It’s officially Hot Dog Summer. And we’re not talking (just) about chocolate Labradors basking in the sun. The hot dog has always been, of course, a summer classic. But this year, even though it never really left, the hot dog can only be described as SO back. Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi have an all-consuming Frankfurt showdown coming to Netflix. Costco’s new CFO recently confirmed the sanctity of the $1.50 dog. Some of us eat them straight side-saddle. So there’s no reason not to spend these glorious months throwing glizzys like popcorn. Or is there any?
What other people eat is none of my business (unless, of course, they’re trying to eat my hot dog). But there’s something about the sweet celebrations of summer and the savory simplicity of hot dogs that makes it all too easy to pass out and devour three or more in one sitting – or make it a regular meal as you move from one barbecue to the next.
While many of us end up wondering, “Did I just eat too many hot dogs?” It turns out that “too many hot dogs” is a tough number to pin down.
“Let’s say you had a very healthy breakfast and dinner, then you go to the baseball game and ate a hot dog,” suggests Angel Planells, MS, RDN, a Seattle-based registered dietitian nutritionist and media outlet. national. spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. “Will a hot dog with a bag of chips and a soda or beer destroy you? For the most part, no.
Context matters. How do you sleep? What else have you eaten today? Are you generally active? Do you have any pre-existing health conditions, especially those that require medication? “It’s a complex issue,” Plannells says.
Generally speaking, a 1.5-ounce dog contains about 200 calories, with an additional 100 for the bun. By adding condiments like ketchup or mustard, “you get 300 to 350 calories per hot dog,” Planells says. “If the average person consumes 2,000 calories a day, that’s 15 percent of your calories.” But what you need to know is the sodium content of a sausage, which Planells says can range from 400 to 700 mg.
“This could be a problem for someone with kidney disease, hypertension or heart problems,” he says. “From a therapeutic standpoint, people with health issues may want to just have one and make sure they’re aware of what’s going on during the rest of the day.”
Hot dogs also contain beneficial ingredients. A medium sausage contains about 7 grams of protein. Plannells says it’s also a good source of vitamin B12 and contains phosphorus, selenium and zinc. And of course, there are also alternatives to traditional beef and pork sausages: those made from meats like chicken or turkey often contain less fat and are lower in sodium.
As for “too many” hot dogs, whether in one sitting or in a month, the telltale sign is the same: You should take a break “if you clearly feel uncomfortable after” letting yourself go, said Plannells. Hot dogs, like all foods, are neutral in a vacuum and should not be classified as “good” or “bad.” Instead, think about the context in which the hot dog lives and everything that came before it – in other words, “people’s individual appetites, their health status, what they eat for breakfast, what they eat for lunch or dinner before eating hot dogs.” dogs, and where this fits into their intake model.
So, is it still hot dog summer? Absolutely. From baseball games to backyard barbecues to the boiled frankfurter I make at home when we’re out of other food, there’s no wrong way to enjoy a hot dog. What if you’re not a fan? In Plannells’ words: “It’s just more for the rest of us, I suppose.” »
