Hamburgers versus Hot Dogs

If you're at a BBQ or picnic, and find yourself deluged with greasy burgers and hot dogs, which do you choose? The hot dog or the hamburger?

From a calorie standpoint, choose the hot dog, it's a little lower.

I did a lookup on the nutritional content of a standard sized pork frankfurter and hamburger patty...

Pork frankfurter, cooked, (3oz): 204 calories, 18g fat
Beef hamburger patty, cooked, (3oz): 251 calories, 19g fat

Hamburger bun: 120 calories
Hot dog bun: 110 calories

Of course you can skip the bun, which is what I typically do.

But from a health standpoint, the beef hamburger patty is better. It's typically free of preservatives and much lower in sodium. The frankfurter is loaded with preservatives and sodium.

Condiments

Stay away from ketchup and relish, they're both high in sugars. My advice is to stick with mustard for the least calorie impact.

If you're eating a hamburger patty without the bun, pour some salsa over it, that too is fat-free, and about as calorie-free as you get with a condiment.

If you're going to add the bun, but skip out on mayonnaise, then add a tomato slice to give it more moisture. Also add pickle slices and onions, if you like those, to give it more juice.

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