Ground beef, 80% lean, cooked
Checked by us One serving: 60 g · 163 kcal
Protein, plus vitamin B12 and niacin. Rich in 3 more nutrients: see Good for.
A lot per serving: saturated and trans fat. Nothing else to watch for most people so far.
Also worth knowing: red meat (IARC Group 2A). Worth knowing for some people: alpha-gal syndrome.
Good for
How we counted this
What one serving (60 g) gives you.
Your body needs enough of each of these. Past enough, more doesn’t help. Amounts are what the food databases list, not what your body absorbs, unless a row says it was measured.
The words: “A lot” means one serving gives 20% or more of Health Canada’s daily amount, “Some” 10% to 19%, “A little” 2% to 9%, “Almost none” under 2%. Strongest word first; within a word, protein and fibre lead, then the biggest share. ?
A milligram (mg) is a thousandth of a gram, and a microgram (µg) a thousandth of a milligram: 1,000 µg make 1 mg.
- A lot
Protein
Your muscles, and every other tissue, are built and repaired from it.
Learn more
16.2 g in one serving: 29% of the 56 g a day men need, 35% of the 46 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Listed amount only. 2 absorption studies of this nutrient are on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
- A lot
Vitamin B12
Your body needs it to make red blood cells and keep nerves working.
Learn more
1.68 µg in one serving: 70% of the 2.4 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents)
More than 400 of your enzymes need it to work.
Learn more
5.81 mg in one serving: 36% of the 16 mg a day men need, 42% of the 14 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, niacin fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Zinc
Your immune system and healing wounds depend on it.
Learn more
3.84 mg in one serving: 35% of the 11 mg a day men need, 48% of the 8 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Listed amount only. 3 absorption studies of this nutrient are on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Selenium
Your thyroid uses it to make its hormones.
Learn more
13 µg in one serving: 24% of the 55 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium fact sheet for health professionals
- A lot
Vitamin B6
Helps you use protein, and your brain needs it to make its chemical messengers.
Learn more
0.26 mg in one serving: 20% of the 1.3 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals
16 more nutrients below “a lot”
- A little
Iron
Carries oxygen in your blood.
Learn more
1.67 mg in one serving: 21% of the 8 mg a day men need, 9% of the 18 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Listed amount only. 3 absorption studies of this nutrient are on file for this food, but none is quoted yet. Each one is in The numbers, with the reason. See the studies
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, iron fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Choline
Your cells need it for their membranes, and to make acetylcholine, a messenger for memory, mood and muscle control.
Learn more
50.9 mg in one serving: 9% of the 550 mg a day men need, 12% of the 425 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, choline fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Riboflavin (B2)
Your cells use it to make energy and handle fats. It also helps turn tryptophan into niacin and activate vitamin B6.
Learn more
0.11 mg in one serving: 8% of the 1.3 mg a day men need, 10% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, riboflavin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Potassium
Your nerves, muscles and kidneys need it to work.
Learn more
228 mg in one serving: 7% of the 3,400 mg a day men need, 9% of the 2,600 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, potassium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Magnesium
Your muscles and nerves need it to work.
Learn more
13.8 mg in one serving: 3% of the 400 mg a day men need, 4% of the 310 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Thiamin (B1)
Your cells use it to get energy from food, and so to grow and work.
Learn more
0.03 mg in one serving: 3% of the 1.2 mg a day men need, 3% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, thiamin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Calcium
Builds your bones and teeth.
Learn more
16.8 mg in one serving: 2% of the 1,000 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Folate
Your body needs it to make DNA and to divide new cells.
Learn more
6.6 µg in one serving: 2% of the 400 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, folate fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin K1
Your blood needs it to clot.
Learn more
0.96 µg in one serving: 1% of the 120 µg a day men need, 1% of the 90 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin K fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin E
Shields the fats in your cells from damage; your immune system uses it too.
Learn more
0.07 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 15 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: ALA
The one omega-3 your body can’t make: it must come from food. Your cells build it into their membranes and burn it for energy.
Learn more
5.4 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 1,600 mg a day men need, under 1% of the 1,100 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin A
Your eyes need it to see in dim light.
Learn more
Getting enough matters; more than enough doesn’t sharpen your sight.
1.8 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 900 µg a day men need, under 1% of the 700 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: EPA + DHA
Long-chain omega-3s, built into your cell membranes. DHA is concentrated in your brain and retinas.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 250 mg a day.
Health Canada sets no daily amount for these fats, so the daily figure here is the European Food Safety Authority’s.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Fibre
Keeps your gut moving.
