Five Guys Vs Sonic: Which Serves A Healthier Classic Hot Dog
Even when a hot dog craving strikes, you want to make sure you're getting enough nutrition. However, hot dog chains are mostly regional, and most popular burger options don't serve them. So when you are looking for one on the quick, Five Guys and Sonic are often the only choices. As for which one is actually healthier, that will depend on what concerns you more.
In general, nutrition guidelines suggest limiting the amount of saturated and trans fat, sodium, and sugar you eat. Although each of those (except trans fat) is fine in moderation, when you eat too much, most are associated with adverse health effects. .Both Sonic and Five Guys' hot dogs are close in a few of these categories, but the Sonic hot dog has significantly more sodium and sugar.
One Sonic dog has 1150 milligrams of sodium — 50% of your daily recommended maximum intake — while Five Guys had a more reasonable level of 750 to 800 milligrams, depending on the supplier used in your region. For sugar, Sonic's hot dog has 13 grams, while a Five Guys hot dog has 0 grams. The one area where a Five Guys hot dog was clearly higher than Sonic's was saturated fat.
Sonic's hot dogs are higher in sodium and sugar, while Five Guys is higher in fat
The one area where Five Guys' hot dogs were clearly higher than Sonic's was saturated fat. The chain's use of multiple suppliers makes it a slightly harder comparison, as you could be getting between 9 grams and 12 at Five Guys, while Sonic's hot dog has 8 grams. Even the lower end option from Five Guys is higher than Sonic on a per calorie basis.
Having said that, both chains' hot dogs have an identical amount of trans fat at 1 gram. Unlike saturated fats there is no healthy level of trans fat, and the maximum recommended daily intake is only 2 grams. So if you are watching sodium and sugar, go Five Guys, but if you are more concerned about your saturated fat intake from meat, consider Sonic.
On the positive side of things, there isn't much difference. The hot dogs at Five Guys has 11 grams of protein, compared to 13 grams at Sonic. The hot dogs from Sonic will also provide you with a little bit of your daily fiber needs at 2 grams, while Five Guys' contain 0 grams. None of these numbers, except Sonic's sodium levels, are too worrisome, which is why Five Guys' hot dogs have the narrow edge.