The Jan/Feb 2011 issue of Men’s Health magazine cites a article in the International Journal of Cancer, men who consumed the most nitrates – often found in leafy vegetables, hot dogs, spinach, and drinking water – were more likely to develop thyroid cancer.  The solution to this is to eat nitrate free meat, organic produce, and to treat your water to remove nitrates if they are present in your water.

It is my opinion that if you have nitrates above 3 ppm your family is at risk! US EPA suggests a maximum contaminant level for nitrates of 10 parts per million (ppm). What you must be aware of is that while this number is intended to be a health guideline it is necessarily influenced by politics. So the maximum contaminant level (MCL) is not a number I am comfortable with. In the case of nitrates I will not drink water with 3 ppm of nitrates even though EPA allows up to 10 ppm.

Studies have linked nitrates to colon cancer and disruption of thyroid function – at levels far below the MCL set by US EPA. Studies have also linked nitrate levels of 5 ppm to bladder cancer in post menopausal women. Standards in Europe are much lower. It is possible that the agriculture lobby is responsible for keeping US standards from being set at a lower level.

If you live in an agricultural area, check your local water report for nitrates. There are serious nitrate problems in the central valley of California as well as the midwest farm belt. Having tested private well water for years I can tell you that nitrates are often present due to local activities such as a single orchard, livestock facility, or farm.