Hot Dogs

My extreme craving for a hot dog from that quaint little hotdog place in Natchitoches has deminished greatly since reading "Wha's Really in Your...Hot Dog?" from Prevention magazine's June 2009 issue. (Making sure I give credit :D) Ssoooo, what IS in the hot dogs that we eat?

Well let's see:

1. We have beef and pork which are high in protein and in UNHEALTHY saturated fat and cholesterol; the meat possibly coming from pig and cow skeletal muscle and by-products. Eewww!!!! I'll let you look up the 'by-product' stuff. Really not pretty.

2. We have mechanically seperated turkey: a paste-like substance produced when tissue is removed from bones through a high pressure seive. (Gagging!!!) Versatile and cheap and not only used for turkey dogs.

3. We also have sodium nitrate which helps preserve the red tint of cured meat but can also increase the risk of cancer and trigger migraines.

4. Corn Syrup: a combo of cornstarch and acids, used as a thickener and sweetener. No nutritional value but does add CALORIES!!

5. Extractives of Paprika: paprika is a spice and is a good source of fiber and vit. A. HOWEVER - the extractive form doesn't offer much aside from color.

Wanted you to focus mostly on #1 & #2 in the list. That is really, really, really DISGUSTING. And I am making myself a mental note to remember 1 and 2 when I get that craving for a yummy hot dog again. Wait - did I just say yummy after wrting this. Sorry!!