Nitric oxide benefits your heart and enhances performance. Interestingly, nitric oxide levels are increased by a dietary substance that's often demonized as a cancer and cardiovascular disease-causing compound: nitrate.



Nitrate, found in some vegetables and processed meats, looks like it offers much more benefit than risk. Here's what you need to know about nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), and nitric oxide (NO).





What are nitrate, nitrite, and nitric oxide?



In health and nutrition circles, nitrates and nitrites often have a bad reputation. No doubt, you’ve heard that processed and cured meats are bad because they contain preservatives, including nitrates and nitrites.



Unfortunately, they’re demonized based on correlation, not causation.



Many studies associate processed meats with an increased risk of heart disease and cancer. However, correlation does not prove causation. The studies cannot prove that the processed meat causes heart disease and cancer. They only show that people who eat a lot of such foods get cancer and heart disease more often. It could be other factors in their diet and lifestyle.



Before refrigeration, curing meats allowed people to eat a much healthier, higher-protein diet than they could have if they couldn’t have preserved meat.



Interestingly, a significant amount of research shows that nitrate-rich vegetables offer health benefits. Yet, your body responds to nitrate in processed meats just as it does in vegetables.



I’m not suggesting people skip vegetables altogether and eat Jack Link’s jerky every day. I only point it out so that those who make nutrition recommendations to the public don’t mislead people into believing jerky is poison while beetroot is a superfood.



Nitrate metabolism



When you eat nitrate-rich foods, your salivary glands and bacteria on your tongue convert nitrate (NO3) to nitrite (NO2). As NO2 moves through your digestive tract, your stomach converts some nitrite to nitric oxide (NO). Most nitrite gets absorbed as-is and enters your circulation, where other enzymes convert nitrite to NO.



Nitric oxide, then, plays an essential role in:




vasodilation, which enhances blood flow



muscle contraction



angiogenesis



mitochondrial respiration



mitochondrial biogenesis



glucose uptake



calcium balance, which affects muscle contraction




You can also increase nitric oxide levels by supplementing with the amino acids l-arginine or l-citrulline.



Nitrate consumption



The acceptable daily intake (ADI) is 3.65 mg/kg body weight. However, some studies use almost double that amount when looking at the ergogenic benefits.



About 80% of nitrate consumption comes from vegetables, but they can be found in everything from leafy greens to lunch meat. The following are common dietary sources of nitrates:



Dietary Nitrate SourcesBaconBeef, turkey, elk, or other jerkyBeetrootBolognaCorned beefGrainsHamHotdogsLeafy greens (lettuce, spinach)Lunch meatMustard greensNutsOilseedsSalamiSausageTubers



Health Benefits



Contrary to popular belief, nitrate consumption is safe and even essential for health. The following are the most well-known health benefits of nitrate consumption and increased NO levels.



Improved endurance



Nitrates, such as those found in green leafy vegetables, beetroot, or beef jerky, dilate blood vessels, increasing blood flow and lower blood pressure. The decreased pressure may relieve symptoms of angina pectoris and congestive heart failure.



A 2007 study (Larsen et al.) assessed the effect of sodium nitrate supplementation on cycle performance. Supplementation reduced oxygen demand during exercise, which means the study men could do the same amount of work while expending less energy.



In a 2009 study (Larsen et al.), a group of men consumed a beetroot supplement or a placebo. Beetroot contains a high concentration of nitrate. Supplementation again reduced oxygen consumption like in the previous study. Also,