Will eating too much etag (smoked pork) cause lung damage? Well’ I’m not sure about that, but
A study has found that the preservatives in bacon, ham and salami could harm the lungs in the same way as emphysema.
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Lead researcher Dr Rui Jiang, of Columbia University in New York, said: “Cured meats are high in nitrites, which are added to meat products as a preservative, an anti-microbial agent and a colour fixative. Nitrites may cause damage to the lungs.”
The chemicals are thought to generate reactive molecules that produce structural damage to lung tissue.
The researchers found that high consumers of cured meats were likely to be male, of lower socio-economic status, to smoke and to have a low intakes of fruit, vegetables and vitamins.
Dr Jiang said further studies of the link between dietary nitrite and COPD were needed.
So do alnus (Japanese alder) twigs and leaves have high nitrate content? In Sagada, they usually smoke the pork that becomes etag usually by letting the sweet smell of fresh alnus twigs and leaves permeate the meat and fat the whole day.
The last thing I read was that nitrates or whatever preservatives in hotdogs cause headaches so if you are migraine prone like me, do something with your breakfast choices.