Learn more
0 g in one serving: under 1% of the 38 g a day men need, under 1% of the 25 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- Almost none
Vitamin C
Your body makes collagen with it, which wounds need to heal. It also helps you absorb iron from plants.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 90 mg a day men need, under 1% of the 75 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin D
Your body needs it to absorb calcium and keep your bones hard.
Learn more
Your skin also makes it in sunlight, so food is only one of its sources.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 15 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D fact sheet for health professionals
Watch out
How we counted this
Checked for cadmium and lead: fine at normal amounts.
Cadmium
Nothing to watchYou’d need more than 100 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 0.04 µg
How we got this
A serving a day adds 0.3% to what an average adult already takes in: a share of that intake, not of the limit. With that serving every day, an average adult would be at about 71% of the limit.
An average adult already takes in about 71% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 240,000 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 420 g a week, which stays within the 70,000 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
A daily serving adds 0.25% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap.
Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites) · grade A
Lead
Nothing to watchYou’d need more than 100 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the lead an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 0.9% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.33 µg
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
No safe threshold is set for lead. A daily serving adds about 0.9% to the average adult's intake (35 µg/day, EFSA 2012), far from doubling it, so no cap.
Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites) · grade A
For some people
CDC names beef among the red meats that trigger alpha-gal syndrome in sensitised people; worded no wider than the source
Worth knowing
No limit applies, so none is rated.
Sodium and saturated fat
One 60 g serving, as a share of the label’s daily value: sodium 55 mg (2%) · saturated and trans fat 4.4 g (22%)
Learn more
We name one of these whenever a serving gives 20% or more of its daily value on Health Canada’s Table of Daily Values (sodium 2,300 mg, saturated and trans fat together 20 g), the same 20% that reads “a lot” under Good for. The same rule applies to every food. Daily values are what labels count against, not limits.
Source: Health Canada, Table of Daily Values (nutrition labelling)
Sugar
0 g of sugar in a 60 g serving, natural and added together.
Learn more
Shown, not rated. The food tables we read give total sugar, and few give added sugar, so the site can’t yet tell sugar added in making a food from the sugar in fruit or milk.
The group says how strong the evidence is, not how big the risk is at a given amount.
Learn more
For red meat, the Heart and Stroke Foundation says cholesterol in food has less effect on blood cholesterol than saturated and trans fat, and advises limiting fatty meats; Canada’s Dietary Guidelines favour lean red meat.
Source: Heart and Stroke Foundation, Managing cholesterol · Health Canada, Canada’s Dietary Guidelines, Section 1
How we got this
Shown as context, not rated: IARC classes red meat as Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans (limited evidence in humans, for colorectal cancer; strong mechanistic evidence). The group describes the strength of the evidence, not how likely cancer is at a given intake, and IARC gives no level of concern or reference value.
IARC, Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat (2015) · grade A
Also checked (nothing to act on) · 2
Noted for context, or not measured in this food yet.
Context, no cap: no agency limit for dietary cholesterol is used. 89 mg cholesterol and 6.546 g saturated fat per 100 g (the food's own nutrient listing).
Not measured in this food yet. No agency reference value or margin of exposure (MOE) exists; IARC says pan-frying produces more heterocyclic aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) but there were not enough data to conclude whether cooking method changes cancer risk
Purines, which matter for gout, aren’t measured for this food yet.
Better options
How we counted this
“Better” here always means better at something the row names: more of one nutrient, more nutrients per serving, or the goal you pick. It never means better in every way.
Every amount below is for the same weight, 60 g, the size of one serving of this food, so a swap compares like with like. A serving of another food can be bigger or smaller.
A food is listed only if it gives clearly more: at least a fifth more than this food, and at least 10% of the daily amount more.
More of what it’s good for
More niacin
Chicken breast, roasted11.8 mg in 60 g (this food: 5.81 mg) · but less vitamin B12
Amounts as listed, not adjusted for how much gets in.
For protein: no other main-dish proteins we’ve checked give clearly more, in the same 60 g.
For vitamin B12: Clams, cooked would lead, in the same 60 g, but is left out (Cadmium: limit it).
More nutrients per serving, counted together
The other main-dish proteins we’ve checked with more nutrients per serving than this one, counting at most 100 kcal. One score ranks them all, so the same few often lead.
