where are dietary nitrates found
Eat More Veggies to Boost Your Dietary Nitrates. Nitrate (chemical symbol NO3-) is an inorganic compound composed of nitrogen and oxygen found naturally in soil and water. The nitrate in our diet comes from both food and drinking water, the highest levels of dietary nitrate are found in vegetables. However, the actual amount of nitrate in vegetables can be highly variable depending on growing conditions.
Approximately 80% of dietary nitrates are derived from vegetable consumption; sources of nitrites include vegetables, fruit, and processed meats. Nitrites are produced endogenously through the oxidation of nitric oxide and through a reduction of nitrate by commensal bacteria in the mouth and gastrointestinal tract.