The emerging studies surrounding the nitrate debate in this Research Topic, and beyond, are charting the health impact of dietary nitrate and nitrite altering our attitude toward these compounds. However, both the health benefits and potential negative effects point to more sustainable and healthy eating practices: i.e., consuming more vegetables and fewer processed meats. While the nitrate debate is yet to be solved, it is reasonably clear that the food matrix, particularly the co-existing compounds in the wholefood, should be considered.
Zhong, L., Hodgson, J. M., Lewis, J. R., et al. (2025). Nitrate and nitrite food composition database: An update and extensive deep dive. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 121(5), 1124–1136. View Full Document ↗
Zhong, L., Liu, A. H., Blekkenhorst, L. C., et al. (2022). Development of a food composition database for assessing nitrate and nitrite intake from animal-based foods. Molecular nutrition & food research, 66(1), e2100272. View Full Document ↗
Zhong, L., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Bondonno, N. P., et al. (2022). A food composition database for assessing nitrate intake from plant-based foods. Food chemistry, 394, 133411. View Full Document ↗
Erichsen, D. W., Pokharel, P., Kyrø, C., et al. (2024). Source-specific nitrate and nitrite intakes and associations with sociodemographic factors in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health cohort. Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1326991. View Full Document ↗
Blekkenhorst, L. C., Prince, R. L., Ward, N. C., et al. (2017). Development of a reference database for assessing dietary nitrate in vegetables. Molecular nutrition & food research, 61(8), 10.1002/mnfr.201600982. View Full Document ↗
Erichsen, D. W., Kyrø, C., Pokharel, P., et al. (2026). Source-specific nitrate and nitrite intake and associations with gastric cancer in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort. European Journal of Epidemiology, article in press. View Full Document ↗
English, C. J., Bondonno, C. P., Zhong, L., et al. (2026). Association of source-specific nitrate intake with inflammation and cardiometabolic health: A cross-sectional study. British Journal of Nutrition, article in press. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, N. P., Pokharel, P., Parmenter, B. H., et al. (2026). Associations between source-specific nitrate and nitrite intakes and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease in two prospective cohorts. Clinical Nutrition, 60, 106628. View Full Document ↗
Erichsen, D. W., Bondonno, N. P., Pokharel, P., et al. (2025). Source-specific nitrate and nitrite intake and association with colorectal cancer in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Cohort. Environment International, 202, 109658. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, C. P., Pokharel, P., Erichsen, D. W., et al. (2025). Source-specific nitrate intake and incident dementia in the Danish Diet, Cancer and Health Study. Alzheimer's & Dementia, 21(12), e70995. View Full Document ↗
Rajendra, A., Bondonno, N. P., Murray, K., et al. (2025). Baseline habitual dietary nitrate intake and Alzheimer's Disease related neuroimaging biomarkers in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study of ageing. The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer's Disease, 12(6), 100161. View Full Document ↗
Hayes, E., Dent, E., Shannon, O. M., et al. (2024). Higher plant-derived nitrate intake is associated with lower odds of frailty in a cross-sectional study of community-dwelling older women. European Journal of Nutrition, 63, 2281–2290. View Full Document ↗
Pokharel, P., Blekkenhorst, L., Bondonno, C., et al. (2025). Associations of vegetable and potato intakes with markers of type 2 diabetes risk in the AusDiab Cohort. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 110(4), e1068–e1083. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, N. P., Lewis, J. R., Blekkenhorst, L. C., et al. (2023). Habitual nitrate intake and cognition in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers and Lifestyle study of ageing. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 82(OCE3), E212. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, N. P., Dalgaard, F., Bondonno, C. P., et al. (2024). Source-specific nitrate intake and all-cause mortality in the Danish Diet, Cancer, and Health Study. European Journal of Epidemiology, 39, 925–942. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, C. P., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Lewis, J. R., et al. (2025). Associations between source-specific nitrate intakes and inflammation and cardiovascular risk factors. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 84(OCE2), E144. View Full Document ↗
Blekkenhorst, L. C., Bondonno, N. P., Liu, A. H., et al. (2021). Vegetable but not potato nitrate intake is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease mortality in older adult women. European Journal of Nutrition, 60, 3279–3292. View Full Document ↗
Sim, M., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Bondonno, N. P., et al. (2021). Dietary nitrate intake is positively associated with muscle function in men and women independent of physical activity levels. The Journal of Nutrition, 151(5), 1222–1230. View Full Document ↗
Zhong, L., Mills, C., Fluitman, K. S., et al. (2026). Effect of dietary nitrate intake on urinary N-nitrosamines: A randomized controlled clinical trial with crossover design. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, article in press. View Full Document ↗
Raubenheimer, K., Zhong, L., Bondonno, N. P., et al. (2024). Effects of nitrate-rich beetroot juice on markers of vascular function, inflammation and oxidative stress in postmenopausal women with above-normal blood pressure. Food & Function, 15(7), 3562–3570. View Full Document ↗
Raubenheimer, K., Bondonno, N. P., Sim, M., et al. (2024). Effects of dietary nitrate from beetroot juice on vascular function and blood pressure in postmenopausal women with above-normal blood pressure: acute and sustained effects. Food & Function, 15(7), 3591–3599. View Full Document ↗
Du, P., Bondonno, N. P., Murray, K., et al. (2024). Effects of cruciferous compared with root and squash vegetables on blood pressure in adults with mildly elevated blood pressure: A randomized crossover trial. BMC Medicine, 22, 446. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, C. P., Yang, X., Croft, K. D., et al. (2012). Nitrate causes a dose-dependent augmentation of nitric oxide status in healthy women. Food & Function, 3(7), 668–673. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, C. P., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Lewis, J. R., et al. (2013). Dietary nitrate, nitric oxide, and cardiovascular health. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 53(9), 1009–1027. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, C. P., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Lewis, J. R., et al. (2017). Vegetable-derived bioactive nitrate and cardiovascular health. Molecular Aspects of Medicine, 61, 83–91. View Full Document ↗
Bondonno, C. P., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Lewis, J. R., et al. (2024). Editorial: Dietary nitrate – friend or foe? Frontiers in Nutrition, 11, 1424859. View Full Document ↗
Zhong, L., Hodgson, J. M., Lewis, J. R., Blekkenhorst, L. C., Bondonno, N. P., Sim, M., Woodman, R. J., & Bondonno, C. P. (2025). Nitrate and nitrite food composition database: An update and extensive deep dive. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 121(5), 1124-1136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.01.031