El consumo de nitrato y su potencial efecto benéfico sobre la salud cardiovascular

Abstract

Vegetable consumption is associated with a lower risk of suffe- ring cardiovascular disease and cancer, traditionally ascribed to their content in antioxidants. Recently it has been proposed that this effect may be due to the presence of nitrates in vegetables. Cardiovascular diseases are usually associated with an impaired production of nitric oxide (NO) in blood vessels. One strategy aimed to correct this defective production is to generate NO from inorganic nitrates contained in vegetables. However, it has been traditionally thought that nitrites and nitrites, as those used in curing meats and as food preservers, could generate adducts that may increase cancer risk. This paradigm is now being revisited since the evidence that vegetables rich in nitrates may have a beneficial impact on human health, particularly on cardiovas- cular parameters, has showed promising results, although more complete clinical evidence is needed.