PSA about "uncured" or "no nitrates added" products

[jrock645]

I`m sure many of you have seen these labels at the grocery store on bacon, ham or lunch meats. First of all, bacon and ham are cured by definition. Bacon is pork belly that has been cured and smoked, period. Take away one of those elements and it isn`t bacon anymore.

Now, this whole "no nitrates added" business. Basically, it`s a lie. They want you to think it`s healthier for you, since nitrates aren`t listed on the label. Except, they are- in code. Read about celery. You`ll find out very quickly that it- along with many vegetables- is high in... nitrates. Celery is packed with them!

But, because they occur naturally in the celery, the producer, by law, does not have to declare them. Fact is, these smoked products cannot be safely produced(I.e. made without botulinum toxin, which is deadly) without nitrates. Simply can`t be done yet, so products without nitrates are impossible.

This is why you get this BS label game to dupe you into paying more for something that has the same stuff in it you`re trying to avoid. Considering vegetables commonly contain nitrates, most aren`t even sure why they`re not supposed to eat nitrates.

Just something to share... enjoy.

[rlmccarty2000]

Doctors used to think nitrates were the cause of some migraine headaches. I was warned away from them in the late 70`s. I live in the South and everything is smoked or cured. I ignored the advice. Who wants to live if they can`t eat bacon?

[Ronkh]

bacon !

[Migue]

It does have less ingredients, but yeah I agree with you. Celery extract is REALLY concentrated and used a lot in some of these products. Same goes for so many others making their way into "healthy" products. There is no regulation for "natural" either.

[RaydiantDetail]

It was the same with MSG with the Chinese Restaurant Syndrome

[jrock645]

It does have less ingredients, but yeah I agree with you. Celery extract is REALLY concentrated and used a lot in some of these products. Same goes for so many others making their way into "healthy" products. There is no regulation for "natural" either.

Turns out these celery powders have just as much, if not more nitrates than just regular curing salt. There`s no way to tell since they don`t standardize it. The point is you can`t make this stuff without nitrates or you`ll potentially kill people, or at least get them very sick.

[Swanicyouth]

Had me some nitrates for dinner last night...

[Accumulator]

jrock645- Good on you for posting that. Far too much "stuff everybody knows" isn`t universally known/understood after all.