With the Fourth of July coming up, there’s almost certain to be a hidden and dangerous threat lurking in your refrigerator or freezer. I’m talking, of course, about hot dogs.
A new poll this week, commissioned by the nonprofit Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), looked at Americans’ attitudes toward hot dogs. More than half the respondents reported eating hot dogs at least once a month, it showed, while nearly 90% were unaware of the specific health problems associated with the food, such as a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. People, particularly kids, should try to limit their consumption of hot dogs and other highly processed meats, doctors with the Physicians Committee say.
“Because children’s bodies and eating habits are still developing, early and frequent exposure to red and processed meats—like hot dogs—can cause lasting harm,” said Stephanie McBurnett, a registered dietician and the nutrition educator for the Physicians Committee, in a statement from the group.
Why are hot dogs bad?
Hot dogs are a prime example of processed meat, or meat that’s been preserved and treated through various methods like smoking, curing, or salting. And sadly, research has consistently linked the regular consumption of these foods to a higher risk of many health issues.
According to the American Cancer Society, both processed and red meat are strongly linked to colorectal cancer; some research has further suggested they can raise the risk of breast, pancreatic, prostate, and stomach cancer. The World Health Organization formally recognizes processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen (the strongest level of certainty). And these foods also seem to increase our chances of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and possibly even dementia.
The average American, however, appears to be in the dark about the above, according to this latest poll, which was conducted last week on behalf of the Physicians Committee by the company Morning Consult. The online poll involved more than 2,200 adults among the general population, according to Morning Consult. People were asked how often they ate hot dogs and whether they were aware of the health risks associated with them.
Overall, 59% of people said they ate hot dogs at least once a month, while roughly a quarter reported eating them at least once a week. Men were more likely to eat them two to three times a week than women (51% to 38%), as were people between 35 and 44 compared to any other age group (52%).
A whopping 40% of respondents said they weren’t aware of any health risks linked to hot dogs, while another 49% said they were aware of health risks in general but couldn’t think of any specific ones; just 11% could list these risks, with the most commonly named being cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, and high cholesterol.
Safer alternatives
Of course, moderation can go a long way toward having a healthier diet. So if you love a good frankfurter, as I do, maybe you can cut back on your consumption, especially if you’re an every-day dogger, as 5% of respondents in this poll reported they were. And not all hope is lost if you love hot dogs but want to stay as health-conscious as possible, McBurnett says. Though vegan or plant-based hot dog meat alternatives also tend to be processed, they’re safer overall if they’re replacing the traditional meat kind.
“On the bright side,” she said, “there are a multitude of healthier hot dog alternatives available these days, from commercially prepared veggie dogs that can be found in most supermarkets, to tasty whole food homemade versions made from marinating carrots in soy sauce, liquid smoke, and spices.”
The Physicians Committee even has its own recipe for those homemade carrot dogs.