Tilapia, cooked- More selenium (32.6 µg vs 13 µg)
- More omega-3: EPA + DHA (81 mg vs 0 mg)
- More vitamin D (2.22 µg vs 0 µg)
- Less zinc (0.25 mg vs 3.84 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (1.12 µg vs 1.68 µg)
Eggs, hard-boiled- More choline (176 mg vs 50.9 mg)
- More riboflavin (0.31 mg vs 0.11 mg)
- More omega-3: EPA + DHA (25.8 mg vs 0 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (0.67 µg vs 1.68 µg)
- Less zinc (0.63 mg vs 3.84 mg)
Lentils, cooked- More folate (109 µg vs 6.6 µg)
- More fibre (4.74 g vs 0 g)
- Less vitamin B12 (0 µg vs 1.68 µg)
- Less zinc (0.76 mg vs 3.84 mg)
Where the calcium card measured that less calcium gets in than from milk, calcium counts for less; everything else is as listed.
Your goal
Your goal changes only this list, not what the food gives you or what to watch.
Losing weight: fewer calories, and more nutrients, protein and fibre for each calorie.
- Tilapia, cooked
- 77 kcal in 60 g (this food: 163)
- More selenium (32.6 µg vs 13 µg)
- More omega-3: EPA + DHA (81 mg vs 0 mg)
- More vitamin D (2.22 µg vs 0 µg)
- Less zinc (0.25 mg vs 3.84 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (1.12 µg vs 1.68 µg)
Deli turkey breast- 64 kcal in 60 g (this food: 163)
- Less vitamin B12 (0.22 µg vs 1.68 µg)
- Less zinc (0.56 mg vs 3.84 mg)
- Chicken breast, roasted
- 99 kcal in 60 g (this food: 163)
- More niacin (11.8 mg vs 5.81 mg)
- Less vitamin B12 (0.2 µg vs 1.68 µg)
- Less zinc (0.6 mg vs 3.84 mg)
Building muscle: more protein and more calories, per 100 g.
Bacon, pan-fried would lead this list, but it’s left out (Worth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · portions too different to compare by weight).
Why some foods aren’t suggested
Left out: Clams, cooked (Cadmium: limit it).
Left out: Beef liver, pan-fried (Copper: limit it).
Left out: Chicken liver, simmered (Preformed vitamin A (retinol): limit it).
Left out: Bacon, pan-fried (Worth knowing: dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs · portions too different to compare by weight).
Bring a tracker export or describe your usual week. The same rules check all of it.
The numbers
Open every value
Name in the database: Beef, ground, 80% lean meat / 20% fat, crumbles, cooked, pan-browned
How the serving was set: 60 g cooked (Health Canada L.7, ground meat, cooked)
Listed nutrients, per 100 g
For each nutrient, the value this page uses is marked “used”. A row marked “second database” is another database’s figure for a matching food, kept so you can see how far databases disagree (they can differ in the samples analysed, lab methods and rounding). Its own cells are worked out from it, but none of the page’s words or scores are.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3: ALA | 0.009 g | 0.01 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Calcium | 28 mg | 16.8 mg | 10.29 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| 14.825 mg | 8.9 mg | 5.45 mg | second database · not used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #4995 | C | |
| Carbohydrate | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Choline | 84.8 mg | 50.88 mg | 31.18 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Energy | 272 kcal | 163.2 kcal | – | FDC Energy (kcal) used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) | – |
| Omega-3: EPA + DHA | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Fat | 17.36 g | 10.42 g | 6.38 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Cholesterol | 89 mg | 53.4 mg | 32.72 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 6.546 g | 3.93 g | 2.41 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Fibre | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Folate | 11 µg | 6.6 µg | 4.04 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Iron | 2.78 mg | 1.67 mg | 1.02 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Magnesium | 23 mg | 13.8 mg | 8.46 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents) | 9.683 mg | 5.81 mg | 3.56 mg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #4995 | C |
| Phosphorus | 226 mg | 135.6 mg | 83.09 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Potassium | 380 mg | 228 mg | 139.71 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Protein | 27 g | 16.2 g | 9.93 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.191 mg | 0.11 mg | 0.07 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Selenium | 21.6 µg | 12.96 µg | 7.94 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Sodium | 91 mg | 54.6 mg | 33.46 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Sugars | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.045 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.02 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin A | 3 µg | 1.8 µg | 1.1 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.8 µg | 1.68 µg | 1.03 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.428 mg | 0.26 mg | 0.16 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin E | 0.12 mg | 0.07 mg | 0.04 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin K1 | 1.6 µg | 0.96 µg | 0.59 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Water | 54.54 g | 32.72 g | 20.05 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Zinc | 6.4 mg | 3.84 mg | 2.35 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Copper | 