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 found. Nitrates, compounds made of nitrogen and oxygen, are found in plants and processed meats. Nitrates in vegetables may lower blood pressure and boost heart health. In processed meats, nitrates combine with amino acids to form harmful nitrosamines. “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.” 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. Leafy veg including spinach, lettuce and kale, as well as beetroot and celery are some of the biggest natural sources of nitrates. These naturally occurring nitrates are thought to have health. Composed of just nitrogen and oxygen, nitrates are simple compounds that occur naturally in our bodies (see Getting to know NO ). Nitrates are also found in both healthy and unhealthy foods — and in medications used to treat the squeezing chest discomfort known as angina. Nitrate is a polyatomic ion with the chemical formula NO 3−. 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. Here's the difference between harmful and healthy nitrates in foods, plus their top benefits, according to registered dietitians 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.