known as nitric acid salts.)

Since they naturally exist in water and soil, it makes sense that most vegetables naturally contain them (root vegetables and leafy green ones contain them at higher levels).

Although growing conditions affect actual levels, spinach, kale, and cabbage are typically the "worst offenders."

Nitrates can become dangerous if they body converts them to nitrites (which can cause a particular type of anemia in babies.)

Some basic human physiology, though, explains why there is truly no reason to worry.

By the sixth month of life, babies have a sufficient amount of hydrochloric acid in their stomachs to destroy bacteria that convert nitrates to nitrites.

Since solid foods should not be introduced until the sixth month anyway, babies are protected from harm by the time vegetables can be introduced in their diet.

Commercially prepared vs. made from scratch is completely irrelevant.

Since nitrates are naturally occurring, jarred baby food containing any of these vegetables will also have nitrates (this includes organic brands.)

So, vegetables that naturally contain nitrates can safely be fed to babies six months or older.

Numbers Game: Answer

An eight-year-long National Institutes of Health-AARP Diet and Health study that followed 500,000 adults ages 50 - 71 -- and was recently published in the Public Library of Science Medicine Journal -- found that the top twenty percent of red meat consumers had a 20 percent higher risk of developing colorectal cancer than those who consumed lower amounts.

According to the American Cancer Society, "researchers aren't certain what it is about red meat that might influence cancer risk. The iron and fat it contains may be culprits. For processed meat, the salt, smoke residue, and nitrates and nitrites used as preservatives may play a role."

I would also add the fact that meat-centric diets tend to be low in fiber -- a crucial weapon in reducing one's risk of many cancers, especially colorectal.

In any case, if you choose to consume red and processed meats, it is highly recommened you limit consumption to no more than two servings (a total of six ounces) a week.