Cured Vs Uncured Hot Dogs: Is There Really A Difference?
Hot dogs are a quintessential American favorite, but they are also an immensely controversial food, from the ingredients in the dogs to the way they're prepared. One of the most controversial things about hot dogs is the fact that they are a type of cured meat. Cured meats are treated with a combination of salt and nitrites to protect them from harmful bacteria and prolong their shelf life. Nitrite is very effective. One of the most common hot dog myths says that franks are a leading cause of food poisoning, but that's not true, thanks in no small part to nitrite. However, nitrite also comes with some health concerns.
There is a growing amount of scientific evidence linking cured meats to cancer in animal studies. When nitrite is paired with protein, as it is in cured meats, it produces carcinogenic compounds called nitrosamines, forms of which can also be found in alcohol and cigarette smoke. You might think that the solution to this is simple — just buy uncured hot dogs — but uncured meats aren't what you think they are.
There is a difference between cured and uncured hot dogs, but it's not as big of a difference as their names would suggest. Cured hot dogs are made with synthetic nitrites while uncured hot dogs use organically-derived nitrites. But the potential consequences of these compounds are the same either way, and nutrition-wise, there really isn't much of a difference between cured and uncured meats, hot dogs or otherwise.
How cured hot dogs are made
Cured hot dogs are the most common variety of hot dog. They are made with synthetic sodium nitrite, also known as nitrite salt. Sodium nitrite has been part of the human diet since at least the days of ancient Egypt, but it wasn't manufactured on purpose then like it is now. Back then, salt did not go through industrial purification, leaving it with many contaminants, including nitrite. The power of curing salts was really discovered by accident.
You may wonder why the nitrite in today's cured hot dogs is so controversial if people have been eating it for so long, but early forms of cured meat didn't contain as much nitrite as they do today. The establishment of government food regulations put a focus on preventing bacteria, leading to higher nitrite use.
U.S. federal guidelines suggest eating no more than 3.7 milligrams of nitrite per kg of body weight each day. That means a person who weighs around 155 pounds can have up to 260 milligrams of nitrite per day. According to WebMD, hot dogs on average contain only 50 micrograms of nitrites for every 100 grams of meat (just over two hot dogs). That amount may seem like nothing, but many cured hot dogs also contain higher levels of nitrate, a compound that breaks down into nitrite in your digestive system. Medical studies have shown that eating processed meats may increase your risk of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer.
Uncured hot dogs aren't really uncured
Hot dog manufacturers argue that nitrite shouldn't be of concern. The National Hot Dog and Sausage Council is quick to point out that 93% of the average person's nitrite intake comes from vegetables and saliva. Yes, your saliva contains some nitrite, and vegetables, especially leafy greens, are packed with them.
Uncured hot dogs are made with nitrites derived from vegetables, often using celery powder. Although the source of the nitrite here is different from that in cured hot dogs, it's still nitrite at the end of the day, which means uncured hot dogs are actually cured, just by a different method. The same goes for cured vs. uncured bacon, and all cured meats for that matter. Federal regulations allow manufacturers to label foods made with vegetable-derived nitrite as "uncured" or even "No Nitrite Added," but consumer protection groups have consistently argued that these regulations are misleading.
It doesn't matter which grocery store hot dog brands you choose — cured and uncured hot dogs contain similar levels of nitrite. Cured meat makers, like the NHDSC, insist that nitrite is fine because it is found in healthy vegetables, but they are missing the fact that nitrites only break down into carcinogens when they are paired with protein. You don't need to worry about the nitrite in celery, but when that celery-derived nitrite is mixed with meat, it's worth a second look. The occasional hot dog at a ball game or cookout is fine, just don't go overboard.