Study: Every Hot Dog You Eat Takes 36 Minutes Off Your Life

While most people know hot dogs have no place in a healthy diet, a new study reveals just how unhealthy the American staple is.

University of Michigan researchers have determined that eating a hot dog shaves 36 minutes off a person’s life span.

What makes the study’s results even more alarming is the fact that researchers used all-beef hot dogs for the study, says lead author Olivier Jolliet.

He says the 61 grams of processed meat found in a typical beef hot dog results in a loss of 27 minutes of life — but when its sodium and trans fatty acids are factored in, that number rises to 36.

Despite the study’s results, Jolliet says consumers shouldn’t spend too much time stressing over life span-cutting foods.

“Is it the ultimate metric that will tell you exactly what to eat tomorrow and entirely determine your life expectancy? No…It is a useful metric that can help you make more informed choices and makes it simpler to identify and make adequate small changes in our diet.”