A long-term study of more than 54,000 Danish adults has found that nitrate from vegetables is associated with a lower risk of dementia, while nitrate from red and processed meats or drinking water is linked to higher risk.
Researchers from Edith Cowan University and the Danish Cancer Research Institute tracked participants for up to 27 years. They examined nitrate and nitrite intake from different sources and its relation to dementia, including early-onset cases. Higher vegetable nitrate intake, roughly equal to one cup of baby spinach daily, correlated with reduced dementia risk. In contrast, greater exposure from animal products, processed meats, and drinking water was tied to increased risk. The study marks the first reported association between drinking water nitrate and dementia, even at levels as low as 5 milligrams per liter, below the current 50 milligrams per liter regulatory limit in Denmark and the European Union. Associate Professor Catherine Bondonno noted that vegetables provide vitamins and antioxidants that may promote beneficial nitric oxide while blocking harmful compounds. The observational study identifies associations only and calls for further research to confirm the findings.
