Food Smarts

How to Make a Healthier Hot Dog

Usually, putting "healthy" and "hot dog" together in the same sentence would seem like a contradiction in terms. But now that food companies are becoming more understanding of the health concerns of consumers, there are new products on the market that make eating hot dogs a lot better for you.

The Usual

Let's first look at what you get in a traditional hot dog....

A Ball Park Beef Frank contains 160 calories (that's just the meat, without bun or fixings), 16 grams of fat, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein and 550 mg of sodium.

They also contain sodium nitrate and several other preservatives.

Sodium nitrate is a known cancer-causing chemical, or carcinogen, that is added to almost all hot dogs, beef jerky and bacon on the market.

The exception is that at some health-conscious and high-end stores you can find these foods made without preservatives.

Whole Foods Market is an example. None of their food contains sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite.

But at the average grocery store, most hot dogs out there, even turkey dogs and Kosher dogs, contain sodium nitrate, usually in combination with several other preservatives which aren't great for you.

All of the hot dogs I've seen, even the healthier ones, are high in sodium. Most hot dogs contain between 400 mg and 600 mg sodium. So no matter what brand you choose, hot dogs are not a low-sodium item.

Then again, a typical submarine sandwhich contains over 1,000 mg of sodium, so it's all relative.

When you put a Ball Park Beef Frank on a typical white grocery store bun, here's what you get:

Ball Park Beef Frank on an HEB Market White Bun

Calories: 280

Fat: 18 g

Carbohydrates (with fiber subtracted): 24 g

Protein: 10 g

Sodium: 780 mg

Mustard and/or ketchup add a bit more sodium to the meal but little to no calories.

Staying Full by Balancing Carbs and Protein

You may notice that in reporting the carbs, I subtracted fiber first. I did this because it's useful in understanding how satisfying a food tends to be.

Ideally, you want protein to be anywhere between equal to and just over half of the carbs (minus the fiber). So if the carbs are 24, as in the example, you'd want the protein to be between 24 and12.

Are the protein and carbs in the hot dog balanced?

No, Nebuchadneezer!

So the typical hot dog has at least three strikes against it: it contains sodium nitrate, it's relatively high in sodium, and, for the amount of calories it contains, it doesn't keep you especially full.

A Healthier Hot Dog

Fortunately, by buying the right products, you can help correct all three of these problems, creating a healthier, more satisfying hot dog.

Oscar Mayer Smoked Uncured Natural Beef Franks contain no sodium nitrate. They contain 480 mg of sodium--still a lot, but a bit better than the Ball Park Beef Franks. They're also a bit higher in protein and lower in carbs.

Nature's Own Sugar Free or Honey Whole Wheat buns are both lower in calories and sodium, higher in protein and lower in carbs than typical white buns.

When you put an Oscar Mayer Smoked Natural Beef Frank on a Nature's Own Sugar Free Bun, you get:

Oscar Mayer Smoked Natural Beef Frank

on a Nature's Own Sugar Free Bun

Calories: 250

Fat: 15.5 g

Carbohydrates (with fiber subtracted): 16 g

Protein: 13 g

Sodium: 670 mg

Doing a quick check of the carbs and protein to see if they're in balance, gives:

Carbohydrates (with fiber subtracted): 16 g

Protein: 13 g

Is the protein between 16 and 8? The protein is 13, so it's between 16 and 8.

Perfect! The protein and carbs in this hot dog are balanced, so it will tend to keep you more satisfied than the first hot dog.

Eating one to two of these healthier hot dogs (250 to 500 calories), should satisfy the average woman and two to three dogs (500 to 750 calories) should satisfy the average man. That's as long as you don't add other carbs or calories to the meal -- so just have a salad or vegetables on the side and drink water or unsweetened iced tea.

If you're a "Caver," or a person who follows the Caveman Diet, you can eat the hot dogs without the buns, either with or without mustard. Have a salad or vegetables and a little fruit for dessert if you'd like.

If you get a hankering for hot dogs at your next barbeque, pick up the products above, or similar products at Whole Foods Market or another health-conscious food store, and you can enjoy a great hot dog or two while being good to your body.

