Just in time for July 4 cookouts, we bring you the waist-watching wiener edition of Supermarket Sleuth.

Regular beef hot dogs aren't so hot in the nutrition department; they're high in sodium, and processed meats are a leading source of fat in Americans' diets. Also, a 2007 report from the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research fund found a strong link between consumption of red and processed meats and colorectal cancer.

If your hot-dog eating is limited to holiday cookouts and the occasional Marlins game, you probably don't need to jump off the Wienermobile. And plenty of lower-fat versions are out there; here are the three that we tested. (The Edgy Veggie, Ellen Kanner, will be looking at meatless hot dogs in her July 10 column in the Food section.)

Ball Park Lite Beef Franks

Cost: $3.50 per 8 pack

The label says: Great Taste! 7 Grams of Fat! 100 calories; 3 g total carbs per serving. 50% less fat, 1/3 less calories than USDA data for a beef frank

Nutrition: 100 calories; 7 g fat (11 percent Daily Value); 3 g saturated fat; 25 mg cholesterol (8 percent Daily Value); 450 mg sodium (19 percent daily Value); 6 g protein.

The verdict: They're plump (like the ad says), juicy and flavorful. You won't miss the fat that's in a regular dog. And they have half the saturated fat of our tasters' other favorite, the Oscar Mayer frank.

Grade: A

Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks

Cost: $4.99 per 7 pack

The label says: Kosher; American Heart Association certified; no by-products, artificial colors or flavors.

Nutrition: 45 calories; 1.5 g fat (2 percent Daily Value); 1 g saturated fat (5 percent daily value); 15 mg cholesterol (5 percent Daily Value); 400 mg sodium (17 percent Daily Value); 6 g protein.

The verdict: Two tasters who are big fans of the regular Hebrew National frank said they could taste the difference with this version and gave it a C; the other two said it still rated an A-, so the average was a B. Three remarked on the texture, with one saying it seemed ''chewier.'' But this is definitely the most healthful option, with far fewer calories and fat than the other two.

Grade: B

Oscar Mayer Light Beef Franks

Cost: $3.99 per 10-pack

The label says: 1/3 fewer calories and 50% less fat than the leading frank

Nutrition: 90 calories; 6 g fat (9 percent Daily Value); 6 g saturated fat (15 percent Daily Value); 20 mg cholesterol (7 percent Daily Value); 500 mg sodium (20 percent Daily Value); 5 g protein.

The verdict: As with the Ball Park frank, our tasters thought this was a lot like a ''regular'' hot dog for flavor, and it got good marks for juiciness. But it had the most saturated fat and sodium.

Grade: A

The bottom line: Frankly, my dear, tasters found two of the brands just as good as the full-fat versions -- and the healthiest choice still got a B.

Have a product you want tested? E-mail glehman@MiamiHerald.com.

Join the discussion

Note: If this is your first time using our NEW commenting system, you will have to LOG OUT and then LOG BACK IN.

The Miami Herald is pleased to provide this opportunity to share information, experiences and observations about what's in the news. Some of the comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate on the issues of the day, and ask that you refrain from profanity, hate speech, personal comments and remarks that are off point. In order to post comments, you must be a registered user of MiamiHerald.com. Your username will show along with the comments you post. Thank you for taking the time to offer your thoughts.

     Showing: Oldest first Newest first Most-recommended first Least-recommended first

@Nyx.AuthorDisplayName@ wrote on @Nyx.PostedAtTime@:

@Nyx.CommentBody@

@Nyx.Recommender@ @Nyx.AbuseReporter@