Now that it’s the end of July, you’ve probably enjoyed a hot dog or hamburger (or both) at this point in the summer.
After all, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, Americans consume 7 billion hotdogs, according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council.
Year-round, 20 billion hot dogs are consumed, but burgers take the lead with 50 billion consumed per year (this does include restaurants and fast-food places, not just ones made at home).
When given the choice, should you choose one over the other for health reasons?
They do have different nutritional profiles, and there are ways to make them a little bit healthier, depending on the toppings, bun and so on.
While you’re not going to ruin your diet quality by eating a hot dog or hamburger every now and then, they aren’t recommended as an everyday food.
A side-by-side comparison in one serving of the food product (53-gram beef hot dog and 4oz/112 gram hamburger from 80% lean ground beef):
- Calories: 170 calories in hot dogs vs. 280 in hamburgers
- Sodium: 480 mg in hot dogs vs. 75 mg in hamburgers
- Cholesterol: 30mg in hot dogs vs. 80 mg in hamburgers
- Saturated fat: 6 grams in hot dogs vs. 8 grams in hamburgers
- Protein: 6 grams in hot dogs vs. 19 grams in hamburgers
They both have zinc, iron, folate, B vitamins and potassium (hamburgers have slightly more in each of these nutrients), and neither have fiber (fiber is found in plants, not animals).
When it comes to portions, hot dogs come in a standard size, while you have more control over the size of a hamburger when you form the patties (depending on which way you go, this could be a good thing or a bad thing).
Simple ways to make them both healthier include adding fresh toppings such as chopped onions, avocado, tomato slices or grilled peppers and choosing a whole grain bun for extra fiber (or skip the bun altogether), while forgoing high-sodium condiments and cheese.
You can choose a learner ground beef, look for a hot dog with less additives, or go with a chicken or turkey-based hot dog to reduce the saturated fat (though the sodium will still be high).
As for plant-based hamburgers and hot dogs, just know that they are considered highly processed and can have the same amount of sodium and fat as the meat-based ones.
However, making your own bean burgers or lentil burgers would be a healthier alternative.
If you are trying to eat clean (as in, limited processed food), then go with a homemade hamburger (not a fast food burger).
While hot dogs are lower in calories, hamburgers are still better overall from a health standpoint.
And because of the nitrates and nitrites – preservatives linked to cancer – found in hotdogs, it’s important to limit your intake.
With so many billions of these summer staples eaten every year, Americans won’t want to eliminate these from their diet, but perhaps cut back so you’re just eating them in moderation.
Shari Bresin is the Family & Consumer Science Agent for the University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Cooperative Extension Pasco County, An Equal Opportunity Institution.
