BeefMeat
509
kcal / 100g
575
kcal / 4 oz
4 things to watch for
Informational only, not medical advice. Always verify against the physical product label — data may be incomplete or out of date.
Nutrition Facts (per 100g)
| Nutrient | Amount | %DV |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 509kcal | — |
| Protein | 11.32g | 23% |
| Total lipid (fat) | 51.36g | 66% |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 22.65g | 113% |
| Cholesterol | 66mg | 22% |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 0.39g | 0% |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0g | 0% |
| Total Sugars | 0g | — |
| Sodium, Na | 36mg | 2% |
Vitamins & Minerals
Diet Compatibility
- VeganNo
No — Beef is not vegan.
Based on Open Food Facts ingredient analysis. How we set this
- VegetarianNo
No — Beef is not vegetarian.
Based on Open Food Facts ingredient analysis. How we set this
- Palm Oil FreeYes
Yes — Beef is palm oil free.
Based on Open Food Facts ingredient analysis. How we set this
- Gluten-FreeYes
Yes — Beef is gluten-free.
Based on the ingredient list and allergen data recorded in Open Food Facts. How we set this
- Dairy-FreeYes
Yes — Beef is dairy-free.
Based on the ingredient list and allergen data recorded in Open Food Facts. How we set this
- Nut-FreeYes
Yes — Beef is nut-free.
Based on the ingredient list and allergen data recorded in Open Food Facts (covers tree nuts and peanuts). How we set this
- Soy-FreeYes
Yes — Beef is soy-free.
Based on the ingredient list and allergen data recorded in Open Food Facts. How we set this
- Egg-FreeYes
Yes — Beef is egg-free.
Based on the ingredient list and allergen data recorded in Open Food Facts. How we set this
- KetoYes
Yes — Beef is keto-friendly (0.39 g net carbs per 100g, within the ≤10 g net carbs bar). (may not account for sugar alcohols; per-100g basis is a rougher heuristic than per-serving.)
≤5g net carbs per serving — our bar, not a regulatory standard. How we set this
- Low-CarbYes
Yes — Beef is low-carb (0.39 g net carbs per 100g, within the ≤15 g net carbs bar). (may not account for sugar alcohols.)
≤15g net carbs per serving — our bar, not a regulatory standard. How we set this
- Low-SugarYes
Yes — Beef is low in sugar (0 g sugar per 100g, within the ≤5 g sugar bar).
≤5g sugar per serving — our own criterion; the FDA defines none. How we set this
- High-ProteinYes
Yes — Beef is high in protein (11.32 g protein per 100g, meets the ≥10 g protein bar).
≥10g protein per serving — FDA 21 CFR 101.54 (≥20% DV). How we set this
- Low-FatNo
No — Beef is not low-fat (51.36 g fat per 100g, over the ≤3 g fat bar).
≤3g fat per serving — FDA 21 CFR 101.62. How we set this
- Low-CalorieNo
No — Beef is not low-calorie (509 kcal per 100g, over the ≤40 kcal bar).
≤40 kcal per serving — FDA 21 CFR 101.60. How we set this
Read the sourced research
Plain raw ground beef (85% lean, 15% fat) contains 0g carbohydrate per 100g, according to USDA FoodData Central. That makes it inherently compatible with keto and low-carb diets, with no net-carb calculation needed. [8]
Health Benefits
A pooled analysis of randomized trials, per Sanders et al. in Current Developments in Nutrition, found unprocessed or minimally-processed beef raised LDL cholesterol by 2.7 mg/dL. That effect disappeared once a sensitivity analysis was applied. [1]
Harvard's School of Public Health found that adding half a serving of unprocessed red meat per day over 8 years was linked to a 9% higher risk of death from any cause. The same half-serving daily increase in processed meat was linked to a 13% higher risk. [2]
The World Health Organization's IARC classifies processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, linking each 50g eaten daily to an 18% higher relative risk of colorectal cancer.
Red meat sits in the more conditional Group 2A — if that link is ever confirmed as causal, each 100g eaten daily would carry a 17% relative risk increase, per the WHO. [3]Beef's iron is heme iron, which the body absorbs unusually well. Piskin et al., writing in ACS Omega, put the absorption rate at 15-35% of intake. [4]
For comparison, iron from non-heme sources — like plant foods — is absorbed at a lower rate, roughly 2-20% of intake. [5]
The CDC estimates that as many as 450,000 people in the US may be affected by alpha-gal syndrome, a tick-bite-triggered allergy to red meat that includes beef. [6]
Storage & Buying Tips
Fresh steaks, roasts, or chops keep 3-5 days in the fridge, or 4-12 months in the freezer for best quality, per USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Raw ground beef is more perishable: 1-2 days in the fridge, or 3-4 months frozen.
