You are soon to be a mother to be! It is very natural that you will shake off the reckless disregard for what you should eat and be very concerned about every morsel that goes to your stomach because you have a baby growing inside of you and you do not want to eat things that would harm him. With summers around the corner, many pregnant women are wondering if they can go and enjoy the BBQ treats and the good old Hot Dogs. You have heard plenty of warnings against the consumption of hot dogs during pregnancy and you are a little sceptical about it, right? So let me clear up things are little.

Why are hot dogs considered detrimental to the development of your baby?

Hot dogs, also known as frankfurters or wieners is a cured meat of pork or poultry and every pregnant woman has at some point been warned against consuming cured meat like the hot dog, salami and other things because they tend to pick up a lot of bacteria in the packing stage.

Usually, this bacterium is not really harmful to the tummy but during pregnancy, a lot of things change, including your immune system. The immune system of your body becomes weak and you become more susceptible to infections which are most likely to affect your child as well. Illness caused by the food of any kind is especially very detrimental.

Dangerous bacterias like E.coli, listeria, toxoplasma and others find a way in your food. These groups of bacteria are so strong that they can break your immune system and pass through your placenta and affect your baby even without making you feel sick. So, pregnancy will definitely make you think again about ordering medium-rare burgers and caesar salads with raw eggs.

When is Hot Dogs Safe to Eat During Pregnancy?

In this article, I will mostly talk about women having hot dogs while pregnant. Hot dogs are high in sodium, nitrates and fats. Sodium nitrates are used to cure the meat as they enhance its flavour, colour and also increases its life on the shelf. While there has been a lot of controversy regarding the effect of nitrates on the human body, there has not been any positive indication that nitrates harm the developing baby. They seem safe as long as they are within the standards mentioned by the FDA.