30 Worst Foods for Your Heart

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35. I agree with most of the items on that list. However...

The condemnation of bacon, sausage and steak is based on debunked nutritional mythology. The 40 year old demonization of saturated fats that was rammed down the throats of Americans by Ancel Keys and George McGovern in the 1970s is coming to an ignominious end at long last.

As an aside, salt isn't an issue on a diet that's high in fatty meats and low in carbs. Such a diet stimulates natriuresis, the excretion of excess sodium.

Celery and beets, for instance, contain far more nitrates than are found in processed meat, and our saliva converts them to nitrites..

The Real Truth About Nitrates

Most people may assume nitrates are only found in processed or cured meats. The truth is that plant-based foods such as beets, celery, cabbage and other leafy greens account for 80% of the dietary intake of nitrates. And it is the consumption of these foods where research is looking for health benefits. Let’s face it – no one is going to research a hot dog for its health benefits.

So here is where it gets interesting. Nitrates are converted to nitrite by bacteria is our saliva and then is further converted to nitric oxide (NO) when mixed with our stomach acid. Nitric oxide is a potent vasodilator and has been linked to lowering blood pressure and increasing the response of the immune system. It also helps with sleep, lowering inflammation, assists gastric motility and improves our sense of smell. Nitric oxide can also be oxidized by enzymes and converted back to nitrite in the body which has been linked aiding athletic performance.

One study found that beetroot juice, high in nitrates, reduces the expenditure of oxygen and increased endurance in athletes when consumed over a six day period. Blood levels of nitrite were considerably higher on days 4-6 and systolic blood pressure was lower. So just to be clear, as the nitrate/nitrite thing gets confusing, they consumed nitrates in the beet juice but it was nitrite by the time it got into their blood.

It's the excessive consumption of sugars and starches that are killing us, not the meat.