The Perfect Bite: Which hotdogs are the healthiest and best tasting?
It’s time to fire up the grill! Hotdogs are a summertime favourite, but they’re often filled with sodium, additives and fat. On this episode of The Perfect Bite, host Andrea Jenna is joined by registered dietitian Doug Cook. They take a look at five popular hot dog brands to find out which is the healthiest and tastiest option.
Is there such a thing as a hot dog that is actually good for us? “The answer would be a qualified ‘yes.’ You really want to take into consideration three main things: Calories, sodium and whether or not there’s trans fats.”
Nitrates and nitrites are another thing to watch out for when choosing your go-to hot dog brand.
“Sodium nitrates and nitrites were introduced as a way to preserve food,” explains Doug. “The most current research suggests they’re not as bad as we once thought. Nitrates are found abundantly in food supply and they’re found abundantly in our own bodies. Our bodies produce far more nitrates than you could ever find in food.”
PC Original Hot Dog Wieners
Doug immediately notices the smoky taste of this hot dog. “It tastes like ham,” he comments.
“Smoked ham,” Andrea agrees.
Butterball Turkey Franks (Andrea’s favourite, second least healthy option)
“This one feels like a real hot dog,” Andrea says as soon as she takes a bite. It’s got some substance.”
Andrea and Doug both thought the Butterball Turkey Franks and the Maple Leaf Top Dogs had the best taste – but this one took it the extra mile for Andrea.
“You can really, really taste the hot dog and bun,” she says.
But unfortunately for Andrea, her favourite hot dog wasn’t very healthy. “That was number two in terms of the worst ones,” Doug explains.
It’s a common misconception that turkey dogs are healthier than hot dogs made with red meat, but that’s not the case.
“This one actually has the most sodium with about 500 milligrams of salt per hot dog,” Doug says.
Maple Leaf Top Dogs Less Salt Wiener (Doug’s favourite, least healthy option)
“I actually like this one,” says Doug. “It’s got a good flavour for sure.”
“This is more like a beef hot dog,” Andrea comments.
Doug was surprised when he found out the hot dog he enjoyed the most was this Maple Leaf dog – because it’s the least healthy of the bunch.
While this dog has around 200 mg of sodium per serving, Doug says it’s packed with artificial flavours and preservatives, which makes it unhealthy.
No Name All Beef Hot Dog
Andrea comments that this hot dog tastes like a veggie dog, and that to her, it tastes like the saltiest option. Doug agrees on the salty flavour.
Schneider’s Country Naturals Wiener (Healthiest option)
“This also has a different taste and a lot of salt,” comments Andrea.
“But it’s mild,” adds Doug.
Doug rates this as the best hot dog nutrition-wise, even though neither him nor Andrea was blown away by its taste.
“It does have more salt than the Maple Leaf,” Doug explains. “But I think that’s to make up for the fact that the Maple Leaf and the Turkey Franks have got a lot more preservatives and artificial flavours.”
A hot dog with a bun and traditional condiments (ketchup, mustard and relish) can add up to about 1,000 mg of sodium. recommends making some healthier additions and switch-ups, like low-fat cheese and vegetables.
Which hot dogs will be your go-to when you’re grilling this summer? And what do you top them off with? Let us know and you could be featured in an upcoming blog post.
