It is possible to encounter statements like “beef is high in fat” and “beef has more protein” than a specific food.
However, these assertions may not always hold true, as the nutritional values can significantly vary depending on the specific cut of beef.
Beef is just one category of meat, but there’s a wide range of different types of beef available. These options span from high-fat to low-fat and high-calorie to low-calorie.
This guide aims to provide better clarity on the nutritional composition of beef by presenting the nutrition facts for 30 types of beef. The nutritional data has been sourced from the USDA’s FoodData Central database.
Bottom round, also known as “silverside” in British English, is a lean beef cut. Here are its nutritional values per 100 grams and per three-ounce (85g) serving (1):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
199 kcal
169 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
9.37 g
7.96 g
Saturated
3.37 g
2.86 g
Monounsaturated
3.97 g
3.38 g
Polyunsaturated
0.353 g
0.3 g
Protein
26.8 g
22.8 g
Sodium
35 mg
29.8 mg
Cholesterol
81 mg
68.8 mg
Table 1: Nutrition facts for roasted bottom round beef per 100g and per 3oz serving
2) Bottom sirloin, roasted
Bottom sirloin, also known as “rump steak” or “rump,” is a relatively lean beef cut. Here are its nutritional values (2):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
221 kcal
188 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
12.4 g
10.5 g
Saturated
4.55 g
3.87 g
Monounsaturated
6.12 g
5.2 g
Polyunsaturated
0.41 g
0.35 g
Protein
25.7 g
21.8 g
Sodium
50 mg
42.5 mg
Cholesterol
85 mg
72.2 mg
Table 2: Nutrition facts for roasted bottom sirloin beef per 100g and per 3oz serving
3) Brisket, flat, braised
Flat brisket is a lean beef cut with the following nutritional profile (3):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
221 kcal
188 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
9.24 g
7.85 g
Saturated
3.64 g
3.09 g
Monounsaturated
3.98 g
3.38 g
Polyunsaturated
0.34 g
0.29 g
Protein
32.2 g
27.4 g
Sodium
52 mg
44.2 mg
Cholesterol
92 mg
78.2 mg
Table 3: Nutrition facts for braised brisket (flat) beef per 100g and per 3oz serving
Brisket is also the primary ingredient in corned beef products.
4) Chuck arm pot roast, braised
The chuck arm pot roast is sometimes referred to as “rolled brisket” in British English.
It is a moderately high-fat cut of beef, and it offers the following nutritional values (4):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
295 kcal
251 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
18.5 g
15.7 g
Saturated
7.34 g
6.24 g
Monounsaturated
7.97 g
6.77 g
Polyunsaturated
0.70 g
0.60 g
Protein
30.0 g
25.5 g
Sodium
50 mg
42.5 mg
Cholesterol
119 mg
101 mg
Table 4: Nutrition facts for braised chuck arm pot roast per 100g and per 3oz serving
5) Chuck blade roast, braised
Chuck blade roast is alternatively known as “braising steak” or “blade steak.”
This type of beef is characterized by its high fat content, resulting in a correspondingly high calorie count. The nutritional values for chuck blade roast are as follows (5):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
334 kcal
284 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
24.1 g
20.5 g
Saturated
9.59 g
8.15 g
Monounsaturated
10.4 g
8.84 g
Polyunsaturated
0.86 g
0.731 g
Protein
27.2 g
23.1 g
Sodium
65 mg
55.2 mg
Cholesterol
104 mg
88.4 mg
Table 5: Nutrition facts for roasted chuck blade roast per 100g and per 3oz serving
6) Chuck clod roast, roasted
The chuck clod roast is recognized as a lean cut of beef, offering the following nutritional values (6):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
196 kcal
167 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
8.76 g
7.45 g
Saturated
3.35 g
2.85 g
Monounsaturated
4.17 g
3.54 g
Polyunsaturated
0.45 g
0.38 g
Protein
27.3 g
23.2 g
Sodium
72 mg
61.2 mg
Cholesterol
73 mg
62 mg
Table 6: Nutrition facts for roasted chuck clod roast per 100g and per 3oz serving
7) Chuck eye steak, grilled
Here’s the nutritional breakdown for grilled chuck eye steak, both per 100 grams and for a typical 307-gram steak (7):
Name
Per 100g
Per 307g steak
Calories
283 kcal
869 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
20.4 g
62.6 g
Saturated
8.68 g
26.6 g
Monounsaturated
9.48 g
29.1 g
Polyunsaturated
0.80 g
2.45 g
Protein
25.0 g
76.8 g
Sodium
71 mg
218 mg
Cholesterol
86 mg
264 mg
Table 7: Nutrition facts for grilled chuck eye steak per 100g and per 307g steak
8) Eye of round, roasted
Here’s the nutritional information for eye of round, which is known as “topside” in some countries (8):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
208 kcal
177 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
9.65 g
8.2 g
Saturated
3.66 g
3.11 g
Monounsaturated
4.12 g
3.5 g
Polyunsaturated
0.39 g
0.33 g
Protein
28.3 g
24.1 g
Sodium
37 mg
31.4 mg
Cholesterol
84 mg
71.4 mg
Table 8: Nutrition facts for roasted eye of round per 100g and per 3oz serving
9) Flank steak, broiled
Here are the typical nutritional values of broiled flank steak (9):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
192 kcal
163 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
8.23 g
0 g
Saturated
3.4 g
2.89 g
Monounsaturated
3.32 g
2.82 g
Polyunsaturated
0.32 g
0.27 g
Protein
27.7 g
23.5 g
Sodium
56 mg
47.6 mg
Cholesterol
79 mg
67.2 mg
Table 9: Nutrition facts for broiled flank steak per 100g and per 3oz serving
10) Ground beef, 70% lean, baked
The nutritional composition of ground beef depends on its fat content.
