Nutrition Of Ground Beef
Nutrition of Ground Beef
If you are looking for ways to up your protein intake, ground beef is a convenient way to do just this. It is also packed with essential vitamins and minerals and has zero carbohydrates! However, the nutrition of ground beef can be high in calories and unsaturated fat, so it must be eaten in moderation to minimalize health risks. The beauty of ground beef is that it can be incorporated very easily into your diet through bolognese, burgers, or chili con carne. Let’s take a closer look at the nutrition of ground beef along with its health benefits and risks!
Nutrition Of Ground Beef: What Does It Contain?
The following nutrition information is provided by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for 3 ounces (85g) of cooked ground beef (85% lean), pan-browned, with no added fat or sodium.
Calories: 218
Fat: 13g
Sodium: 76mg
Carbohydrates: 0g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 0g
Protein: 24g
Let’s take a look at the nutrition of ground beef in further detail:
Fat
The majority of the calories found in the nutrition of ground beef come from fat. In a 3-ounce serving of cooked 85% lean ground beef, there are 13 total grams of fat. Within this, 5 grams is saturated fat. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that you limit your consumption of saturated fat to between 5% and 6% of your daily calorie intake. If you eat a diet of 2,000 calories per day, this roughly translates into 13 grams of saturated fat per day.
Healthier fats in ground beef include monounsaturated fat (6 grams) and polyunsaturated fat (0.4 grams).
Protein
Like most meats, the main component of the nutrition of ground beef is protein. Animal protein is usually of high quality and ground beef is no exception, containing all nine essential amino acids needed for the growth and maintenance of your body.
From a health perspective, amino acids are very important as they form the building blocks of proteins. Their composition in proteins varies widely, depending on their dietary source.
The amino acid profile of ground beef and meat, in general, is almost identical to that of our own muscles, making it one of the most complete dietary sources of protein!
For this reason, eating ground beef may be particularly beneficial after surgery and for athletes who are in recovery. When combined with strength exercise, it also helps to maintain and build muscle mass.
Vitamins and Minerals
The following vitamins and minerals are abundant in the nutrition of ground beef:
Vitamin B12. Ground beef is a great dietary source of vitamin B12, an essential nutrient that is vital for blood formation and your brain and nervous system.
Zinc. Ground beef is abundant in zinc, a mineral that is important for body growth and general maintenance.
Selenium. Meat is generally a rich source of selenium, an essential trace element that serves a variety of functions in your body.
Iron. Found in significant amounts in ground beef, meat iron is mostly in the heme form, which is absorbed very efficiently.
Niacin. One of the B vitamins, niacin (vitamin B3) has a multitude of essential functions in your body. Low niacin intake has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
Vitamin B6. A family of B vitamins, vitamin B6 is important for blood formation and energy metabolism.
Phosphorus. Widely found in foods, phosphorus intake is generally high in the Western diet. It’s vital for body growth and maintenance.
Nutrition Of Ground Beef: Health Benefits
The nutrition of ground beef is abundant in health benefits (when eaten as part of a balanced diet of course). Here are the main benefits:
1. Helps To Build Cells
Protein is an integral component when it comes to maintaining muscle tissue and various biological processes that happen every day in your body. It helps your body build bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Sounds pretty important to me!
The selenium found in ground beef is also essential for DNA synthesis.
2. Boosts Immune System
Ground beef also contains a multitude of B vitamins, such as thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pyridoxine (B6), folate (B9), and cobalamin (B12), all of which are extremely important in maintaining a healthy immune system. Since your body can't store or produce B vitamins, it is vital that you consume them in your diet.
3. Supports Hormone Production
The B vitamin niacin also helps in the optimal function of many-body systems, not least the production of sex hormones. Selenium is also essential for thyroid function.
4. Replenishes Iron Stores
It’s no secret that your body needs iron to help make red blood cells, among other functions. Dietary iron (non-heme, and heme) is found in ground beef among other animal proteins. Heme iron is much easier for our bodies to use, so you don't need to consume as much of it (vs. non-heme iron) to help anemia and other problems at bay.
Nutrition Of Ground Beef: Adverse Effects
While the nutrition of ground beef has many amazing health benefits, over-consumption has been linked to cardiovascular and other health problems, not to mention an increased risk of colorectal cancer! These adverse effects apply to all types of red meat, not just ground beef, but are considerably worse for processed red meat. Therefore, doctors recommend limiting the consumption of red and processed meats.
