Can Pregnant Women Eat Hotdogs?

Pregnancy is one of the most delicate states of a woman. When you get pregnant, there is a lot to consider for the baby and mother’s safety. If you experienced getting pregnant or are pregnant right now, are you aware of the foods you should avoid?

One of the prominent questions I get from pregnant women is, are hotdogs safe to eat? I wrote in this article some information you might find helpful if ever you are in doubt whether you can eat those precious hot dogs or not.

We always love hotdogs, and it completes our breakfast. Almost everyone eats hot dogs because it is meaty and juicy. However, getting pregnant is not easy, and you might reconsider eating foods you used to eat a lot and eat them in moderation instead. That’s right. No rule says pregnant women can’t eat hotdogs; they need to be cooked well and served in moderation.

Where are Hotdogs Made of?

The traditional meats used in hot dogs are beef and pork. Manufacturers remove breasts, chops, steaks, hands, thighs, briskets, and tenderloins. The only parts left are the fat, gristle, and offal in the butchered animal. These parts are used in processing our precious hot dogs.

Hot dogs often have fat, high sodium, nitrate content, and some other ingredients that might not be good for your health. All of the hot dogs being sold in stores are pre-cooked, and you just have to cook them again if you want to eat them.

Hotdogs have nitrite content because it is used as preservatives to enhance hotdog’s shelf-life and color.

Why do people precook hot dogs? The products used in hot dogs often have bacteria, and precooking hot dogs and other processed foods will eliminate those bacteria.

Can Pregnant Women Eat Hotdogs?

You are pregnant, and you like eating hotdogs. There are many people, probably including your doctor, who warned you to avoid hot dogs, especially during pregnancy, because there’s a possibility that you will consume bacteria that comes with it.

If you are pregnant, it’s not necessary to ban hotdogs from your meals. The thing you should do is to cook the hotdog well. Why? Undercooked hot dogs, dry or fermented sausages, luncheon meats, and other poultry products have this type of bacteria called harbor listeria.

Listeria mono cytogenesis is again found in deli meats, cured meats, and cheeses. These bacteria cause listeriosis. It is an infection characterized by gastrointestinal distress and flu-like symptoms. These bacteria are said to cause miscarriages, infection, or premature delivery.

Is there a way to kill these bacteria?

Yes! What you have to do is to cook the hotdog very well. Heat kills these bacteria at 128F, and the foods I mentioned earlier, especially hot dogs, would be safe to eat after you reheated it until it steams. Do not allow your hotdog to become cold because there’s a tendency for contamination.

You have to pay attention to, especially if you are pregnant at risk with food-borne illnesses, is the expiration date of the food. Be sure to cook the hotdogs, which are a month away from their expiration.

Now let’s go back to the question.

Can pregnant women like you eat hotdogs?

Yes, you can if in moderation. You can eat hot dogs and other processed meat 3 to 5 times a month or once a week. If you eat it more than 5 times a week, then you should stop. That is already bad for you and your baby’s health. Consuming a lot of it may lead to other diseases, too, like pancreatic cancer and heart disease.

Again, if you are careful enough when serving and cooking hotdogs, you may continue to eat your favorite hotdogs without the fear of illness throughout your pregnancy.

Are your questions answered now? After reading this, you might feel confident in eating hotdogs in your meal. It isn’t bad after all. Pregnancy is delicate, and you have to consider things these things like eating hotdogs should just be moderated and not avoided. The important thing to do; eats a lot of nutritious foods that really matter to your health.

But, there are also alternatives! If you really enjoy hotdogs but want to be free of nitrates or bacteria, there are meat-free options on the market that you can buy. These are vegetarian and have lower fat content. Good news, right?

If you have some other questions I know you have, please don’t hesitate to comment and ask right away. I am more than willing to answer those things.

If you are a person who’s very conscious of her health, especially during pregnancy, you can ask your personal doctor and weigh things. After all, it’s your body and baby, and you have the decision of what to do. But I still hope that this article gave you insights.