The popularity of sausages around the globe is no longer a secret. Whether you make pasta, rice, salad, or burger, the sausage never fails to enhance the flavor of your food.
Coming down to the types of sausages, we see hot dogs and bologna on top of the list. Both are made with cured meat of chicken, beef, and pork that contains spices, water, and preservatives. According to a survey, most people don’t know what these sausages are made with so let me tell you today that different meat crafters use different recipes.
Some would follow the same process and recipe in the making of hot dogs and bologna, while others would make little changes in the ingredients.
Now, the question is what are the key differences between hot dogs and bologna.
There is a major difference in the size of the casing. In comparison to hot dogs, Bologna is larger. Another difference is that some companies make smoky hot dogs. Overall, both give you a similar taste of flavors.
Throughout this article, I’ll be discussing both hot dogs and bologna individually. Also, I’ll share what effects they may leave on your health.
So, let’s dive into it…
Hot Dogs
Affordable, easy, and convenient to make, red hot dogs have a history that dates back to the 9th century. This was the time when people used to sell these with other names. If you ask about American street food, the hot dogs would be on the top of the list. The most common way to have these sausages is with buns.
Hot dogs are made up of ground meat and chunks of fat. Additionally, it contains different flavors, herbs, and spices.
Bologna
Unlike hot dogs, only beef meat is usually used to make bologna. Italian mortadella is of higher quality than the bologna sold in the United States.
You’d notice that there are fat flecks in the original Italian bologna. Though you won’t see them in the bologna being sold in America. This is because of the USDA regulations of mincing any tiny particles.
Side Effects Of Eating Hot Dogs
If you eat hot dogs or bologna every day, they might leave adverse effects on your health. Since sausages are processed meat, eating 50 grams of them will cause an 18 percent increase in the risk of premature death.
They also increase the risk of getting chronic diseases like cancer and heart problems. The difference between fresh meat and sausages is that they contain compounds like N-nitroso which are the root causes of cancer.
Alternatives To Hot Dogs
No one likes to have hot dogs every day, therefore, people want to try different foods as an alternative to hot dogs. Furthermore, hot dogs don’t come under healthy foods.
So, we’ve picked some foods that can substitute hot dogs.
Homemade Hot Dogs
Homemade hot dogs are also a reasonable choice when compared to packaged hot dogs. This way you don’t have to compromise on the quality of the meat and other ingredients. As for the recipe, you’ll find a bunch of them online.
Vegetable Dogs
If you’re a fitness nut, you may want to keep yourself away from sausages made from processed meat. This is exactly when you may want to consider vegan dogs. Here’s a video that tells you how to make vegan hot dogs.
Chicken Sausage or Packaged (Pork) Sausage
Turkey sausage or chicken sausage is a healthier option than pork sausage in so many respects. Here are some of the benefits you get when eating turkey or chicken sausage.
| Chicken Sausage | Sausage (packaged) | |
| Lower in calories | 170 calories per 85 grams of sausage | 294 calories per 85 grams of sausage |
| Lower fat content | 7.1 g (per 2 ounce) | 18 grams (per 2 ounce) |
| Protein | 8.3 g (per 2 ounce) | 8 g (per 2 ounce) |
| Sodium | 580 mg per 113 g | 826 mg per 113 g |
- Nutritionally, chicken sausage is healthier than the regular one.
- The amount of calories is lower in chicken sausage.
- Also, the fat content is minimum as compared to the pork sausage.
- Though, the sodium content is higher in both types of sausages. Considering the daily sodium intake in mind, you should never go beyond 2300 mg of it.
Right Way To Eat Hot Dogs
Many people get confused about whether they should eat hot dogs right out of the package or not. Because of the phrase “fully cooked” on the packaging, we usually eat them raw.
According to the FDA, it’s a myth and it’s essential to pass them through the heating process. Otherwise, they may lead to various diseases. Additionally, they indicate not to eat hot dogs if you can’t heat them.
Final Thoughts
- If you ask about the three differences between hot dogs and bologna, the first difference is size.
- The size of bologna is larger than the size of hot dogs.
- You also see that bologna is usually cut into pieces, while hot dogs are served in round real shape.
- Neither type of sausage has a different taste when it comes to taste.
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