it does not cost the state A DIME, because it is insurance that covers healthcare, not taxes.

The loss is unrealized potential of those who are sick. so, that means the state invested like 150.000 bucks in one citizen, in hopes to get like one million bucks out of them

(not out of them specifically, but out of their labour; it is a chain, you see, and the labourer pays taxes, the factory pays taxes when selling the product, the consumer pays taxes when buying the product, and so on)

alcohol and obesity by diabetis harm EVERY cell in your body, period. thats hard biochemstry, facts, it is the truth.

red meat, on the other hand, is quite unclear.

the studies involving red meat are interesting;

people self report by remembering long periods of time, a salami pizza counts as red meat, as does a whole mc donalds burger with fries on the side.

as for nitrate, this gets complicating. you seem to be on the right path. nitrates are a new topic for me, i never before read up on them:

https://www.diagnosisdiet.com/assets/images/5/nitrate-content-45165560.png

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190311-what-are-nitrates-in-food-side-effects

https://livestock.extension.wisc.edu/articles/whats-the-deal-with-nitrates-and-nitrates-used-in-meat-products/

https://theconversation.com/why-nitrates-and-nitrites-in-processed-meats-are-harmful-but-those-in-vegetables-arent-170974

this is so tedious, no wonder everybody has a different oppinion