Here is the nutritional information for 70% lean ground beef (10):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
241 kcal
205 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
15.4 g
13.1 g
Saturated
6.07 g
5.16 g
Monounsaturated
7.32 g
6.22 g
Polyunsaturated
0.41 g
0.35 g
Protein
23.9 g
20.3 g
Sodium
73 mg
62 mg
Cholesterol
88 mg
74.8 mg
Table 10: Nutrition facts for baked ground beef (70% lean) per 100g and per 3oz serving
11) Ground beef, 75% lean, baked
Compared to 70% lean, ground beef with a 75% lean content boasts a slightly higher protein content while having reduced fat. The nutritional values are presented below (11):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
254 kcal
216 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
16.5 g
14.0 g
Saturated
6.26 g
5.41 g
Monounsaturated
7.56 g
6.43 g
Polyunsaturated
0.46 g
0.39 g
Protein
24.6 g
20.9 g
Sodium
70 mg
59.5 mg
Cholesterol
88 mg
74.8 mg
Table 11: Nutrition facts for baked ground beef (75% lean) per 100g and per 3oz serving
12) Ground beef, 80% lean, baked
Ground beef with an 80% lean content offers the following nutritional composition (12):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
254 kcal
216 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
16.2 g
13.8 g
Saturated
6.16 g
5.24 g
Monounsaturated
7.19 g
6.11 g
Polyunsaturated
0.47 g
0.4 g
Protein
25.2 g
21.4 g
Sodium
67 mg
57 mg
Cholesterol
88 mg
74.8 mg
Table 12: Nutrition facts for baked ground beef (80% lean) per 100g and per 3oz serving
13) Ground beef, 85% lean, baked
The 85% lean variant of ground beef provides the following nutritional values (13):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
240 kcal
204 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
14.4 g
12.2 g
Saturated
5.5 g
4.68 g
Monounsaturated
6.22 g
5.29 mg
Polyunsaturated
0.45 g
0.38 mg
Protein
25.9 g
22 g
Sodium
64 mg
54.4 mg
Cholesterol
88 mg
74.8 mg
Table 13: Nutrition facts for baked ground beef (85% lean) per 100g and per 3oz serving
14) Ground beef, 90% lean, baked
90% lean ground beef boasts a notable protein content while maintaining a comparatively low fat level.
Plate steak is known for its relatively high fat and protein content. Here are its nutritional properties per 100 grams and for a typical 256-gram steak (18):
Name
Per 100g
Per 256g steak
Calories
253 kcal
648 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
15.3 g
39.2 g
Saturated
5.55 g
14.2 g
Monounsaturated
6.93 g
17.7 g
Polyunsaturated
0.67 g
1.7 g
Protein
28.9 g
74 g
Sodium
63 mg
161 mg
Cholesterol
93 mg
238 mg
Table 18: Nutrition facts for grilled plate steak per 100g and per 256g steak
19) Porterhouse steak, grilled
Porterhouse steak boasts a high fat and moderate protein content.
Table 19: Nutrition facts for grilled porterhouse steak per 100g and per 417g steak
20) Ribs, broiled
Beef ribs have a notable fat content and a comparatively lower protein provision compared to most other beef cuts.
