Hot dogs are inexpensive and quick to prepare, making them a family staple across many households. But now that you are following a low-carb diet, you may ask yourself, are hot dogs keto? The answer depends on the quality of meat and added fillers in the brand of hot dog you are eating.
Hot dogs can be consumed on the keto diet. As they are made from pork or beef, a hot dog contains around 2 grams of net carbs. The healthiest choice of hot dog for keto is 100% beef with no added fillers.
To further elaborate on this, the best type of hot dog for keto depends on the type of keto diet you are following.
Strict keto dieters eat whole foods and limit processed meats such as hot dogs, bacon, ham, and salami.
Dirty keto followers aren’t as strict and will include manufactured meat, fast food meat patties, bacon, and other meats in their diet.
If you sit somewhere in the middle (as most of us do), a hot dog can be enjoyed every now and again on the keto diet.
If you’re consuming hot dogs on the keto diet, ensure to check out the labels and select the very best ones for you and your dietary standards.
What Kind of Meat is in a Hot Dog?
You’ll need to start by reading the ingredients list of the brand of hot dogs you are considering purchasing to determine the type of meat. Most of the time, hot dogs are made with the trimmings of beef and pork. Chicken and turkey can also be used.
“Trimmings” refers to skeletal meat that is ground up fine and mixed with salt and water. Nitrates are also added for flavor, color, and preservatives.
There is a big difference between a ‘keto-friendly hot dog’ and a hot dog that actually gives you some nutrition. There are a wide variety of hot dogs available on the market today. Below are the three best choices of hot dogs for the keto diet:
| Brand |
|---|
| Applegate Uncured (Organic or Natural) Beef or Turkey Net Carbs Per Serve = 0 |
| 365 Organic Uncured Beef Hot Dogs Net Carbs Per Serve = 0 |
| Teton – Uncured Grass Fed Beef Net Carbs Per Serve = 0 |
Net Carbs in a Hot Dog
A single hot dog can have between zero and 2 grams of net carbs.
Hot Dog Nutrition Facts
Here is the approximate dietary breakdown for your average single hotdog (typical serving size of 52 grams):
| Calories | 151 |
| Fat | 13 grams |
| Protein | 5 grams |
| Carbohydrates | 2.2 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 grams |
| Sugar | 0 grams |
| Cholesterol | 40mg |
| Sodium | 567mg |
| Potassium | 79mg |
What Brand of Hot Dogs are Keto Friendly?
The best choice for keto is all-beef hot dogs with no added fillers or nitrates. My favorite brand is Applegate. They also make an organic turkey hot dog. Applegate hot dogs have 0 grams of net carbs per serve.
Are Nathan’s Hot Dogs Keto Friendly?
Nathan’s Hot Dogs have 1 gram of net carbs per individual hot dog. In terms of macros, this makes Nathan’s hot dogs keto friendly. If you’re a clean keto eater, the ingredients list won’t make these suitable for you. The ingredients are:
Beef, Water, Contains 2% or Less of Salt, Sorbitol, Sodium Lactate, Natural Flavoring, Sodium Phosphate, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Paprika, Sodium Diacetate, Sodium Erythorbate, Sodium Nitrite.
Luckily, Nathan’s Famous also makes uncured beef hot dogs (called uncured beef franks) – also with 1gram of net carbs per Frankfurt. The ingredients are much cleaner, although you will find sugar on the list, which is likely to affect your blood sugar levels:
Beef, Water, Contains 2% or Less of: Salt, Sugar, Natural Flavoring, Dehydrated Garlic, Yeast Extract, Vinegar, Cultured Celery Juice, Cherry Powder, Paprika
Are Ballpark Hot Dogs Keto?
If you are hungry at the ball game, a hot dog without the bun isn’t the worst choice for the keto diet. Hold the ketchup, and definitely don’t eat the bread. If you need a condiment, choose yellow mustard.
The cheaper, commercially available hot dogs won’t offer much nutrition for your body. Still, they won’t blow your carb count either.
Are Hot Dog Buns Low Carb?
A traditional hot dog bun is not a keto-friendly choice. Eating the bun with the hot dog will set you back around 23 grams of net carbs – more carbs than you should be eating in an entire day!
The bright side is you can make your own low-carb buns utilizing almond flour, coconut flour, flax meal or fathead dough. Here are two recipes you might enjoy:
- Keto Hot Dog Buns Made With Almond and Flax Meal
- Keto Fathead Dough Bagels (change the shape from a bagel to a bun)
Are Beef Hot Dogs Low Carb?
100% beef hot dogs are an excellent choice for the keto diet. These are generally made from higher quality cuts of meat and without chemicals and by-products. Furthermore, uncured beef hot dogs are the best choice.
Look for beef hot dogs that have no added sugar, gluten, soy, and preservatives. Examples include kosher, all-beef hot dogs with no by-products, fillers, or synthetic colors or tastes. The shorter the ingredient list, the better.
Can You Eat Frankfurters on Keto?
In some cases, the phrasing around hot dogs can get a bit confusing. Cocktail frankfurters are often shorter versions of hot dogs, however, still made from the same ingredients. This applies to franks (abbreviation for frankfurter) and weiners as well.
Are Bacon Wrapped Hot Dogs Keto?
If you have chosen to include bacon on keto, go right ahead and wrap your keto friendly hot dog in bacon. Bacon is low carb and a staple in most keto diets.
Keep in mind bacon is a processed meat and most bacon has added nitrates. My motto is everything in moderation (plus I love bacon), but strict clean keto eaters would either look for a nitrate free bacon or not eat this.
What About Vegan Keto or Vegetarian Keto Hot Dogs?
The problem with most vegetarian or vegan hot dog options, is they aren’t designed for the keto diet. Most include other fillers and starches that either increase the carb count significantly (making it completely unsuitable for vegan keto), or ingredients that aren’t 100% keto friendly.
If you are following a vegetarian or vegan ketogenic diet, take a look at the bratwurst style sausages by Beyond Meat. There are only 2 grams of net carbs per plant based sausage, however, some of the ingredients aren’t ideal for keto. These include sunflower oil and potato starch.
Are Hot Dogs Keto Friendly?
Hot dogs are one of the easiest dishes to make. They are very versatile, stored in either the refrigerator or freezer, and can be eaten on their own or turned into a main meal.
Some people enjoy hot dogs on the keto diet, but there are certain qualities that set apart high-quality hot dogs that are keto-friendly.
While a hot dog may seem like a simple concoction, some brands are perfect examples of a hidden carbs that can hinder weight loss. There are generally added fillers, especially in low cost hot dogs, which offer no nutritional value to you or your health.
The amount of fillers and other additives inside of hot dogs can vary greatly between brands. Check the ingredients list carefully, and try to avoid sulphites, added soy, wheat or rice flours used as fillers.
Naturally, when you are out and about or BBQ-ing with friends, eating a bun-less hot dog as a one off won’t kick you out of ketosis, so go ahead and enjoy in moderation.