Food Smarts How to Make a Healthier Hot Dog Usually, putting "healthy" and "hot dog" together in the same sentence would seem like a contradiction in terms. But now that food companies are becoming more understanding of the health concerns of consumers, there are new products on the market that make eating hot dogs a lot better for you. The Usual Let's first look at what you get in a traditional hot dog.... A Ball Park Beef Frank contains 160 calories (that's just the meat, without bun or fixings), 16 grams of fat, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of protein and 550 mg of sodium. They also contain sodium nitrate and several other preservatives. Sodium nitrate is a known cancer-causing chemical, or carcinogen, that is added to almost all hot dogs, beef jerky and bacon on the market. The exception is that at some health-conscious and high-end stores you can find these foods made without preservatives. Whole Foods Market is an example. None of their food contains sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite. But at the average grocery store, most hot dogs out there, even turkey dogs and Kosher dogs, contain sodium nitrate, usually in combination with several other preservatives which aren't great for you. All of the hot dogs I've seen, even the healthier ones, are high in sodium. Most hot dogs contain between 400 mg and 600 mg sodium. So no matter what brand you choose, hot dogs are not a low-sodium item. Then again, a typical submarine sandwhich contains over 1,000 mg of sodium, so it's all relative. When you put a Ball Park Beef Frank on a typical white grocery store bun, here's what you get: Ball Park Beef Frank on an HEB Market White Bun Calories: 280 Fat: 18 g Carbohydrates (with fiber subtracted): 24 g Protein: 10 g Sodium: 780 mg Mustard and/or ketchup add a bit more sodium to the meal but little to no calories. Staying Full by Balancing Carbs and Protein You may notice that in reporting the carbs, I subtracted fiber first. I did this because it's useful in understanding how satisfying a food tends to be. Ideally, you want protein to be anywhere between equal to and just over half of the carbs (minus the fiber). So if the carbs are 24, as in the example, you'd want the protein to be between 24 and12. Are the protein and carbs in the hot dog balanced? No, Nebuchadneezer! So the typical hot dog has at least three strikes against it: it contains sodium nitrate, it's relatively high in sodium, and, for the amount of calories it contains, it doesn't keep you especially full. A Healthier Hot Dog Fortunately, by buying the right products, you can help correct all three of these problems, creating a healthier, more satisfying hot dog. Oscar Mayer Smoked Uncured Natural Beef Franks contain no sodium nitrate. They contain 480 mg of sodium--still a lot, but a bit better than the Ball Park Beef Franks. They're also a bit higher in protein and lower in carbs. Nature's Own Sugar Free or Honey Whole Wheat buns are both lower in calories and sodium, higher in protein and lower in carbs than typical white buns. When you put an Oscar Mayer Smoked Natural Beef Frank on a Nature's Own Sugar Free Bun, you get: Oscar Mayer Smoked Natural Beef Frank on a Nature's Own Sugar Free Bun Calories: 250 Fat: 15.5 g Carbohydrates (with fiber subtracted): 16 g Protein: 13 g Sodium: 670 mg Doing a quick check of the carbs and protein to see if they're in balance, gives: Carbohydrates (with fiber subtracted): 16 g Protein: 13 g Is the protein between 16 and 8? The protein is 13, so it's between 16 and 8. Perfect! The protein and carbs in this hot dog are balanced, so it will tend to keep you more satisfied than the first hot dog. Eating one to two of these healthier hot dogs (250 to 500 calories), should satisfy the average woman and two to three dogs (500 to 750 calories) should satisfy the average man. That's as long as you don't add other carbs or calories to the meal -- so just have a salad or vegetables on the side and drink water or unsweetened iced tea. If you're a "Caver," or a person who follows the Caveman Diet, you can eat the hot dogs without the buns, either with or without mustard. Have a salad or vegetables and a little fruit for dessert if you'd like. If you get a hankering for hot dogs at your next barbeque, pick up the products above, or similar products at Whole Foods Market or another health-conscious food store, and you can enjoy a great hot dog or two while being good to your body.		*Tracy Jones is a nutritional educator, a public speaker, and the author of The Caveman Diet* and The Smart-Carb Guide to Eating Out: Fast-Food and Family Restaurants.** Tracy works as an on-site nutritionist for Pure Austin Fitness, the Round Rock American Taekwondo Association and the Riata Luxury Apartment Community in Austin, Texas. 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