Often served at sporting events, barbecues, and other social gatherings,hot dogsare classic summer fare.
Hot dogs aremade from ground-up cured beefor porkor both.
This meat is then pushed into casings, which are twisted into sausage-like links.
Shutterstock
Otherhot dog toppingsinclude dousing dogs in chili, smothering them with cheese, or even wrapping them in bacon.
If you’re curious about how hot dogs and their toppings might affect your health, keep reading!
Below, we break down the side effects of eating hot dogs once and for all.
Photo: Shutterstock
Hot dogs may shorten your lifespan.
They may increase your cancer risk.
Nitrites are also responsible for giving hot dogs their bright red color.
Shutterstock
These chemicals have been linked tobreast, pancreatic, colon, and other forms of cancer.
What Are Nitrates and Nitrites?
And Why They’re In Your Food
They may lead to high blood pressure.
If you like sauerkraut, then pile it on that dog.
Thisfermented foodcontains live and active cultures, which may act as probiotics and may have powerful health benefits.
They also help your gut’s ability to absorb the nutrients from the foods passing through.
They can help repair & build your body’s tissue.
One beef hot dog(57 grams) provides about 7 grams of protein.
This macronutrient is known to help repair and build your body’s tissues.
They can increase your risk for heart disease.
Processed meats are especially high in artery-clogging saturated fat, which has been linked to heart disease.
That’s 34% of the recommended daily maximum for saturated fatfrom only one dog!
A previous version of this article was originally published on June 29, 2020.