Ground beef is a staple ingredient in many delicious dishes like hamburgers, meatloaf, chili, lasagna, and so much more. But with its high fat content, many people wonder – just how many calories are in a pound of ground beef?
In this article, we’ll take a detailed look at the calorie and nutrient content of different types of ground beef We’ll also provide tips on how to pick the leanest ground beef and how to cook it to maximize flavor while minimizing fat and calories.
The Basics: Calories and Macros in 1 Pound of Ground Beef
There are a few factors that determine the calorie content of ground beef
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Fat percentage – Ground beef is available in different fat percentages like 80/20 or 90/10. The higher the fat the more calories.
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Cooking method – Fattier ground beef will render out more fat when cooked. Draining the cooked beef reduces calories.
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Serving size – The calorie count is typically listed for a 4oz raw serving. There are 4 servings in 1 pound.
Here are the nutrition facts for 1 pound of a few common types of raw ground beef:
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80% lean / 20% fat: 1,152 calories, 90.7g fat, 0g carbs, 77.9g protein
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85% lean / 15% fat: 1,086 calories, 81g fat, 0g carbs, 86.5g protein
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90% lean / 10% fat: 1,021 calories, 72g fat, 0g carbs, 95g protein
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95% lean / 5% fat: 956 calories, 48g fat, 0g carbs, 120g protein
As you can see, the leaner the ground beef, the fewer calories it contains per pound. Choosing 95% lean beef instead of 80% lean beef cuts about 200 calories.
Picking the Leanest Ground Beef
To get the most calories bang for your buck, here are some tips for picking the leanest ground beef:
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Check the label – The fat percentage should be clearly listed. Go for 90-95% lean.
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Look for color – The leaner the beef, the brighter red it will look. Fattier beef has white marbling and looks darker.
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Buy in bulk – Ground beef with a lower fat percentage often costs more per pound. Buying larger packs at warehouse stores can save money.
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Drain after cooking – Browning fattier ground beef and draining the grease before using it removes quite a bit of the fat.
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Rinse if needed – For super lean beef, you can rinse cooked crumbles under hot water to remove any remaining fat.
Calorie-Cutting Cooking Tips
When cooking with 85% lean ground beef or fattier, use these tips to remove excess fat and calories:
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Cook in a skillet – Browning ground beef in a skillet makes it easy to drain off and discard the rendered fat.
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Use a colander – For crumbled beef, pouring it into a colander after browning drains away grease.
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Blot with paper towels – After draining, blotting with paper towels absorbs even more surface fat.
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Don’t add fat – Avoid adding extra oil or other fats when cooking leaner ground beef. The little marbling is usually enough.
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Flavor with spices – Boost flavor with spices like garlic, onion, paprika, oregano, cumin, chili powder, and pepper instead of extra fat.
Healthy Serving Sizes
To keep your calories in check, pay attention to portion sizes of ground beef. Here are some healthy serving suggestions:
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Burger patty: 4oz raw meat = 220-290 calories
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Tacos: 2oz cooked beef = 110-170 calories
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Chili or Bolognese: 1/2 cup cooked crumbles = 180-250 calories
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Lasagna: Limit to 2-3oz of meat sauce per serving
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Meatballs: 2 large meatballs made with 90% lean beef = 150 calories
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Meatloaf: Slice loaf into 8 even portions at 125-200 calories each
As you can see, ground beef can definitely fit into a healthy diet when you pay attention to fat percentage, cooking method, and serving sizes. Just a few small tweaks result in a far leaner, lower calorie option that still delivers on big, beefy flavor.
With its high protein content, diverse nutrition, and versatility in so many dishes, lean ground beef can be enjoyed guilt-free as part of an overall balanced approach to eating. Moderating portions and selecting the leanest blends leaves room for your other favorite foods too. Just be mindful of labels, drain excess fat, and balance it out with plenty of vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources.
The Bottom Line
So how many calories in a pound of ground beef?
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Fattier 80/20 ground beef contains about 1,152 calories per pound
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Leaner 95/5 ground beef has around 956 calories per pound
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Draining fat after cooking reduces calories by about 100-150 per pound
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Stick to sensible 4-6oz serving sizes for burgers, tacos, chili, etc.
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Boost flavor with spices instead of extra fat or oils
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Check labels and aim for 90-95% lean ground beef
With smart shopping and cooking techniques, you can enjoy the great taste, nutrition, and versatility of ground beef as part of a healthy diet. Moderating portions and choosing lean blends keeps calories from spiraling out of control.
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I Ate 1lb of Ground Beef Everyday for 90 Days – This is What Happened
FAQ
How many calories are in 1 lb of cooked ground beef?
Nutrient | Value | %DV |
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Calories | 1327 | |
Fats | 113g | 145% |
Saturated fats | 43g | 217% |
Trans fats | 7g |
How many calories are in 1 lb of 80/20 ground beef?
How much protein is in 1 lb of 90% ground beef?
Protein (g) | 90.72 |
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Cholesterol (mg) | 294.84 |
Fatty acids, total saturated (g) | 18.41 |
Fatty acids, total monounsaturated (g) | 19.75 |
Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated (g) | 1.56 |
How much beef is 1200 calories?
1 lb of grain finished hamburger meat (70% lean) contains about 1250 calories. On the other hand 1 lb of 95% lean ground beef contains about 800 calories. A 16oz rib eye would have about 1220 calories (112g of protein and 85g of fat). 16oz worth of filet mignon has about 1200 calories (120g of protein and 80g of fat).
How many calories in 1 lb of ground beef?
1 lb of ground beef (75% lean meat / 25% fat, raw) contains 1327 Calories. The macronutrient breakdown is 0% carbs, 78% fat, and 22% protein. This is a good source of vitamin b12 (398% of your Daily Value). The amount of calories, carbs, fat, and protein values for 1 Lb Of Ground Beef (75% Lean Meat / 25% Fat, Raw).
How much fat is in a lb of ground beef?
The recommended daily values for calories are 2500 for men and 2000 for women, so beef has a high percentage of daily values. How Much Fat is in 1 lb of Ground Beef? Approximately 136g of fat are present in 1 lb of ground beef. However, if you have beef that%E2%80%99s 80% lean, it%E2%80%99ll have fewer fats %E2%80%94 about 90 72g of fat.
How many calories are in a pound of lean ground beef?
A pound of extra-lean ground beef (95% lean/5% fat) contains around 796 calories. What is the calorie content of lean ground beef? A pound of lean ground beef (90% lean/10% fat) contains approximately 885 calories.
How many calories are in 250 grams of ground beef (cooked)?
There are 690 calories in 250 grams of Ground Beef (Cooked). Calorie breakdown: 62% fat, 0% carbs, 38% protein. There are 690 calories in 250 grams of Ground Beef (Cooked). Get full nutrition facts and other common serving sizes of Ground Beef (Cooked) including 1 oz of raw and 1 oz of cooked.
How many calories are in a 3 oz serving of ground beef?
There are 216 total calories in a 3-oz. serving of 80 percent lean raw ground beef. By reducing the total fat content through cooking, draining, and rinsing, you also reduce the number of calories. Each gram of fat contains 9 calories.
How many calories are in 80/20 ground beef?
Nutrition facts of 80/20 ground beef are 0g carbs, 24g fat, 20g protein, and about 290 calories . What Is the Nutritional Information of 1LB Ground Beef? Nutritional information for 1lb ground beef is: How Much Ground Beef Should You Eat? I listed nutrition facts for lean and regular beef.