Turkey Kielbasa vs Hot Dogs vs Hamburgers
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With my recent Turkey Polska Kielbasa obsession still going strong (see post: A Stealth Lo-Co BBQ Choice), I thought it wise to get more info about all this kielbasa I’m eating. Specifically: is it a better BBQ choice than a hot dog or hamburger?
And the answer is a resounding YES.
Here’s how Hillshire Farm’s Turkey Polska Kielbasa stacks up lo-co wise with those other BBQ staples: hot dogs and hamburgers. All data is for the protein only — no condiments, no buns. Just the meat. (And yes, sadly, I am now once again singing the hysterical Hillshire Farm ‘Go Meat’ TV commercial lyrics. Probably will be all day. Sigh.)
This chart compares relatively lo-co choices for the three categories: kielbasa, hot dogs and burgers. What’s detailed in this chart is one serving of HF’s Turkey Polska Kielbasa, one Hebrew National’s Reduced Fat Hot Dog and one 90% lean hamburger. So all three are lower-fat choices already (but not the lowest – I can’t stomach the 97% fat-free hot dogs, though those stats are even lower). One serving here means just 1 hot dog, or 1 regular sized burger (no bun):
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Source: This nutritional info is from each company’s website; the generic burger info is from a combination of nutritiondata.self.com and a USDA site.
So if you are throwing a BBQ, toss on a turkey kielbasa along with those hot dogs and hamburgers (low fat, of course). Dip your bun-less kielbasa in the condiments you love, and you’ll be eating fewer calories than a reduced fat hot dog or lean burger (not even including the bun – which IMHO are totally required for dogs and burgers!)
But even better: by choosing a serving of turkey kielbasa, you’ll ingest just 5 grams of fat (1.5 grams of saturated fat) versus the bunless hotdog or hamburger, which deliver 9 grams of fat and 3.5-4 grams of saturated fat.
Great flavor and far less fat – now that’s what I call lo-co.
That said, all three options in this chart are high in both dietary cholesterol and sodium, so best to keep the turkey kielbasa as a BBQ event rather than a very frequent meal.
And if you’d like to feel even better about your choice, check out this chart which compares the ‘full fat’ versions of kielbasa, burgers and hot dogs; you’ll see it really is worth it to go lo-co for a BBQ.
