How Bad Are Hot Dogs For You, And How Many Are Too Many? | HuffPost Life

We talked with nutritionists, and here’s what they had to say.

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Traditional hot dogs, packed with sodium, fat and nitrates, are very unhealthy.

As summer begins to wind down, many of us are working to make the most of every cookout and barbecue before the chill of fall. Enter hot dogs, an admittedly delicious staple of summertime that’s — not that good for us. Packed with sodium, fat and nitrates (which are linked to cancer), hot dogs don’t exactly have the best reputation.

But exactly how many hot dogs is too many? We talked with nutritionists, and here’s what they had to say about hot dogs and some healthier alternatives.

Just how unhealthy are hot dogs, anyway?

The short answer, sadly, is that a traditional hot dog — think a ballpark hot dog — is very unhealthy.

“The traditional ballpark dogs tend to be very high in sodium (over 500 mg in one hot dog), which can contribute to high blood pressure,” explained Jenna Stangland, a registered dietician and co-founder of A4 Health who’s also the team dietitian for the Minnesota Timberwolves. “The quality of the meat can make a hot dog unhealthy, and this is because many times hot dogs are not 100% beef, chicken or turkey — they are processed meats and may contain what is called MSM.”

MSM is mechanically separated meat, Stangland explained, and this means the hot dog is a combination of meat, veins, tendons and skin.

“Processed meats may also have added nitrates, which, when combined with protein, can form a compound that has been linked to certain cancers,” Strangland continued. “You want to look for a 100% meat (or veggie) hot dog that is not processed, cured or with added fillers.”

Another unhealthy component of the hot dog is fat, she said. “Hot dogs can be high in saturated fat, and that is a fat that can increase risk of cardiovascular diseases.”

If you love hot dogs and are going to eat them anyway, how many is too many?

There’s no specific number, but try to think of a traditional hot dog as a “once in a while” food instead of an “everyday” food.

“I would say this is a once-in-a-while food that would fall into the once-a-month category, especially for people who have high blood pressure (hypertension) or are at an increased risk of cardiovascular disease,” said Maggie Michalczyk, registered dietitian and founder of the blog Once Upon a Pumpkin.

Luckily, there are a handful of healthier hot dog options that you can feel comfortable eating more frequently, although still probably not every day.

“There are absolutely ways to seek out a healthy dog and be able to enjoy a grilling night out,” Stangland said. “You want to look for an uncured hot dog without nitrates, 100% beef (grass-fed is even better), chicken, turkey or pork, and typically water listed as the next ingredient. You want to find a label with the sodium content below 450 mg and the saturated fat content as low as possible.”

If you aim for a hot dog within those parameters that incorporates healthy toppings, it’s a way to enjoy hot dogs in moderation throughout the summer months. And while there are “healthier” hot dogs (or hot dog-like items), some of them are just as processed as traditional dogs — so make sure you choose wisely.

Which hot dog options are the least unhealthy?

The Healthiest And Least Healthy Hot Dogs

A healthy beef option: Organic Valley Uncured 100% Beef Hot Dogs(01 of15)

“The Organic Valley hot dogs boast healthy ingredients like organic grass-fed beef, organic spices, garlic and onion powder (although celery powder is used as a preservative),” Zimmermann said.

Because they’re uncured, this makes them your best bet for avoiding high amounts of carcinogens -- and compared to traditional dogs, they’re lower in calories, sodium and saturated fat. (credit:Organic Valley)

A healthy beef option: Applegate Naturals Do Good Dog Uncured Beef Hot Dogs(02 of15)

Applegate Naturals Do Good Dogs are made with regeneratively sourced beef that’s 100% grass-fed. They use just four simple ingredients: beef, water, salt and spices.

“You are what you eat, and a healthier diet for the animal you’re consuming means a healthier diet for you too,” said Marissa Meshulam, a registered dietitian based in New York City. (credit:Applegate Naturals)

An unhealthy beef option to avoid: Ball Park Brand Prime Uncured Beef Franks(03 of15)

Even though the packaging says “uncured,” it only takes one glance at the nutrition facts to know these hot dogs aren’t the best choice.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting calories from saturated fat to less than 10% of one's total calories per day to promote heart health. “A 2,000-calorie diet would equate to less than 20g of saturated fat per day,” Zimmermann said. “The Ball Park Prime Uncured Beef Franks provides nearly half that amount in one serving.”

Even before the bun, ketchup and other salty condiments and accessories are added, these hot dogs pack a whopping 710mg of sodium in one serving, as well as 230 calories, 20g of fat, 9g of saturated fat, 2g of carbohydrates and 9g of protein. Bottom line: Yikes. (credit:Ball Park)

A healthy pork blend: Applegate Naturals Natural Stadium Beef and Pork Hot Dogs(04 of15)

“Applegate Naturals uses antibiotic-free beef and pork to make these without any preservatives — just natural spices and herbs,” said Amy Shapiro, a New York-based registered dietitian. The franks contain no fillers and no added nitrates or nitrites (except for those naturally occurring in sea salt and celery powder). (credit:Applegate Naturals)

A healthy pork blend: Seemore La Dolce Beet-a Pork Sausages(05 of15)

The pork used to make these sausages is animal welfare-certified, and the dogs themselves are minimally processed. “Plus, the brand adds fresh beets, garlic and fennel, which further boosts the nutrient content,” Meshulam said.

