There is no kid in the world that will say no to hot dog. When I think about my childhood I remember that hot dog was my favorite snack and I also remember that my dad used to make our favorite- Hot dogs cut up in Mac & Cheese. Oh that was so tasty.
Our picnics were also accompanied with hot dogs. The Fourth Of July was definitely marked by this delicious meal, by estimated 155 million wieners. Americans are known for eating hot dogs throughout the year but between Memorial and Labor Day the number of eaten hot dogs rises to seven billion.
This is true, but then what is the problem?
In a L.A Times article was stated that children who eat 12 hot dog in a period of one month have nine times bigger risk for development of childhood leukemia. And this was also reported in cancer research journal by USC epidemiologist.
One more interesting fact was published in two other reports related to the same issues of Cancer Causes and Control. According to them mothers who consume at least one hot dog during the week in pregnancy put their child on double risk of developing brain tumors. This also refers to children whose fathers ate hot dogs before conception.
1. What’s wrong with hot dogs?
The main problem with hot dogs is that their nitrite additives form carcinogens. Last year even 3 studies appeared that came to the same conclusion that the consumption of hot dogs can be a risk factor for childhood cancer. Furthermore, it is found out that the uptake of certain foods puts children from birth to age 10 at risk of leukemia. The study, made by Peters et al. actually discovered that children eating 12 hot dogs on monthly basis have nine times the normal risk of developing leukemia. The same risk implies to the children whose fathers consumed 12 or more hot dogs per month.
Another research in Denver conducted by the researchers Sarusua and Savitz concluded that children whose mother consumed hot dog at least once a week have double risk for development of brain tumors. The same goes for children who consumed hot dos one or more times in a week.
Yet one more research made by Bunin et al, confirmed that consuming hot dogs during pregnancy is associated with the risk of childhood brain tumors.
2. What is the way in which hot dog cause cancer?
The thing is that hot dogs contain nutrients to combat botulism. With cooking nitrites conjoin with amines which are present in the meat itself and in this way they form carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. There are also some suspects that nitrites can combine with amines in the human stomach to form N-nitroso compounds. We know these compounds as carcinogens and they are the ones responsible for oral, cavity, stomach, brain, esophagus and urinary bladder cancer.
3. Do the nutrients found in the vegetables cause cancer too?
It is not strange to find nutrients in the green vegetables, they can be found in many of them including spinach, celery and green lettuce. But luckily the consumption of these seems to have the opposite effect and to reduce the risk of cancer. If you wonder how this is possible, the thing is that the formation of N-nitroso compounds from nitrites and amines. Nitrite containing vegetables also have Vitamin C and D, which serve to inhibit the formation of N-nitroso compounds. In that way vegetables are safe and healthy and they reduce the risk of cancer.
4. Are there also some other products that contain nitrites?
Yes there are. All cured meats contain nitrites including bacon and fish.
5. Do all hot dogs increase the risk of childhood cancer?
No because not all hot dogs contain nitrites. Now we have modern refrigeration methods and nitrites are used only for getting the red color which is associated with freshness. Hot dogs that are nitrite-free are brownish but have the same taste as the ones that contain nitrites and additionally are perfectly safe and healthy.
HERE ARE FOUR THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO:
- Try avoiding hot dogs containing nitrites as much as you can. It is of huge importance that children and potential parents avoid consumption of 12 or more of these hot dogs on monthly bases.
- Always ask for nitrate-free hot dog when you go in the supermarket.
- Check out whether the local school board serves only nitrite-free hot dogs.
- You can also express your concerns about the nitrate hot dogs by writing to the FDA. You can mention CPC’s petition too.
