How to Find a Safer Hot Dog

It’s no secret that Americans love hot dogs. Some 20 billion hot dogs are consumed in the US alone each year. That works out to about 70 per person each year, notes the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (yes, the organization really does exist). Hot dogs are served in 95 percent of US households, the council adds. Not to mention the wide variety of cured meats readily found in fridges across the country.

So you can be pretty sure that you or your children will face the ultimate shopper’s dilemma fairly regularly: how on earth do we know a safe dog that won’t snap back on our long-term health with a dangerous bite from a dangerous one?

And that’s actually quite important to know because most brands of hot dogs and other cured meats, such as bologna, salami, sausage, ham, mortadella, and others, are toxic — especially for our children and during pregnancy. The nitrite preservative used in these products, which is listed on the label, is a major suspect in increased risks for childhood leukemia and colorectal cancer in adults. And besides nitrite, some hot dog choices are likely to lead to much higher exposures to dangerous pesticides and other hidden chemical toxins, such as endocrine disruptors and antibiotics. Consuming these foods during pregnancy can be as dangerous to the developing fetus as ingesting alcoholic beverages of even smoking.

Here’s what you need to know:

• Read food labels. Avoid products that list nitrate or nitrite on their label. This is your number one protective action.
• Avoid hot dogs made from conventionally raised beef. These contain the highest amounts of toxic pesticides, residues of sex hormones, and antibiotics.
• Same for pork hot dogs, which are likely to contain sulfa drug residues from factory farming methods, notes an industry report.
• A better choice would be products that list celery seed extract rather than nitrite on their labels. These products may not be completely safe, but they will certainly be a safer choice. While celery seed extract, like many leafy vegetables, contains nitrates, other compounds called betalains appear to mitigate its toxic effects. These plant pigments act as natural antioxidants that inhibit the formation of carcinogenic nitrosamines while still maintaining safety and freshness, notes a 2022 study in Foods.
• If you must have beef or pork dawgs, then make sure that they are from organic or grass-fed sources. That way, you avoid toxic pesticides used in their feed and antibiotic residues that result from factory farm conditions.
• Even safer choices are poultry franks (chicken or turkey). The use of subtherapeutic antibiotics in poultry farming has nearly disappeared, notes a report. And poultry is generally lowest in accumulated pesticide residues.
• Going with a plant-based hot dog is another safe alternative and can work extremely well with young children, who can be introduced to plant-based hot dogs early on by serving them with organic baked beans or on organic buns with organic relish, mustard, and other organic condiments. Plant-based hot dogs and corndogs may still contain very low levels of pesticides, primarily because they are made from ingredients like soy, wheat, or peas that are routinely sprayed with glyphosate (Roundup) and other herbicides. Nonetheless, these products avoid the use of nitrite preservatives, a proven cancer hazard.
• Be sure to limit consumption of nitrite-containing cured meats to no more than once or twice a month for adults. Avoid cured meats, no matter whether they are preserved with nitrite or celery seed extract, completely in the diets of infants and young children, as well as during pregnancy.

On a personal level, your shopping choices really do matter. Be sure to get your copy of David Steinman’s new book, Raising Healthy Kids: Protecting Your Children from Hidden Chemical Toxins, available at tinyurl.com/4a9ctywu. You can also subscribe to his YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/@davidsteinman_author