Nitrates are common chemical contaminants found in groundwater supplies. These compounds are a form of nitrogen, an element naturally present in the environment and necessary for the growth of all living organisms, particularly plants. Here's the difference between harmful and healthy nitrates in foods, plus their top benefits, according to registered dietitians “Nitrates and nitrites are natural chemicals that are found in soil and water as part of the earth’s nitrogen cycle,” Peart explains. “They’re naturally present in the human body and in some foods, and nitrates are also added to some foods.” Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula NO3−. Salts containing this ion are called nitrates. Nitrates are common components of fertilizers and explosives. [1] Almost all inorganic nitrates are soluble in water. An example of an insoluble (inorganic) nitrate is bismuth oxynitrate. Nitrates are added to fertilizers, which is one way that fruits and vegetables obtain nitrates. Obtaining nitrates from your vegetables should not be a problem due to the vitamin C that they contain because vitamin C prevents those nitrosamines from forming, but buying organic is the way to go. Nitrates are medications used for treating or preventing heart pain (angina, chest pain) caused by heart disease, usually of the arteries in the heart. Nitrates are vasodilators (dilators of blood vessels that increase their diameter) that allow blood to flow more easily. Nitrates are molecules made of nitrogen and oxygen that are found naturally in air, soil, water, and some foods. Some of the foods high in nitrates are green leafy vegetables and root vegetables. Composed of just nitrogen and oxygen, nitrates are simple compounds that occur naturally in our bodies. Nitrates are also found in both healthy and unhealthy foods — and in medications used to treat the squeezing chest discomfort known as angina. What are nitrates? Nitrates are known as vasodilator medications. They widen blood vessels, allowing more blood to get to the heart. Nitrates treat chest pain and symptoms of heart failure. Nitrates are available in various formulations to prevent or treat chest pain. What are nitrates and nitrates? Nitrates and nitrites are naturally occurring chemicals that are both made up of nitrogen and oxygen (with one extra oxygen molecule on nitrates). They are.