Another 4th of July means another round of competitive hot dog eating—and high calorie burn.
Each year, contestants prepare to put away an amazing number of hot dogs at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest at Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York.
Last year, Joey Chestnut got his 15th win by devouring 63 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. In 2021, he won the title of world hot dog eating champion after amassing a record 76 hot dogs and buns.
The women’s record is 48.5 hot dogs and buns and is held by eight-time champion Miki Sudo.
Click here to view related media.
Click to expand
Here’s the nutritional breakdown of last year’s Weiner winner.
How many calories does Joey Chestnut burn?
According to the nutritional information of Nathan’s products, a one-franc serving contains 170 calories and one Nathan’s restaurant roll contains 130 calories.
That means that for the 63 hot dogs and buns Chestnut gobbled up last year, the calories from the sausages were 10,710 and the buns added another 8,190 calories for a total of 18,900 calories burned. That’s nearly six times the recommended daily average for a man his age and size.
In his record year of 76 hot dogs and buns, his total calorie count reached a whopping 22,800 calories!
Nathan’s Beef Franks also contain 16 grams of total fat and 640 milligrams of sodium per dog — so a hot dog accounts for about 25% and 27% of your recommended daily values, respectively.
With a consumption of 63 francs last year, the total fat and sodium content of the chestnut was 1,008 grams and 40,320 milligrams.
A high-sodium diet is associated with an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, a leading cause of stroke and heart disease.
How do competitive eaters consume so much?
A normal eater has a stomach that feels full after eating about a liter or a half of food, whereas performance eaters learn to stretch and relax their stomach to fit more.
They do this by consuming large amounts of low-calorie foods and fluids, including water, diet soda, watermelon, and kale.
However, the stretching lasts indefinitely. As with any competition, there will be losers, and all competitor eaters will eventually reach their limit – and may not feel so good afterwards.
The side effects of such binge eating vary by person and by the food eaten, but as CBS News previously reported, side effects of competitive eating can include nausea, painful gas, vomiting, heartburn, and diarrhea. More serious side effects could include choking, inflammation of the esophagus, and possibly even perforation of the stomach.
In a statement to CBS News on Monday, Major League Eating, the global organization that oversees professional eating competitions — including Nathan’s famous Hot Dot Eating Contest — said that “strict safety protocols” are followed at all events, including the presence of a paramedic events and ensure that attendees are at least 18 years old.
“Don’t try to eat fast [at] at home,” the group warns on its website.
Amy Kraft contributed coverage.