Almost everyone, vegetarians’ aside, is keen on including meat in their lunch or dinner. Whether you like beef, poultry, or fish, it is vital to include protein in your diet. Many people think that any type of meat is healthy to consume, so their fridges are filled with processed and smoked meat. However, there are loads of unhealthy substances in meat that we eat daily. We’ll go through some of them in detail, so read on carefully to determine what meat to avoid and why.

Hot Dogs

The ultimate go-to meal in the United States is a hot dog sandwich stuffed with mayonnaise, pickles, mustard, and ketchup. Have you ever wondered what a hot dog really is? Hot dogs are a combination of meat trimmings and some additives like corn syrup, salt, and sodium nitrate. Adding sodium nitrate to food can cause cancer, among many other problems. It is an industrial substance that is used in fertilizers, plastics, and explosives. One hot dog has approximately 410 milligrams of sodium and only 6 grams of protein. Reviews about Fossil Farms explain that it is recommended to order your meat from a trusted seller where animals are grass-fed and hormone and steroid-free to avoid developing health issues in the future.

Fried Nuggets

Many of us love street and junk food, despite knowing that it is unhealthy. If you think that fried nuggets are only harmful because they are not homemade, you’re mistaken. Don’t eat fried food, even if you make it at home. The satisfying taste and crunch that you crave is nothing but oils and calories that harm your body and raise cholesterol levels.

Nuggets, specifically, are not made from pure meat. Restaurants strip chicken to the bone, mash the chicken meat to a pulp, then combine it with stabilizers and preservatives to offer this ‘fantastic taste’ that you love. When you’re craving nuggets, make them at home, but take it down a notch with eating too many as they’re still full of oils and may contribute to serious health complications in the future if consumed in great amounts.

Deli Meat

While deli meat seems like an easy option to eat protein, it is probably the worst thing to have in your fridge. Research shows that these cold cuts are extremely harmful as they include large amounts of nitrites and sodium and are filled with preservatives, which can lead to colon cancer, among many other diseases. Avoid processed food and opt for actual beef or turkey slices.

We consume meat in many ways, yet we may not know whether it is healthy or not. The key to eating healthy food is relying on fresh foods rather than frozen. Stay away from processed food as much as you can and replace it with actual beef, poultry, or fish. Unhealthy meat substances come in different shapes and forms, and they’re harmful to our bodies. Keep a healthy lifestyle by eating fresh food as long as you know its nutrition facts and refrain from consuming processed and fried meat.