Warning Labels on Hot Dogs?
by Shereen Jegtvig
Just recently, a vegan group called the Cancer Project filed a lawsuit asking the state of New Jersey to require cancer-warning labels on hot dogs. I think most people would find this lawsuit to be frivolous and I doubt New Jersey residents will see warning labels on their hot dogs anytime soon, but it is worth thinking about.
There have been studies suggesting a link between processed meats, like hot dogs, and colon cancer. They’re usually high in saturated fat and loaded with artificial additives and preservatives, the worst probably being nitrites, which are added to prevent bacterial growth and adds that familiar pink color. When the nitrites combine with other substances also found in meat to form N-nitroso compounds that are associated with a higher risk of several cancers. As an aside, many green vegetables naturally contain nitrites, but they don’t convert to the N-nitroso compounds, perhaps due to vitamins or antioxidants also found in the vegetables.
Does this mean that hot dogs should carry warning labels or that you should shriek and run away in horror the next time you see hot dogs at a picnic?
Not really. If you look at studies that link hot dog consumption to cancer rates, you’ll see that people who eat lots of hot dogs also tend to eat a lot of other bad foods. The hot dogs are just part of a much bigger pattern of eating too many highly-processed foods and not enough high-fiber fruits, vegetables and whole grains. The occasional hot dog isn’t going to hurt a healthy person, just don’t let the occasional hot dog turn into a staple.
So what if you do want a hot dog – are all hot dogs created equal? At the grocery store, you can find hot dogs made from beef, turkey, chicken or some combination of meats. They’ll still contain the nitrites (that’s difficult to avoid), but you can control the fat content.
Oscar Meyer makes a couple of varieties that are low in fat. That’s good, but they still contain nitrites, and that’s bad. With a little research you might be able to find other sausages that are nitrite-free. I used the FoodEssentials tool to find bratwurst (a very flavorful sausage served like a hot dog) that was preservative free.
Although most of them contain preservatives, several of them are nitrite-free, such as the Organic Prairie brand. Actually, a closer look at Organic Prairie bratwurst shows that you can have a hot dog that isn’t too bad at all.
They’re a bit high in sodium due to the soy sauce, but they don’t have any artificial ingredients. Actually, serving one of these brats on a whole grain roll with a nice healthy salad would make a nice meal. No warning label required.
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