Here are the typical nutritional values for beef ribs (20):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
352 kcal
299 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
28.5 g
24.2 g
Saturated
11.6 g
9.86 g
Monounsaturated
12.1 g
10.3 g
Polyunsaturated
1.04 g
0.88 g
Protein
22.3 g
19.0 g
Sodium
63 mg
53.6 mg
Cholesterol
82 mg
69.7 mg
Table 20: Nutrition facts for beef ribs per 100g and per 3oz (85g)
21) Rib eye roast, roasted
Rib eye roast stands out with its high calorie, moderate protein, and substantial fat content.
The nutritional values for ribeye roast are as follows (21):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
303 kcal
258 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
23.0 g
19.6 g
Saturated
10.0 g
8.5 g
Monounsaturated
11.0 g
9.35 g
Polyunsaturated
1.17 g
0.99 g
Protein
23.9 g
20.3 g
Sodium
51 mg
43.4 mg
Cholesterol
82 mg
69.7 mg
Table 21: Nutrition facts for roasted rib eye roast per 100g and per 3oz (85g)
22) Ribeye steak, grilled
Ribeye steak is renowned for its rich fat content, and it is one of the most popular beef cuts.
Here are the following nutritional values per 100 grams and for a typical 281-gram steak (22):
Name
Per 100g
Per 281g steak
Calories
303 kcal
851 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
23.5 g
66 g
Saturated
10.3 g
28.9 g
Monounsaturated
11.2 g
31.5 g
Polyunsaturated
1.06 g
2.98 g
Protein
22.9 g
64.3 g
Sodium
54 mg
152 mg
Cholesterol
81 mg
228 mg
Table 22: Nutrition facts for grilled ribeye steak per 100g and per 281g steak
23) Shoulder top blade steak, grilled
Similar cuts of beef to shoulder top blade steak may be called “flat iron steak.”
The shoulder top blade steak has a relatively high protein content and a moderate level of fat. Here are the nutritional values per 100 grams and for a typical 186-gram steak (23):
Name
Per 100g
Per 186g steak
Calories
210 kcal
391 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
11.1 g
20.6 g
Saturated
4.53 g
8.43 g
Monounsaturated
5.3 g
9.86 g
Polyunsaturated
0.58 g
1.08 g
Protein
27.6 g
51.3 g
Sodium
85 mg
158 mg
Cholesterol
95 mg
177 mg
Table 23: Nutrition facts for grilled shoulder top blade steak per 100g and per 186g steak
24) Tenderloin roast, roasted
Similar cuts of beef to the tenderloin roast might also go by the name “fillet roast.”
The tenderloin roast stands out as a high-fat, moderate-protein cut of beef, offering the following nutritional values (24):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
331 kcal
281 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
25.4 g
21.6 g
Saturated
10.0 g
8.5 g
Monounsaturated
10.5 g
8.92 g
Polyunsaturated
0.96 g
0.82 g
Protein
23.9 g
20.3 g
Sodium
65 mg
55.2 mg
Cholesterol
85 mg
72.2 mg
Table 24: Nutrition facts for roasted tenderloin roast per 100g and per 3oz (85g)
25) Top loin fillet, grilled
Cuts of beef similar to the top loin fillet may be referred to as “striploin.”
This variety boasts a relatively high protein content and provides a moderate amount of fat.
The nutritional values are as follows, per 100 grams and for a typical 135-gram fillet (25):
Name
Per 100g
Per 135g fillet
Calories
253 kcal
342 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
15.9 g
21.5 g
Saturated
5.45 g
7.36 g
Monounsaturated
7.14 g
9.64 g
Polyunsaturated
0.53 g
0.71 g
Protein
26.8 g
36.2 g
Sodium
91 mg
123 mg
Cholesterol
85 mg
115 mg
Table 25: Nutrition facts for roasted top loin fillet per 100g and per 135-gram fillet
26) Top loin petite roast, roasted
The top loin petite roast is notable for its high protein content and moderate fat content.
Below is the typical nutritional composition (26):
Name
Per 100g
Per 3oz (85g)
Calories
239 kcal
203 kcal
Carbohydrates
1.1 g
0 g
Fat
14.1 g
12.0 g
Saturated
4.82 g
4.1 g
Monounsaturated
6.39 g
5.43 g
Polyunsaturated
0.51 g
0.43 g
Protein
26.8 g
22.8 g
Sodium
92 mg
78.2 mg
Cholesterol
80 mg
68 mg
Table 26: Nutrition facts for roasted top loin petite roast per 100g and per 3oz (85g)
27) Top round, braised
Top round is a low-fat cut of beef, offering a substantial protein content.
