Meat, fish, and eggs
Lean beef
Lean beef provides 23.6 g of protein for 124 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz), or 19 g of protein for every 100 kcal.
Estimated satietyHow it is calculated
Estimated satiety: 5 out of 5
| Starting point | +1 |
|---|---|
| Low energy density | +1 |
| A lot of protein per calorie | +2 |
| High water content | +1 |
Our own estimate from the values per 100 g: useful for comparing foods with each other, not a measurement in people. Holt index (1995): 176 (white bread = 100).
- Prepared by
- Alex Gonzalez
- Last updated
- Next review
- Sources
- 9 primary
- Data
- USDA FDC 173996
No clinical review. No advertising from drug companies and no affiliate links.How we work
Nutrition facts
- Calories
- 155 kcal per serving
- 124 kcal per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Protein
- 29.5 g per serving
- 23.6 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Carbohydrates
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which sugars
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fiber
- 0 g per serving
- 0 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Fat
- 4.1 g per serving
- 3.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- of which saturated
- 1.6 g per serving
- 1.3 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
- Water
- 90.9 g per serving
- 72.7 g per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Source: USDA FoodData Central: Beef, round, top round roast, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, raw (FDC ID 173996), accessed September 23, 2026.
A typical 125 g (4.5 oz) serving provides about 155 kcal, 29.5 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber.
What it is and how to eat it
In Spain, "ternera" legally means meat from bovines aged 8 to under 12 months, and meat from calves under 8 months is sold as ternera blanca (Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013), although in everyday speech nearly all beef is called ternera; in Mexico, Colombia and Central America it is carne de res, and in Argentina and Uruguay, carne vacuna. Top round (tapa in Spain) is a lean cut from the hind leg that Argentina calls nalga. This page uses USDA's top round, trimmed of visible fat and raw, with 124 kcal, 23.6 g of protein and 3.26 g of fat per 100 g; it is adult beef, not ternera in the strict sense.
A 125 g (4.4 oz) raw serving provides 29.5 g of protein, 155 kcal and 2.9 mg of iron. The 2025 nutrition advisory on GLP-1 therapy prioritizes legumes, dairy, seafood, eggs and lean poultry, asks people to limit red and processed meats, and notes that, when appetite is low, red meat is often less appealing than a smoothie, cottage cheese or soup. If you eat it, thin cutlets or ground or stewed beef with vegetables, as in the lean beef picadillo with vegetables, are usually easier to chew and tolerate than a thick steak, and in the weeks after a dose increase half a serving may be enough.
What the evidence says
In 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified red meat, which includes beef and veal, as "probably carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2A), based on limited evidence from epidemiological studies of its association with colorectal cancer and strong mechanistic evidence, and processed meat as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1). IARC itself explains that eating red meat has not yet been established as a cause of cancer, but that if the association were causal, the risk of colorectal cancer could rise by 17% for every 100 g portion eaten daily. With 2.35 mg of iron per 100 g it exceeds the 2.1 mg (15% of the reference value) the EU requires for a "source of iron" claim, and iron has an authorized claim that it contributes to normal formation of red blood cells and haemoglobin (Regulations (EC) No 1924/2006, (EU) No 1169/2011 and (EU) No 432/2012).
Satiety
The 1 to 5 score is our own estimate: it starts at 1 point, adds points for low energy density, for protein and fiber per 100 kcal, and for the water in solid foods, and subtracts points for drinks with calories. It is useful for comparing foods with each other; it is not a measurement in people.
This food was measured in people: in the satiety index by Holt and colleagues (1995), which compared 240 kcal servings of 38 foods over two hours, it scored 176 versus 100 for white bread. In other words, it was more filling than the same calories of white bread. Source: Holt SH, Miller JC, Petocz P, Farmakalidis E. A satiety index of common foods. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995;49(9):675-90.
What to keep in mind on a GLP-1 medication
Frequently asked questions about lean beef
How much protein is in a 125 g (4.5 oz) serving of lean beef?
100 g (3.5 oz) of lean beef has 23.6 g of protein. A typical 125 g (4.5 oz) serving has about 29.5 g of protein. That is 19 g of protein per 100 kcal, which is why it carries our “High in protein” tag.
How many calories does a 125 g (4.5 oz) serving of lean beef have?
100 g (3.5 oz) of lean beef has 124 kcal. A typical 125 g (4.5 oz) serving has about 155 kcal. That is a low energy density.
Is lean beef filling?
Yes, very filling for the calories it provides: our estimated satiety score is 5 out of 5. It is based on: low energy density; a lot of protein per calorie; high water content. It was also measured in people: in the Holt satiety index (1995), with 240 kcal servings, it scored 176 versus 100 for white bread.
What should I know about lean beef on a GLP-1 medication?
Based on our tags, this is what matters about lean beef on a GLP-1 medication. “High in protein”: plenty of protein per calorie; protein helps preserve muscle mass when you eat less. These are general guidelines, not medical advice: everyone tolerates foods differently.
What counts as a normal serving of lean beef?
We use 125 g (4.5 oz) as a typical serving. That amount provides about 155 kcal, 29.5 g of protein, and 0 g of fiber. It is a reference for calculations, not a recommendation of how much to eat.
Compare with…
Similar foods
Sources
Sources for the data on this page, with the access date.
- Official databaseU.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.USDA FoodData Central: Beef, round, top round roast, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, choice, raw (FDC ID 173996).accessed .
- European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (PubMed).Holt SH, Miller JC, Petocz P, Farmakalidis E. A satiety index of common foods. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995;49(9):675-90.accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 establishing a common organisation of the markets in agricultural products (Annex VII, Part I, meat of bovine animals aged less than 12 months).accessed .
- Clinical guidelineObesity (Wiley).Mozaffarian D, et al. Nutritional priorities to support GLP-1 therapy for obesity: A joint Advisory from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association, and The Obesity Society. Obesity. 2025;33(8):1475-1503. doi:10.1002/oby.24336.accessed .
- InstitutionThe Lancet Oncology.Bouvard V, Loomis D, Guyton KZ, et al. Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat. Lancet Oncol. 2015;16(16):1599-1600. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(15)00444-1.accessed .
- InstitutionInternational Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC/WHO).Q&A on the carcinogenicity of the consumption of red meat and processed meat (IARC Monographs, Volume 114).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims made on foods (Annex).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII, nutrient reference values).accessed .
- RegulatorOfficial Journal of the European Union (EUR-Lex).Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods.accessed .