There are no preservatives or phosphates, and the only nitrates or nitrites are those that naturally occur in cultured celery powder and sea salt. (credit:Seemore)

An unhealthy pork blend to avoid: Kayem Beef & Pork Hot Dogs(06 of15)

These dogs contain a boatload of fat and sodium, as well as corn syrup and dextrose (two types of added sugar), mystery flavorings and preservatives. “This can indicate the company uses pork byproducts to produce their product, not lean pork or beef,” Avena said. (credit:Kayem)

A healthy turkey option: Organic Valley Uncured Pasture-Raised Turkey Hot Dogs(07 of15)

These turkey hot dogs are made using meat from animals that have been humanely raised, and the hot dogs are free from fillers and potentially harmful salt sources like sodium nitrates and nitrites, Zimmermann said. They also contain 20% less sodium than the leading organic brand. (credit:Organic Valley)

A healthy turkey option: Applegate Natural Uncured Turkey Hot Dog(08 of15)

The turkey dogs from Applegate Farms are as clean as it gets — the turkey is organic and humanely raised with no antibiotics, and the hot dogs themselves contain no fillers or preservatives. “They simply contain organic turkey and organic spices and herbs,” Shapiro said. “They’re a lean and light option, coming in at 70 calories each with under 4g of fat.” (credit:Applegate Naturals)

An unhealthy turkey option to avoid: Ball Park Brand White Meat Smoked Turkey Franks(09 of15)

Ball Park's turkey franks contain mechanically separated turkey, which, “to keep it simple, means the meat isn’t coming from a good part of the turkey,” Meshulam said. “It’s more likely ground-up bone paste.” They’re also loaded with sodium, at almost 600mg per dog. (“That’s more than I recommend in a full frozen meal,” Shapiro said.) (credit:Ball Park)

A healthy chicken option: Applegate Organics Great Organic Uncured Chicken Hot Dog(10 of15)

“This is an excellent choice for a hot dog with just a handful of ingredients, including organic chicken, water, sea salt and spices,” Zimmermann said. “There are no artificial or naturally occurring nitrate or nitrite sources either, like celery powder, making it one of the best summer grilling hot dog options.” (credit:Applegate Organics)

A healthy chicken option: Bilinski’s Mild Italian Chicken Sausage with Bell Peppers(11 of15)

The line of chicken sausages by Bilinski’s are another excellent summer grilling option. “Not only are they made with only organic chicken breast, water and spices, they’re pretty lean,” Meshulam said. The brand’s mild Italian option has only 2.5g of fat per dog (0.5g of that being saturated fat) and 13g of protein. (credit:Bilinski's)

An unhealthy chicken option to avoid: Gwaltney Original Chicken Hot Dogs(12 of15)

While Gwaltney’s chicken dogs are lower in fat, they contain mechanically separated chicken, which means “you’re not just eating chicken meat, but also tendons, veins and skin,” Shapiro said. On top of multiple sodium sources in the ingredients, this hot dog uses “natural” flavors, which may contain unknown chemicals added during the manufacturing process.

“The word ‘natural’ isn’t regulated by the FDA and can mislead consumers,” Zimmermann said. “Overall, the high sodium content and long list of ultra-processed ingredients make this chicken dog a no-go.” (credit:Gwaltney)

A healthy vegetarian option: Upton Naturals Updog Vegan Hot Dog(13 of15)

This vegan hot dog alternative has a texture similar to meat. “It contains 19 grams of protein from vital wheat gluten or seitan (the main protein of wheat),” Avena said. “The limited ingredients and preservatives make it a great meat-free hot dog option.” (credit:Upton Naturals)

A healthy vegetarian option: Jack & Annie’s Jackfruit Sausages(14 of15)

Many “not dogs” out there contain iffy ingredients (like soy protein isolate), inflammatory oils (canola) and lots of stabilizers and additives to make them taste good. “While they’re 100% better for the environment, they’re still very processed products and may not be that much better for your health,” Meshulam said.

Instead, go for a real plant-based protein (like tofu, beans or legumes). Jack & Annie’s Jackfruit Sausages, for instance, are made with a base of jackfruit — a plant that eats like your favorite meat — and prepared with natural seasonings. (credit:Jack & Annie’s)

An unhealthy vegetarian option to avoid: Lightlife Smart Dogs(15 of15)

To make these non-meat dogs taste like meat, Lightlife uses a lot of processed ingredients, including soy protein isolate, “a very processed and broken-down form [of] soy I tell my clients to avoid,” Shapiro said. “They also use three different sweeteners, soy and canola oil, guar gum and xanthum gums, too — so many ingredients that cause inflammation in the body.” (credit:Lightlife)

“For a chicken sausage choice, Applegate makes a great organic chicken sausage or Thin n Trim Gourmet chicken sausage,” Stangland said. “Both very lean choices and no processed meat, just 100% chicken.”

For a plant-based dog, Strangland recommended Jack and Annie’s Applejack sausage, with whole ingredients including jackfruit. Plus they’re not overly high in sodium and still pack great flavor. Yves’ tofu dog is the lowest sodium out there and is another good plant-based option if you like tofu.

If you’re thinking about totally abandoning hot dogs on a grilling night out, Strangland suggested other great grill choices: kabobs with chicken, or chicken or turkey sausage.

“These are lean meats so you get far less fat, more high-quality protein and without fillers or preservatives,” Stangland said. “You could make a bun with an alternative protein choice such as seafood — lobster roll or shrimp roll — or a veggie dog by just stuffing the bun with beans, cabbage, onion and mustard. This would be another way to eliminate the saturated fat while still having a bun filled with delicious foods on the inside!”

While you shouldn’t have a traditional ballpark hot dog every day, having one once in a while is probably OK. And there are a lot of other great end-of-summer options.

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