Almost everyone has heard of ground beef. It’s what you use to make meatballs, burgers, chili, and many other foods. Its easy enough to find this meat at any supermarket or butchers shop. Whether or not its healthy for you comes down to its fat-to-protein ratio. You can make your own ground beef to fit your diet, which is the best thing about it.
Ground beef is an excellent source of protein, B vitamins and iron. To stay healthy, choose ground beef that is 95% lean to cut down on your fat and saturated fat intake.
Ground beef is a staple ingredient in many people’s diets. From burgers to tacos to chili it’s a versatile and tasty meat option. But is ground beef actually good for you if you’re trying to lose weight? The answer is not so simple.
The Benefits of Ground Beef for Weight Loss
There are a few reasons why lean ground beef can support a weight loss diet
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High in protein. Protein is incredibly important when it comes to losing weight. It helps you feel full and satisfied after eating, prevents muscle loss when in a calorie deficit, and increases metabolism. A 3 ounce serving of 90/10 lean ground beef contains around 22 grams of protein. That’s nearly half of the recommended daily intake for most adults.
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Nutrient dense In addition to protein, lean ground beef is rich in important micronutrients like iron, zinc, and B12. When you’re cutting calories for weight loss, getting sufficient micronutrients is crucial.
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Versatile. Ground beef is tasty and easy to cook with. You can make burgers, tacos, chili, meatballs, and more. Having versatile ingredient options makes sticking to a diet easier. There’s less chance you’ll get bored and give up.
So in terms of protein, nutrients, and convenience, lean ground beef can be a smart choice when trying to lose weight. But there are some potential downsides to consider as well.
The Downsides of Ground Beef for Weight Loss
Here are a few reasons why you may want to limit ground beef intake when dieting:
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Saturated fat. Even when you choose a 90/10 lean option, ground beef contains saturated fat. Saturated fat has been linked to increased inflammation, insulin resistance, belly fat gain, and other issues that can hinder weight loss in some individuals.
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Calorie density. While protein is satiating, if you overeat high calorie ingredients like beef, it can be easy to go over your calorie target. This is especially true since serving sizes of cooked ground beef shrink quite a bit.
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Processed meat concerns. There are some health concerns around frequent processed meat consumption, like increased cancer risk. Cooking and grinding meat produces compounds that may be harmful in large amounts.
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Environmental impact. Beef production requires far more water, land, and energy compared to plant proteins. Limiting intake can benefit the environment.
So if you’re trying to lose weight, moderation and mindfulness are key when eating ground beef. Don’t overdo your portions.
Tips for Including Ground Beef in a Weight Loss Diet
Here are some tips to enjoy ground beef as part of a healthy, weight loss promoting diet:
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Choose the leanest option available. Go for 95% lean or higher to limit saturated fat intake. 90% lean is okay in moderation.
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Watch your portions. Aim for 3-4 ounces of cooked ground beef per serving, about the size of a deck of cards. Measure it raw before cooking.
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Bulk up dishes with veggies. Make tacos? Fill them up with lettuce, tomatoes, peppers, and onions. Making chili or pasta sauce? Load it with mushrooms, carrots, peppers, and zucchini.
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Combine with plant proteins. Enjoy bean chili or lentil sloppy joes with a smaller amount of ground beef mixed in. This limits meat intake while still providing satisfying protein.
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Use lean ground turkey sometimes. Ground turkey breast is just as versatile as beef but contains less saturated fat. Substitute it in half your recipes.
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Skip the fatty toppings. Use mustard instead of mayo on burgers. Go easy on cheese, bacon, aioli, and other high calorie toppings.
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Cook in a lean way. Cook ground beef in a skillet instead of soaking in oil. Drain excess grease after browning. Skip the butter.
The Verdict: Yes, in Moderation
At the end of the day, lean ground beef can fit into a healthy weight loss diet when consumed in moderation and balanced out with plant proteins and produce. Stick to reasonable portions, choose the leanest option, and pair it with veggie filled sides and you can still enjoy burgers, tacos, meatballs and more while shedding pounds.
Just don’t make it the star of every meal, avoid high fat toppings and dressings, and be mindful of calories. Ground beef is delicious and nutritious, but it does require a bit more thought compared to plant proteins if weight loss is the goal. Lean meats like poultry, fish, and plant proteins should form the bulk of your diet. Use beef to enhance dishes 2-3 times per week rather than making it an everyday staple.