Cooked leftovers last 3-4 days refrigerated, or 2-3 months frozen. [7]
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it safe to eat beef rare or medium-rare?
Whole cuts like steaks and roasts are different from ground beef here. USDA guidance says a steak or roast is safe once it hits 145°F internally and rests 3 minutes, even if the center still looks pink.
That's because surface bacteria get seared away during cooking, and the interior of an intact cut stays sterile. Ground beef doesn't work the same way — grinding spreads any surface bacteria all through the meat, so it needs to reach 160°F throughout.
A pink burger patty isn't the same safety situation as a pink steak. [9]
Can pregnant women eat beef jerky safely?
Beef jerky is dried, not necessarily cooked all the way through — and drying alone doesn't reliably kill bacteria or parasites like Toxoplasma.
Because pregnancy raises the stakes from undercooked-meat pathogens, well-cooked fresh beef is generally the safer pick over jerky. That said, an occasional serving of commercial jerky hasn't been shown to carry a high risk. [10]
What are the signs of a true beef allergy in adults?
A true, antibody-mediated beef allergy is rarer than the tick-related alpha-gal reaction, and shows up in at least two distinct forms.
One is bovine-serum-albumin sensitization, seen mostly in young children with atopic conditions, often alongside a milk allergy. The other, 'pork-cat syndrome,' hits adults already allergic to cats — cross-reactive proteins trigger a reaction to pork or beef within about an hour, much quicker than alpha-gal's typical 2-6 hour delay.
Symptoms reported across these reactions include hives, trouble breathing, a fast heart rate, abdominal pain, vomiting, and — in severe cases — anaphylaxis. [6]
How much beef can you eat per day according to dietary guidelines?
There's no single worldwide limit, but most European guidelines land in a similar range. Belgium caps total red meat at 300g/week, Norway at 350g/week, and France and Iceland at 500g/week.
The World Cancer Research Fund lands on a similar figure — fewer than three portions, or 350-500g, of red meat weekly.
The current US Dietary Guidelines for Americans (2025-2030) list beef as a recommended protein with no specific weekly cap. Some Harvard nutrition researchers have publicly criticized that as out of step with the guidelines' own scientific advisory report. [11]
Why does beef sometimes cause alpha-gal syndrome after tick bites?
Alpha-gal (galactose-α-1,3-galactose) is a sugar found in most mammals, including cattle — but not in humans.
Certain ticks, like the lone star tick in the US, pick up alpha-gal by feeding on animals and can pass it into a person's bloodstream through a bite. Some people's immune systems respond by building antibodies against it.
From then on, eating beef or other mammal meat can trigger a reaction — usually 2-6 hours after the meal, not right away. [6]
Is grass-fed beef actually healthier than grain-fed varieties?
On paper, yes for a few specific markers. Peer-reviewed reviews find grass-fed beef runs lower in total fat, has a more favorable saturated-fat profile, and carries more omega-3 fats with a lower omega-6-to-omega-3 ratio than grain-fed beef.
Grain-fed beef does come out ahead on one measure — it has more monounsaturated fat. Taste-wise, the same research describes grass-fed as less tender with a distinctive grassy aroma, versus grain-fed's milder, sometimes 'soapy' smell.
None of the reviewed sources actually tested whether these compositional differences change real-world health outcomes across a whole diet. [12]
Found in these products
None of the products in our database currently contain Beef.
Sources & Last Updated
Nutrition data: USDA FoodData Central, “Beef, Australian, imported, grass-fed, external fat, raw” (SR Legacy, fdcId 171728), updated 2026-08-27.
Research reviewed 2026-08-27.
- Sanders et al., Current Developments in Nutrition (2024-11-01)
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2019-06-13)
- item
- Piskin et al., ACS Omega (2022-06-09)
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3290310
- About Alpha-gal Syndrome (2026-01-05)
- Beef From Farm to Table | Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, raw (Includes foods for USDA's Food Distribution Program) - Nutrients - SR Legacy | USDA FoodData Central
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart | Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Healthline Media — Is Beef Jerky Safe to Eat While Pregnant? (2019-06-24)
- Food-Based Dietary Guidelines recommendations for meat - Knowledge4Policy (K4P) - European Commission
- Daley et al., Nutrition Journal (2010-03-09)