Can Hot Dogs Cause Diabetes?

Surprising new research shows that eating lots of hot dogs can up your risk of diabetes.

You probably already know that eating lots of hot dogs and bacon isn't heart healthy. Well, there's more bad news just in time for baseball season. New research from Brigham and Women's Hospital shows these foods can also increase your risk of diabetes.

In a study of 37,309 women, those who ate bacon at least twice a week had a 17% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate it less than once a week. The results for frankfurters were even more troubling. Those who had hot dogs at least twice a week upped their risk by 24%.

The results are surprising, since most of us associate diabetes with foods that are high in carbohydrates and sugar -- not protein-rich foods. Researchers aren't yet sure how eating these meats leads to diabetes, but say it may be nitrates and nitrites, preservatives and additives that can be toxic to pancreatic cells (damage to these cells is a hallmark of type 2 diabetes).

So how many frankfurters and BLTs are too much? The optimal amount is a matter of debate, says study author Yiqing Song. "But avoiding a diet high in processed meats, French fries and sweets may be more important than emphasizing any individual foods."