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How Bad Are Hot Dogs Really? Plus, How to Build a Healthier One

There’s something about a hot dog that feels like a treat. It’s one of those foods you grab on a city sidewalk, at a baseball game, or as a $1.50 (including a soda!) reward for getting your shopping done at Costco. But you might think of that hot dog as a guilty pleasure — and for good reason. Hot dogs are a kind of processed meat, and their contents have been the subject of much speculation and criticism over the years. So just how bad are hot dogs for your health? Are they among the worst processed foods or is indulging now and then okay? Here’s what the research shows, and what our dietitians think, about this iconic American food.

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 Should I Eat Hot Dogs?

Hot dogs deliver a nutritional assault in many ways: one typical fast food dog with ketchup and mustard contains 290 calories and 910 mg of sodium. (On the plus side, you’re also getting 11 grams of protein.) The problem with hot dogs is how they’re processed. “While there is some debate about the health effects of pure meats, processed meats—and all hot dogs fall into that category, some more processed than others—are consistently associated with adverse health effects,” says Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center. Diets high in processed meats have been linked with cancer, especially colorectal cancer.

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What Are the Health Risks of Hot Dogs?

Hot dogs tend to be high in sodium, and high sodium intake has been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure. They also contain a significant amount of saturated fat and some additives, like nitrates and nitrites, that pose an increased risk of cancer. However, hot dogs can fit into a well-balanced diet when consumed in moderation and with nutrient-dense foods. Keep in mind that portion sizes, buns, and added condiments can also affect the nutrition of hot dogs.

What Hot Dogs Do to Your Body

Although the ballpark staple is a popular summer food, hot dogs are definitely not a favorite among health professionals, who take issue with the low nutrition levels of the food and how hot dogs are processed. A typical pork hot dog contains 204 calories and 18 g of total fat and 620 g of sodium — and this is before condiments like ketchup, mustard and relish are added. Furthermore, eating hot dogs increases your chances of getting certain diseases. Hot dogs, like many processed meats, are linked to increased risks for health issues like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and higher mortality.

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If there is no such thing as a healthy hot dog, how do you limit the damage at this weekend’s weenie roast? Don’t count on the label to help much. Those pricey “natural” and “organic” hot dogs often contain just as much or more of the cancer-linked preservatives nitrate and nitrite as that old-fashioned Oscar Mayer wiener.

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