How Much Protein Is In A Pound Of Ground Beef? - Carnivore Style

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  • How Much Protein Does 1 lb of Ground Beef Have?
  • How Many Calories are in 1 lb of Ground Beef?
  • How Much Fat is in 1 lb of Ground Beef?
  • Health Benefits of Ground Beef
  • FAQs
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featured imageHow Much Protein Is In a Pound of Ground Beef? Arianna Foster Published by Arianna Foster Last Updated On: May 17, 2025

I’ve been on a carnivore diet for more than a decade. I’m a huge meat lover, and I eat beef at least a few times a day every week.

At Carnivore Style, we get a lot of questions about beef, especially ground beef, and whether it’s a good source of protein.

As a nutrition coach, I often meet clients. They worry about the protein content in ground beef. To address their concerns, I consulted a nutritionist friend. for general nutrition advice, I also checked studies on beef to find its protein content.

Today, I’ll explain beef’s protein and fat content and how much ground beef you should eat.

Stick around as we dive deeper into this topic.

Quick Summary

  • A pound of ground beef contains about 77.88g of protein, with lean ground beef offering slightly less.
  • Ground beef is calorie-dense. A pound has about 1506 calories. 80% lean beef has fewer at 1152 calories.
  • Ground beef is rich in vitamins and minerals. It boosts the immune system, aids hormone production, and helps build cells.
Table of Contents Quick Summary How Much Protein Does 1 lb of Ground Beef Have? How Many Calories are in 1 lb of Ground Beef? How Much Fat is in 1 lb of Ground Beef? Health Benefits of Ground Beef FAQs

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How Much Protein Does 1 lb of Ground Beef Have?

Ground beef in a container

One lb of ground beef has about 25% protein, which amounts to 77.88g of protein [1].

However, this changes if you opt for lean ground beef. Lean ground beef is also a good source of protein; you don't need much of it to get your protein.  5% lean beef has about 24 g of protein per dish. For example, 3 oz of lean is how much protein is in pound of ground beef is 22g of protein.

“The definition of ground beef is chopped fresh and/or frozen beef from primal cuts and trimmings. Trimmings are defined as the small pieces containing both lean and fat that come from a beef carcass as the carcass is cut or “fabricated” into beef primals, subprimals, or individual cuts. The maximum fat content in any ground beef is 30% (70% lean) by law.”

- Davey Griffin, Professor & Extension Meat Specialist 

An average adult's recommended daily protein allowance is 0.8 per kg of body weight, or 0.36 g per pound [2].  In other words, an average man should have 56g of protein per day, and a woman should have about 46g. This should be about 2 meat portions per day.

However, daily values of protein intake also depend on your calorie and nutrient requirements.

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How Many Calories are in 1 lb of Ground Beef?

There are 1506 calories in 1 lb of ground beef. However, beef from 80% lean beef has 115 fewer calories, mostly from fat [3].

Beef is high in protein and in calories. Daily values are 2000 for women and 2500 for men.

How Much Fat is in 1 lb of Ground Beef?

Ground beef on top of vegetables

There is about 136g of fat in 1 lb of ground beef. However, if you have beef that’s 80% lean, it’ll have fewer fats — about 90.72g of fat.

Most of the calories in a serving of ground beef come from fat. A 3 oz serving of beef that’s 85% lean has 13g of fat.

Of these calories, 5g is saturated fat, which isn't very healthy. The American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to 5-6% of daily values. This also includes fatty acids.

To put it into context, a quarter-pound hamburger has about 6.7g to 10g of saturated fat per serving size.

Trans fat also belongs to unhealthy fats. 1 lb of ground beef has about 8g of trans fat, while 80% lean has 5.88g of trans fat.

Ground beef has healthy fats too. It contains 6 grams of monounsaturated fat and 0.4 grams of polyunsaturated fat.

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Health Benefits of Ground Beef

Ground beef being kneaded

There are several benefits of ground beef. One such benefit is that this type of meat is rich in vitamins.

For instance, 80% of ground beef provides the following vitamins and minerals:

  • Iron: 8.8
  • Selenium: 18.1μg
  • Zinc: 5.5g
  • B6 Vitamin: 0.36mg
  • Vitamin C: 0mg
  • Vitamin E: 1.86mg

Other than being a rich source of vitamins, ground beef also does the following:

  • Boosts the immune system — Ground beef has several vitamins, such as Vitamin C, E, A, and more. These vitamins help your body maintain a healthy immune system together with zinc.
  • Boosts iron — Your body needs iron to make red blood cells, and ground beef is rich in heme iron [4]. Eating heme iron helps avoid anemia and low iron health issues.
  • Helps production of hormones — Selenium and B Vitamin help produce sex hormones and thyroid function [5].
  • Builds cells — Protein helps build and maintain muscle tissue and builds bones, muscles, skin, and blood.

Related Articles:

  • How Much Protein Is in Hamburger Meat?
  • How Much Protein Does a Filet Mignon Contain?

FAQs

How Much Protein Should I Eat a Day?

You should eat 50 to 175g of protein a day. This depends on your overall daily calorie breakdown.

What Are the Nutrition Facts of 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 For 1LB Ground Beef?

Nutritional information for 1lb ground beef include:

  • 1152 calories
  • 0 sugar
  • 0 dietary fiber
  • 81.65mg calcium
  • 71.11mg magnesium
  • 1224.72mg potassium
  • 303.91mg sodium
  • 0 Vitamin C
  • 322.06mg cholesterol

At Carnivore Style, we want to help you understand exactly what you're eating and how it supports your goals. Check out our other guides for more tips and simple explanations about meat, nutrition, and living the carnivore way.

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD: Elevate Your Meat Game with 3 Exclusive Guides →

References:

  1. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid
  2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day
  3. https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/usda/ground-beef
  4. https://www.ucsfhealth.org/education/hemoglobin-and-functions-o
  5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6150850/
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About the author

Arianna Foster Arianna Foster Nutritionist/Editorial Director [email protected] Certifications: NASM-CNC Education: University of North Florida Lives in: Lake City, Florida

Arianna is a nutrition expert with unmatched management skills and a love for steaks. The only thing she enjoys more than educating people on how to improve their diet and live a healthier life is cooking and hiking.

Follow on Facebook Follow on Twitter Follow on instagram View All Posts Arianna FosterArianna FosterNutritionist/Editorial Director Arianna Foster is the editorial director and senior reviewer at Carnivore Style. She loves sharing her passion for nutrition, diverse cooking techniques, and the many health benefits of a meat diet with readers. Learn more about our editorial policy

6 thoughts on “How Much Protein Is In a Pound of Ground Beef?”

  1. I knew ground beef had protein, but the fact that it’s rich in vitamins like iron and zinc is a huge bonus.

    Reply

  2. The part about ground beef helping with hormone production and immune system support really caught my attention. I didn’t realize it could have those benefits.

    Reply

  3. I always wondered about the protein content in lean vs. regular ground beef—this clears it up perfectly. Lean might have less fat, but the protein is almost the same.

    Reply

  4. I used to think ground beef was mostly fat, but learning how protein-dense it is has been a nice surprise. Now it’s a staple in my diet.

    Reply

  5. The iron and zinc content in ground beef is a game-changer for me. I struggle with low energy levels and am hoping this will help. Anyone else notice a boost in energy after including it in their diet?

    Reply

  6. Does anyone know if the protein content changes much depending on how the ground beef is cooked? I’m wondering if grilling or pan-frying affects the nutritional value.

    Reply
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