0.087 mg | 0.05 mg | 0.03 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Ash | 1.16 g | 0.7 g | 0.43 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Theobromine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Energy | 1,138 kj | 682.8 kj | 418.38 kj | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin A, IU | 9 iu | 5.4 iu | 3.31 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Carotene, alpha | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 2 iu | 1.2 iu | 0.74 iu | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Folate, food | 11 µg | 6.6 µg | 4.04 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Folate, DFE | 11 µg | 6.6 µg | 4.04 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Betaine | 9.5 mg | 5.7 mg | 3.49 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Tryptophan | 0.137 g | 0.08 g | 0.05 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Threonine | 1.045 g | 0.63 g | 0.38 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Isoleucine | 1.193 g | 0.72 g | 0.44 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Leucine | 2.105 g | 1.26 g | 0.77 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Lysine | 2.235 g | 1.34 g | 0.82 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Methionine | 0.694 g | 0.42 g | 0.26 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Cystine | 0.278 g | 0.17 g | 0.1 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Phenylalanine | 1.053 g | 0.63 g | 0.39 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Tyrosine | 0.83 g | 0.5 g | 0.31 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Valine | 1.326 g | 0.8 g | 0.49 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Arginine | 1.756 g | 1.05 g | 0.65 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Histidine | 0.877 g | 0.53 g | 0.32 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Alanine | 1.69 g | 1.01 g | 0.62 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Aspartic acid | 2.43 g | 1.46 g | 0.89 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Glutamic acid | 4.046 g | 2.43 g | 1.49 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Glycine | 1.832 g | 1.1 g | 0.67 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Proline | 1.375 g | 0.83 g | 0.51 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Serine | 1.08 g | 0.65 g | 0.4 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin E, added | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.753 g | 0.45 g | 0.28 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 4:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 6:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 8:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 10:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.008 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.443 g | 0.27 g | 0.16 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 16:0 | 3.344 g | 2.01 g | 1.23 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 18:0 | 2.501 g | 1.5 g | 0.92 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.008 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 | 6.414 g | 3.85 g | 2.36 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.424 g | 0.25 g | 0.16 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.009 g | 0.01 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.046 g | 0.03 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.135 g | 0.08 g | 0.05 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.603 g | 0.36 g | 0.22 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.057 g | 0.03 g | 0.02 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 7.64 g | 4.58 g | 2.81 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.501 g | 0.3 g | 0.18 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.072 g | 0.04 g | 0.03 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.169 g | 0.1 g | 0.06 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.753 g | 0.45 g | 0.28 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.009 g | 0.01 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.157 g | 0.09 g | 0.06 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.753 g | 0.45 g | 0.28 g | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Manganese | 0.012 mg | 0.01 mg | 0 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Niacin (B3, preformed) | 5.831 mg | 3.5 mg | 2.14 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.807 mg | 0.48 mg | 0.3 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
| Retinol | 3 µg | 1.8 µg | 1.1 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #171799 | C |
Change the amount to rescale the first column. Nutrients a database doesn't list are missing, not zero.
Absorption studies
Studies of how much of a nutrient gets in; those done in animals are marked. This page quotes a figure only from a study that passes our screen: adults, graded A, of this food in this preparation, with a test dose on record and a source that has passed our evidence check. The exception is calcium on our calcium card: its figure comes from the card’s own study, checked with the card, and is marked “used” even where that study misses a step of this screen. The others are listed so nothing is hidden, each with the first check it fails.
No study of this food passes the screen yet, so no absorption figure is quoted.
