For those of you, my friends, who get headaches or migraines and have no idea why, consider saying goodbye to hot dogs. Hot dogs, cured meats, and any form of processed meats contain sodium nitrates and sodium nitrites.
Why are nitrates and nitrites used in meat products?
- To give cured meats (ham, bacon, hot dogs, etc.) their pink color
- To prevent the growth of bacteria that can lead to Botulism or other food-borne illnesses
- To preserve products so that they can have a longer shelf-life
- To provide that distinctive cured flavor that people are accustomed to in ham, bacon, and hot dogs
“What are the health issues associated with nitrates and nitrites?
During the cooking process, especially under high heat, nitrites can combine with amines, naturally present in meat, to form N-nitroso compounds or Nitrosamines. These compounds are considered carcinogens.”
What does this mean? It means: Stay the heck away from cured meats! Or, run the risk of consuming poisons that will give you headaches or migraines or worse, in some cases, research has shown, cause cancer. Am I being extreme? Well, I don’t think so. I know plenty of people who live a pretty clean lifestyle, consume some form of cured meats, and then have to contend with a headache or worse, a migraine! Now, I know that nitrates occur naturally in some vegetables and water and I understand that, but why are you going to consume food processed with a synthetic form? I, for one, would rather not take my chances. You, my friend, can make your own decision, of course. But, how’s this for a casual experiment? Eat clean for 3 to 4 weeks, and I mean no processed foods, and then have yourself a mighty sandwich, or even better – a hot dog, and see if you walk around with a headache for the rest of the day. Think I’m wrong? Try it out.
There are billions of hot dogs sold in this country. I, for one, do not think they are worth the health risk. What do you think? Bear in mind, there are companies that manufacture meat without the synthetic form. You, of course, will have to check out the labels. In the meantime, if you are one of those people who suffer from migraines, please consider that the little piggy might be your trigger and, therefore, your enemy.
