Meat comprises water, protein, fat and various amounts of minerals and vitamins. The protein is located in the muscle tissue, and constitutes from 15% to 20% of the mass of meat.
There are no carbohydrates in meat!
Per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of meat
| Cut | Calories | Protein (g) |
Total Fat (g) |
Sat. Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef (top sirloin, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8″ fat, choice, pan-fried) | 313 | 28.77 | 21.06 | 8.18 |
| Beef (chuck, clod steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4″ fat, all grades, braised) | 272 | 26.19 | 17.73 | 6.699 |
| Beef (ground, 95% lean meat / 5% fat, crumbles, pan-browned) | 193 | 29.17 | 1.34 | 3.441 |
| Beef (ground, 95% lean meat / 5% fat, patty, pan-broiled) | 164 | 25.8 | 5.94 | 2.698 |
| Beef (round, tip round, separable lean only, trimmed to 0″ fat, choice, roasted) | 176 | 27.68 | 6.42 | 2.288 |
Per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of meat
| Cut | Calories | Protein (g) |
Total Fat (g) |
Sat. Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamb (New Zealand exported, frozen, leg, whole (shank and sirloin), separable lean and fat, roasted) | 246 | 24.81 | 15.56 | 7.61 |
| Lamb (USA domestic, leg, whole (shank and sirloin), separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8″ fat, choice, roasted) | 242 | 26.2 | 14.42 | 5.92 |
| Lamb (Australian exported, fresh, leg, whole (shank and sirloin), separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8″ fat, roasted) | 190 | 27.31 | 8.1 | 3.297 |
| Lamb (Australian exported, fresh, leg, sirloin chops, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8″ fat, broiled) | 188 | 27.63 | 7.8 | 3.159 |
See all Lamb, Veal, and Game Meats.
Per 100 grams (3.5 ounces) of meat
| Cut | Calories | Protein (g) |
Total Fat (g) |
Sat. Fat (g) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pork (cured, bacon, broiled, pan-fried or roasted) | 541 | 37.04 | 41.78 | 13.739 |
| Pork (fresh, leg (ham), rump half, separable lean and fat, roasted) | 252 | 28.88 | 14.28 | 5.25 |
| Pork (fresh, loin, top loin (chops), boneless, separable lean only, pan-fried) | 225 | 30.48 | 10.5 | 3.6 |
Red, or dark meat comprises muscle-fibers called slow-twitch.
These are the muscles used for extensive activity like standing or walking, and the protein myoglobin in these muscle cells stores oxygen to produce the needed energy.
Myoglobin is richly pigmented; more myoglobin produces redder, or darker meat, as in the meat of cattle and sheep.
When cooked, the interior temperature reached alters the color of the myoglobin. Rare beef is cooked to 140° F or 60° C, leaving the red color unchanged. Above this temperature, medium-done meat becomes tan in color, until at 170° F or about 77° C, well-done meat is brown-gray.
Pork should be cooked to this well-done temperature. Pig meat has myoglobin, but young pigs (the usual source of bacon and pork) have only a low concentration, so pork is often called ‘the other white meat‘.
White meat comprises muscle-fibers called fast-twitch.
Fast-twitch muscles produce quick bursts of intense activity, such as running from danger.
The energy required comes from another protein stored in the muscles, called glycogen. When raw, white meat has a translucent or glassy quality, cooking causes the proteins to recombine or coagulate, so that the meat becomes opaque and whitish.
Poultry has areas of both dark and white meat, and is recommended to cook to 180° F or 82° C. Fish has mainly white meat, and should be cooked to 165° F or 74 ° C.
While protein in meat is a great for tissue repair, many of us eat too much of it. As more of the world’s population increases meat intake, the strain on our resources is not sustainable.
Take a look at some ways to manage your meat intake more wisely.