It is pink, it is long, and it is available in many different sizes. The hot dog is America's favorite Sausage.

Normally, the meat products lining supermarket shelves and concession stands are everywhere, but for a brief moment in time, you could find them splashed across a Pennsylvania highway.

There was 15,000 pounds of pink hot dog meat in the tractor trailer that turned over. According to a police report, the driver lost control of the vehicle after it was found to have brake failure.

According to the Rostraver Central Fire Department, the smell of the meat spillage was not too funky.

The only smell was from the product itself. The fire department said that it wasn't what would be described as "smelled". It was a unique product, but we have seen other things on the highway before, like a load of Twizzlers.

The accident made us wonder what hot dogs are made of. Do they hurt you? According to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, they are not sandwiches.

The hot dogs you eat on the 4th of July are fine to eat, according to several registered dietitians who spoke to us. It's important that moderation is key.

It's summertime without grilled franks on the grill with some sauerkraut. It's time to be real.

According to the NHDSC, Americans will eat 150 million hot dogs on the 4th of July. July is hot dog month.

What are hot dogs made of?

You can find a complete list of ingredients for hot dogs online. The NHDSC has a guide on what to look for in your hot dogs, which are regulated by the USDA.

The president of the NHDSC said that people have different ideas about the mythology of hot dogs. What you see on the label of a package is exactly what you are getting.

The sausages can be made of beef trimmed from steaks or roasts, pork from larger cuts like chops and tenderloins, or chicken and turkey.

Dogs are given certain curing agents to give them their taste and pink color, but also to prevent the growth ofbacteria. Other ingredients such as ascorbic acid, sodium erythorbate, and cherry powder are added in the batches to speed up the curing process.

Corn syrup, yeast extract, and seasonings made of herbs, spices, and vegetables are some of the other contents.

Most of the hot dogs are stripped before they're packaged. The NHDSC says that others have what is known as a "natural casing." When you bite into them, you get asnap sensation. If the hot dog's skin is made of a different animal than the dog itself, that information must be included on the label.

The meat is ground into small pieces and thrown into a mixer that makes a cakelike batter. The mixture is stuffed into a machine and shaped into links. Next, the meat is cooked in a smokehouse, showered in cool water, and then vacuum sealed into its package.

In North American hot dogs, organ meats, such as the heart, kidneys, or liver, are not common. Some states consider them to bedelicacy parts. If they have them, the labels will say "with variety meats" or "with meat byproducts".

There are USDA establishment numbers found on the packaging that you can use to look up where the meat came from and how it was produced.

Are hot dogs bad for you?

A processed meat is one that has been modified in some way to extend the shelf life or improve the taste. Salting, curing, and smoking are common methods.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer considers processed meat to be a carcinogen if you eat it a lot.

We have to take that with a grain of salt because a lot of people fear hot dogs. The occasional hot dog is not bad for anyone's health because it depends on how much we eat.

She said that it was the idea of a diet that consisted of too much processed food. There is cause for concern at that location.

According to the American Cancer Society, eating 50 grams of processed meat a day increases your risk of colorectal cancer by 18%, or an average lifetime risk of about 6%.

If you keep up with your fruit, vegetables, and whole grains, you will be fine. The only thing left is that.

There are some health risks associated with sodium nitrate, but no conclusive evidence has been found. Hot dogs are usually high in saturated fats, salts, and sugars, which may cause some people with sensitivities to those ingredients to have problems with their stomachs.

The risk of developing listeriosis can be serious for pregnant people, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems if you cook hot dogs until steaming hot. Cold cuts, soft cheeses, and unpasteurized milk can be found with the Clostridium perfringens in them.

There are ways to make your hot dog healthier

If you are concerned about the health of your meal, there are ways to make it more healthier.

Vandana Sheth said to go into your 4th of July celebration with knowledge that all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle. You can either find healthier options that serve you well or enjoy your favorite hot dog, but only one and balance out your meal with lots of veggies and fruit.

If you want to get some fiber from the whole grains, you can switch to a whole wheat bun. Adding some sauerkraut will give you a gift that is beneficial to your gut health.

She said the company Applegate has some good options if you want to reduce your exposure to nitrates.

You can find some plant-based alternatives, but don't think they'll taste as good. Compared to a regular hot dog, these options have less saturated fat and more fiber, but may still be high in salt.

Sheth mentioned the Signature Stadium Dog from Fieldroast and the Smart Dogs from Lightlife.

The bottom line is to enjoy a hot dog and don't feel bad about it.

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