Doctors are now advising parents to stop feeding their children hot dogs. This is something especially hard to do considering hot dogs are one of our favorite foods here in America being sold just about everywhere.
Research has shown that on the fourth of July alone each year Americans consume more than one hundred and fifty-five million hot dogs. Hot dogs are served at almost all sporting events and festivals. There are many reasons as to why doctors are against giving children hot dogs.
Research shows that children who consume more than one dozen hot dogs a month have at least a nine percent increased risk of developing leukemia. It goes so far as to even increasing the child’s risk of cancer if the father frequently eats hot dogs before conceiving a child. It has also been shown that if the mother eats more than one hot dog a week during her pregnancy it increases the risk of the child developing a brain tumor.
Why are hot dogs so dangerous?
All of these things happen due to the nitrite additives that are put into hot dogs to prevent botulism. These nitrates are added into the meet with amines during the cooking process and they create a dangerous cancer causing compound known as N-nitroso. So, if you can’t live without hot dogs you should definitely limit your portions or try to find some that are nitrite-free.