| Study | Nutrient | Absorbed | Test dose | People | Grade | On this page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etcheverry 2006: beef meal, non-heme iron, children not stated · beef meal; form, cut and cooking not stated · load not reported abstract only | Iron | 7.6 % | not reported | 26 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Etcheverry 2006: beef meal, inorganic zinc, children not stated · beef meal; form, cut and cooking not stated · load not reported abstract only | Zinc | 13.7 % | not reported | 36 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Mayer Labba 2022: beef-protein meal (not ground beef), unadjusted beef protein isolate from beef; NOT ground beef · beef protein extract (alkaline solubilisation, isoelectric precipitation) in a potato patty baked at 200 C for 28 min, frozen, thawed, microwave-heated full text read | Iron | 13.9 % | 3 mg | 12 | B | Not used: not graded A, so not a direct human study of this food and preparation. |
| Cook & Monsen 1976: standard meal containing beef muscle not stated · beef muscle in a standard meal; cooking not stated · load not reported abstract only | Iron | 8.3 % | not reported | – | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Lozano 1982: beef ground 80 20 not stated · beef; cut, fat level and cooking not stated · dose containing approximately 2 mg vitamin B6 abstract only | Vitamin B6 | – | not reported | 5 | B | Not used: it measures something other than the share absorbed. |
| Oberli et al. 2015: beef ground 80 20, cooked 55 C for 5 min cut not stated · bovine meat cooked 55 C for 5 min · 120 g intrinsically 15N-labelled bovine meat abstract only | Protein | 94.1 % | not reported | 8 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Oberli et al. 2015: beef ground 80 20, cooked 90 C for 30 min cut not stated · bovine meat cooked 90 C for 30 min · 120 g intrinsically 15N-labelled bovine meat abstract only | Protein | 90.1 % | not reported | 8 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Hodgkinson et al. 2025: beef ground 80 20 (pig) animal study tenderloin, not ground 80/20; related: tenderloin · Roasted to 63 C internal temperature, diced 1-2 cm · diet protein level not read; ration 0.08 x metabolic body weight (kg^0.75) per day full text read | Protein | 100 % | not reported | 6 | B | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Gallaher 1988: beef, extrinsic label not stated · beef, 100 g; cut and cooking not stated · load not reported abstract only | Zinc | 20.9 % | not reported | 12 | A | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Gallaher 1988: beef, intrinsic label not stated · beef, 100 g; cut and cooking not stated · load not reported abstract only | Zinc | 26.4 % | not reported | 12 | A | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
| Sandstrom 1987 (BJN): beef sauce with rice not stated · meat sauce prepared from the beef (85 g) served with rice (40 g dry weight); cooking not otherwise stated · 63 umol Zn in the meal (4.1 mg; Table 2, meal 9); absorbed 13.7 +/- 3.2 umol full text read | Zinc | 21.8 % | not reported | 8 | A | Not used: we haven’t confirmed how the food was prepared in this study. |
Hazard rows as the dataset rates them
- Alpha-gal syndrome · Worth knowing · CDC names beef among the red meats that trigger alpha-gal syndrome in sensitised people; worded no wider than the source · US CDC, About alpha-gal syndrome · A
- Cadmium · Nothing to watch: under the limit · A daily serving adds 0.25% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap. · Health Canada Total Diet Study, trace elements · A
- Dietary cholesterol · Context · Context, no cap: no agency limit for dietary cholesterol is used. 89 mg cholesterol and 6.546 g saturated fat per 100 g (the food's own nutrient listing). · US food database (USDA SR Legacy) · C
- E. coli O157 in undercooked ground meat · Worth knowing · Safe if the thickest part reaches 71 C (160 F); colour is not a reliable test · Health Canada, Hamburger safety tips · A
- Charring compounds · Not rated yet · No agency reference value or margin of exposure (MOE) exists; IARC says pan-frying produces more heterocyclic aromatic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) but there were not enough data to conclude whether cooking method changes cancer risk · IARC 2015 · B
- Lead · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · No safe threshold is set for lead. A daily serving adds about 0.9% to the average adult's intake (35 µg/day, EFSA 2012), far from doubling it, so no cap. · Health Canada Total Diet Study, trace elements · A
- Red meat (IARC Group 2A) · Context · Shown as context, not rated: IARC classes red meat as Group 2A, probably carcinogenic to humans (limited evidence in humans, for colorectal cancer; strong mechanistic evidence). The group describes the strength of the evidence, not how likely cancer is at a given intake, and IARC gives no level of concern or reference value. · IARC 2015 · A
- Safe cooking temperature · Worth knowing · Flagged: cooking temperature decides safety. Cook ground beef to 71 °C (160 °F) in the thickest part. Health Canada's chart gives ground meat a single temperature, with no rare or medium-rare option the way a steak has. Use a digital thermometer. · Health Canada, safe cooking temperatures · A
Sources
- US CDC, About alpha-gal syndrome
cdc-alpha-gal-about· page · US government work (17 USC 105), public domain - Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition)
cnf-2026· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, 2018-04
fdc-sr-legacy-2018-04· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - Health Canada, Hamburger safety tips (page dated 2013-07-12)
hc-hamburger-safety-tips· page · Government of Canada terms (Crown copyright; not OGL) - Health Canada, Safe cooking temperatures (published 2024-06-04; page details 2020-05-29)
hc-safe-cooking-temps· page · Government of Canada terms (Crown copyright; not OGL) - Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites)
hc-tds-trace-elements· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - IARC, Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat (2015)
iarc-vol114-qa-2015· full text read · IARC 2015, all rights reserved - Lozano de Gonzalez P (1982). The bioavailability of vitamin B6 from selected foods as measured by urinary 4-pyridoxic acid in men saturated with pyridoxine. MS thesis, Oregon State University (advisor LT Miller).