With a balanced approach, you can absolutely still benefit from the protein power and versatility of ground beef while successfully losing weight and improving health. It just requires awareness and moderation. Ground beef can be part of a healthy weight loss plan, but shouldn’t be the foundation of every meal.
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Downsides to Eating Ground Beef
Lean ground beef has the most nutrients and the least amount of saturated fat. It is 95% protein and 5% fat. From a nutritional perspective, this is definitely the best type of ground beef available. But this kind of ground beef is easy to overcook and doesn’t taste as good as other kinds because it doesn’t have much fat.
This means that despite its health benefits, only 1 percent of sales can be attributed to this type of healthy ground beef. A total of just 18 percent of sales consist of ground beef made of 90 to 95 percent protein and 5 to 10 percent fat. Unfortunately, fattier types of ground beef are more popular with consumers, which is clearly part of the reason people think ground beef is bad for you.
When you buy premade ground beef, you may be consuming multiple animals. This practice means that cross-contamination can occur more easily, increasing the likelihood of food-borne illness caused by bacteria like Salmonella, Listeria and Shewanella.
Fortunately, many disease-causing bacteria can be combated by thoroughly cooking ground beef until its well-done and choosing meats produced from animals that are raised in healthy environments. Natural antimicrobial strategies, using certain edible essential oils from herbs and spices, such as thyme oil, may also be useful in combating these bacteria. A 2015 study in the Journal of Food Processing and Preservation showed that these oils can even add other beneficial properties, like antioxidants, to your ground beef.
Protein in Ground Beef
Because ground beef can have different amounts of fat and protein, you need to check the fat-to-protein ratio to know what you’re getting. Although fat makes food taste better, if you like meat a lot or are on a high-protein diet, you shouldn’t eat too much fatty meat because it has a lot of saturated fat.
Many different types of ground beef are readily available in supermarkets. Some butchers let you create your own ground beef in the store as well by allowing you to pick your preferred cuts of meat. People who want less saturated fat and lower calories in their ground beef might choose primarily lean meat. An example of this is ground beef made with 95 percent lean meat and 5 percent fat, 100 grams of which provide:
- 21. 4 grams of protein, which is 43% of the daily value (DV).
- With 5 grams of fat, you’re getting 8% of your daily value (about 2 3 grams, is saturated fat).
- 137 calories
In contrast, someone on a high-fat diet might choose ground beef with 70 percent lean meat and 30 percent fat, 100 grams of which contain:
- 14.3 grams of protein: 29 percent of the DV
- 30% of the DV is fat, which is 30 grams. That’s more than a third of this, or about 11 grams. 3 grams, is saturated fat).
- 332 calories
The average type of ground beef listed with USDA nutrition information is somewhere between 5 percent and 30 percent fat, with each 100-gram serving supplying:
- 17.4 grams of protein: 35 percent of the DV
- 17. 1 grams of fat: 26 percent of the DV (6. 8 grams from saturated fat).
- 288 calories
Iron, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc are just a few of the minerals that ground beef is high in. The amounts of these nutrients vary depending on the content of protein and fat in your ground beef. There are more nutrients in some types of ground beef that contain higher protein and less fat content.
Read more: 15 of the Best Lean Animal Proteins
Wait… Ground Beef for Weight Loss?
FAQ
Is ground beef okay for weight loss?
Can I eat beef and still lose weight?
Is beef good for losing belly fat?
Is ground beef good for You?
Aside from delivering amino acids that increase satiety, speed up metabolism, and build lean muscle, ground beef contains healthy doses of iron, zinc, niacin, selenium, vitamin E, and B vitamins —nutrients that support blood formation, as well as brain and nervous system function.
Is ground beef more fat or protein?
Ground beef contains both protein (lean meat) and fat. The fat content can range from as little as 5 percent to as much as 30 percent. This protein (lean meat) is the majority of ground beef, but its fat content is a significant factor in its nutritional profile.
Is ground beef a lean meat?
According to the USDA, ground beef, also known as hamburger meat, is considered lean if it is at least 92 percent lean, meaning it contains only 8 percent fat. Extra lean ground beef is at least 94 percent lean.
How much fat is in ground beef?
The average type of ground beef lists its fat content as between 5 percent and 30 percent. A 100-gram serving of ground beef supplies this fat. Ground beef is also a good source of B vitamins and most minerals, including iron, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc.