The researchers calculated how much nitrate and nitrite young Finns consume from their diet in 1986. They found that on average, Finns aged 9 to 24 years old consumed 54.0 mg of nitrate and 1.4 mg of nitrite daily from food. Vegetables, especially potatoes, were the main source of nitrate, while meat products contributed most to nitrite intake. If two liters of water with typical nitrate and nitrite levels were consumed, nitrate intake from water would be between 1.0 and 2.0 mg, and nitrite intake would be between 0.0 and 0.2 mg.