REVIEW: Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks

Hot dogs seem like a no-go food when it comes to dieters, but really, JUST ONE isn't going to be detrimental to your health, as long as you stick to JUST ONE. But maybe sometimes, you feel like wolfin' down the little suckers like Takeru Kobayashi. And if that's the case, maybe a lower calorie hot dog is the solution for you. Luckily, we have Hebrew National to thank for these nearly fat-free franks. One 11 oz. package costs around $3.89.

One 45g hot dog contains 45 calories, 10 of these being from fat, 1g of fat, 0g of saturated fat, 0g of trans fat, 15mg of cholesterol, 490mg of sodium, 140mg of potassium, 2g of total carbohydrates, 0g of fiber, 0g of sugar, and 6g of protein.

I pan-fried up two of these hot dogs along with a bowl of soup for dinner. For low-calorie hot dogs, these are REALLY good. I mean, in all fairness, I rarely ever eat REAL hot dogs (the last time being when I visited New York in April), but if I think really hard about it, I'd say these franks taste very similar to traditional ones. And if they actually DON'T, these are still pretty tasty. They really are! They have a nice meaty taste and are a bit addicting. I mean, at 45 calories a pop, you can even have hot dogs for a SNACK. Betcha' never thought of hot dogs as a snack, didja'? I even like to take these guys right out of the package and eat them cold. And when I'm in a situation like that, I'd kinda imagine that'd make these dogs like cold cuts. They're salty enough to be cold cuts, that's for sure (20% of your daily recommended value of sodium for just one of these guys). Soooo... I guess you COULD mow these down like Takeru, but then you'd have a sodium bloat like there was no tomorrow.

While these hot dogs are a great alternative for hungry dieters just by taste alone, I would suggest searching for other products if you're a believer in "all-natural" goods. One of the main ingredients in these dogs is "modified potato starch." And another one down the line is "hydrolized soy protein." Either of these two ingredients would probably be the white minuscule flecks found on the inside of these hot dogs, which is pretty strange to come across at first. Now, granted, these could use all-natural modified potato starch and soy protein isolate, but I'm sure there are other options for low-calorie doggies out there if you prefer them with a more "simple" ingredient list. I suppose you could REALLY bash on these hot dogs for having some pretty strange ingredients, but then again, what hot dogs DON'T??? Honestly, is there any food that makes people say, "Do you even know what that's made of?" more than hot dogs?

 

Some may scoff at the high sodium or strange ingredient list, but I find these franks from Hebrew Naitonal to be the best low-calorie hot dog alternative I've tasted yet. Turkey dogs taste too much like turkey, and the veggie dogs I've tried taste like a mushy root. But these Hebrew National franks are MUCH more enjoyable. They taste just as good as standard dogs, if not slightly better. They're really delicious- so much so I have one or two for a snack! Just because I'm craving them and actually WANT them. So, if you're ever in the mood for a full-on hot dog feast, these little guys are your best bet. I love these franks, and right now, they're my stand-by hot dog product. Always buy em'. But, like I said, if you're into eating organic, you might want to invest your money elsewhere.

For being such a great hot dog alternative, I'll give these Hebrew National Franks a 8.75/10.

What healthy hot dogs do YOU like to buy? Let me know in the comments below!

Till' then, this has been RiRi ri-porting!