What's the better choice: a hot dog or a hamburger? (2024)

The baseball season has officially started and orbarbecue seasonhasn't started in your region yet, but it will soon enough. As you scan the stadium menu or what's sizzling on the grill, you might wonder which of these all-American dishes — a hot dog or a hamburger — is the healthier option.

The quick answer is that none of these choices will make it out of the ballpark nutritionally. But then again, few of us go to the ballpark or to a barbecueeat a salad, so let's see how the two fit together.

HOTDOG

A typical franc is about 150 calories. Add the bun and some basic toppings (let's say ketchup, mustard, and relish, although I know there's a lot to be said about hot dog toppings), and all in all you're in the 300 to 350 calorie range. This is pretty tame when it comes to barbecue and stadium food.

Processed meat is one of the few foods that has been definitively linked to cancer.

The thing is, hot dogs arehighly processedand is high in sodium and nitrates, which are chemical compounds used to preserve processed and smoked meats. Although nutritional and medical experts may dispute the healthfulness of certain foods or nutrients, processed meat is one of the few foods that has been definitively linked to cancer. The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies processed meats, such as hot dogs, bacon, jerky and some deli meats, as acarcinogenic- meaning they cause cancer. To repeat: they cause cancer; cannot, or can, possibly, or any other qualification.

Make no mistake: even gourmet or organic versions carry the same risk. Uncured or nitrate-free versions contain natural sources of these preservatives (like celery juice), which eventually turn into substances of concern when you eat them.

On the other hand, if you eat hot dogs occasionally, I wouldn't worry too much about this. In general, it's a good idea to limit processed meats, but the occasional hot dog - especially when combined with an otherwise healthy diet (i.e.:lots of vegetables, fruits andother plant foods) - won't let you in.

HAMBURGER

A 4-ounce burger (which, let's face it, isn't that big) made from the typical 85 percent lean ground beef, creeps in at almost 300 calories without the bun and toppings. addbubblesand a slice of cheese and you're approaching 500 calories (and I'm being conservative here).

There's also the pesky problem of red meat. The same agency report, which involved 22 experts from 10 countries and reviewed more than 800 studies, suggests that red meat is likely carcinogenic. Not that bad, but not that good either. And if you're not worried about cancer, both red and processed meats have also been linked to diabetes and heart disease.

But enough bad news. An occasional hamburger won't ruin an overall healthy diet, just like an occasional hot dog won't. (Hopefully you knew I was coming here!) The idea is overtrack your total processed and red meat intake, while making sure you get enough vegetables, fruits and other plant-based healthy foods, such aswhole grain, beans, nuts and seeds.

THE WINNER

From a calorie perspective, the hot dog is the winner, but from an overall perspective, the hamburger is a better option. The 4-ounce hamburger has about six times as muchegg whitelike a hot dog, but about a quarter of the sodium. Nutritionally, it's a better deal. And so will the egg whiteshelp curb hunger– good news considering all the other food choices that are likely staring you in the face when hot dogs and hamburgers are served.

The 4-ounce hamburger has about six times the protein of a hot dog, but about a quarter of the sodium.

TIPS FOR A BETTER CITIZEN OR DOG

Whichever way you go, there are a few ways to make these all-American favorites a little healthier.

• Pay attention to the toppings.Things like chili and cheese add more calories and sodium, so see if you can live without these additions.
• Go for a whole wheat bun, if possible, or skip it altogether. If you're eating at a stadium or even in a friend's backyard, you might not be out of luck with a whole-grain sandwich, in which case the white bread, while tasty, is also a nutritional staple. The topic of burgers recently came up in separate conversations with twodietitianfriends (for a total of three dietitians). Three out of three dieters skip the sandwich.
• Think about what else you eat (ordrinks).If the hot dog or burger is the main event, consider lightening up some of the sides. This is another dietitian hack. If I'm going to eat a burger, I skip the fries (and bun) and go for oneprayerand coleslaw instead.

DO YOU WANT TO EAT BETTER? TRY THESE EASY SWAPS:

• This is how you make healthy food taste delicious, according to a well-known chef
• 8 small diet changes that together yield enormous health benefits
• Research says this one trick will help you eat more vegetables
• 5 Foolproof Principles to Clean Up Your Diet

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