Table 29: Nutrition facts for roasted top sirloin petite roast per 100g and per 3oz (85g)
30) T-Bone steak, short loin, grilled
The short loin t-bone steak boasts a high fat content while providing a moderate level of protein.
Here is the nutritional composition for this type of beef (30):
Name
Per 100g
Per 360g steak
Calories
294 kcal
1060 kcal
Carbohydrates
0 g
0 g
Fat
21.1 g
76.0 g
Saturated
8.72 g
31.4 g
Monounsaturated
9.67 g
34.8 g
Polyunsaturated
0.95 g
3.41 g
Protein
24.2 g
87.1 g
Sodium
63 mg
227 mg
Cholesterol
82 mg
295 mg
Table 30: Nutrition facts for grilled short loin t-bone steak per 100g and per 360g steak
Which Cuts of Beef Have the Highest and Lowest Calories, Fat, and Protein?
For the sake of convenience, the following sections highlight the top five beef cuts based on the following criteria:
Highest protein
Highest calorie
Lowest calorie
Highest fat
Lowest fat
Highest Protein Cuts of Beef
Top round: 35.6 grams of protein per 100g
Brisket, flat: 32.2 g grams of protein per 100g
Chuck arm pot roast: 30.0 grams of protein per 100g
Top sirloin: 29.0 grams of protein per 100g
Top sirloin petite roast: 29.0 grams of protein per 100g
Highest Calorie Cuts of Beef
Ribs: 352 calories per 100g
Chuck blade roast: 334 calories per 100g
Tenderloin roast: 331 calories per 100g
Ribeye steak: 301 calories per 100g
Ribeye roast: 301 calories per 100g
Lowest Calorie Cuts of Beef
Ground beef, 97% lean: 154 calories per 100g
Top sirloin petite roast: 173 calories per 100g
Ground beef, 95% lean: 174 calories per 100g
Ground beef, 93% lean: 192 calories per 100g
Flank steak: 192 calories per 100g
Highest Fat Cuts of Beef
Ribs: 28.5 grams of fat per 100g
Tenderloin roast: 25.4 grams of fat per 100g
Chuck blade roast: 24.1 grams of fat per 100g
Ribeye steak: 23.5 grams of fat per 100g
Ribeye roast: 23.0 grams of fat per 100g
Lowest Fat Cuts of Beef
Ground beef, 97% lean: 4.06 grams of fat per 100g
Top sirloin petite roast: 6.37 grams of fat per 100g
Ground beef, 95% lean: 6.37 grams of fat per 100g
Top round: 7.09 grams of fat per 100g
Flank steak: 8.23 grams of fat per 100g
Factors That May Affect Beef’s Nutritional Values
It is important to keep in mind that the nutritional values provided in this article are average values for various types of beef.
However, these values may have slight variations from product to product due to a variety of factors:
Fat content and lean cuts: certain beef products could have varying degrees of fat trimmed off compared to other products. A slightly lower fat content would correspond to a relatively higher protein content and a decreased calorie provision.
Grading and production: the fat content of various beef products can be influenced by factors such as marbling, which refers to the presence of intramuscular fat. Notably, some beef products like Waygu are intentionally bred for significantly higher fat content. Also, the USDA classifies beef into eight different grades, with the highest-quality category being labeled as ‘prime.’ Marbling is one of the main factors in determining the USDA grade of a given beef product (31).
Cooking method: it is also worth remembering that the choice of cooking method can influence any food’s final nutritional properties. For instance, pan-frying beef in oil will increase its fat and calorie content.
In essence, the nutritional data sourced from the USDA provides valuable reference points, but it’s important to recognize that they might not always reflect 100% accuracy for every beef product.
Health Considerations of Beef
Lastly, it is easy to see contrasting opinions about beef’s health effects in the media and in popular discussions.
Navigating this topic requires a level of nuance, as beef has clear nutritional benefits, but it has also been linked to potential adverse effects.
For a comprehensive and well-referenced exploration of the health considerations related to beef, see this article:
Lastly, pork is another meat that is available in numerous cuts, each with distinct nutritional characteristics. For a similar look at how different types of pork compare, see the guide below:
Michael works as a nutritionist in a community setting and holds a Master's Degree in Clinical Nutrition. He is a Registered Associate Nutritionist with the Association for Nutrition.