osu:lozano1982· abstract only · ScholarsArchive@OSU (rights not evaluated) - Etcheverry P, Hawthorne KM, Liang LK, Abrams SA, et al. Effect of beef and soy proteins on the absorption of non-heme iron and inorganic zinc in children. J Am Coll Nutr 2006;25:34-40 · doi:10.1080/07315724.2006.10719512 · PMID 16522930
pmid:16522930· abstract only · Publisher copyright (journal article) - Sandstrom B, Davidsson L, Kivisto B, Hasselblad C, Cederblad A. The effect of vegetables and beet fibre on the absorption of zinc in humans from composite meals. Br J Nutr 1987;58:49-57. · doi:10.1079/bjn19870068 · PMID 3040077
pmid:3040077· full text read · publisher copyright; <=30-word quotes only - Gallaher DD, Johnson PE, Hunt JR, Lykken GI, Marchello MJ. Bioavailability in humans of zinc from beef: intrinsic vs extrinsic labels. Am J Clin Nutr 1988;48:350-354. · doi:10.1093/ajcn/48.2.350 · PMID 3407613
pmid:3407613· full text read · publisher copyright; <=30-word quotes only - Mayer Labba IC, Hoppe M, Gramatkovski E, et al. Lower non-heme iron absorption in healthy females from single meals with texturized fava bean protein compared to beef and cod protein meals. Nutrients 2022;14:3162 · doi:10.3390/nu14153162 · PMID 35956338
pmid:35956338· full text read · CC BY 4.0 - Cook JD, Monsen ER (1976) Food iron absorption in human subjects. III. Comparison of the effect of animal proteins on nonheme iron absorption. Am J Clin Nutr 29(8):859-867 · doi:10.1093/ajcn/29.8.859 · PMID 941868
pmid:941868· abstract only · Publisher copyright; abstract cited, nothing redistributed - Hodgkinson SM, Stroebinger N, Stein HH, Fanelli NS, de Vries S, van der Wielen N, et al. True ileal amino acid digestibility of human foods classified according to food type as determined in the growing pig. J Nutr 2025;155:3384-3400. · doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.08.004 · PMID 40812478
pq_hodgkinson2025· full text read · CC BY (Europe PMC licence field) - Oberli M, Marsset-Baglieri A, Airinei G, Sante-Lhoutellier V, Khodorova N, Remond D, et al. High true ileal digestibility but not postprandial utilization of nitrogen from bovine meat protein in humans is moderately decreased by high-temperature, long-duration cooking. J Nutr 2015;145:2221-2228. · doi:10.3945/jn.115.216838 · PMID 26290008
pq_oberli2015· abstract only · licence not recorded
Body map 2026-10-25.1: each nutrient’s job comes from an agency fact sheet, linked beside it under Good for.
The plain words: “a lot” means one serving (100 g when the food has no serving size) gives at least 20% of the daily amount (the reference intake), “some” at least 10%, “a little” at least 2% (the cut-offs are ours, one set for every page: 20% and 10% are borrowed from the US labelling terms “high” and “good source” and applied to Health Canada’s daily amount, whereas Health Canada’s own shopper rule says 15%; provisional: they may change in a later method version). The daily amount is Health Canada’s Dietary Reference Intake for adults 19–30; where men and women need different amounts we use the higher one (protein: 56 g for men, 46 g for women). The percentage printed under each nutrient is the printed amount as a share of that daily amount, rounded to the nearest whole number, and the word is read from that percentage, so the amount, the percentage and the word always agree. Calcium with a measured absorption is scaled by how well it gets in compared with milk.
The scale: “Nothing to watch” means a serving a day stays under the limit at ordinary amounts; “Go easy” means a serving a day can push past the limit for adults who already take in the most, or fewer than 2 servings reach it; “Limit it” means once a week or less. The dataset’s own rating is under “How we got this”. Provisional: the scale may change in a later method version.
Measured absorption under Good for: grade-A studies in adults that tested this preparation of this food, as a share of the listed amount (the share digested, for protein), quoted once each source has passed our evidence check; animal studies and other variants stay in the table above. Provisional: this screen may change in a later method version.