Lean Ground Beef vs. Regular

Question: "Is there a significant difference in fat or calories for cooked and drained lean ground beef compared to cooked and drained regular ground beef?" —Beth Trinh, via e-mail

Answer: Yes. Start with a leaner cut of beef, and you'll have less fat rendered and less fat in your cooked portion. About five percent of the weight of lean ground beef is from pure fat; the remaining 95 percent of weight is lean beef. By contrast, regular ground beef contains 20 percent fat by weight. A 3-ounce (cooked) portion of lean ground beef contains about 164 calories and 2.9 grams of saturated fat. That's about 70 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat less than similarly prepared and portioned regular ground beef.

See more: Our favorite use for lean ground beef—Burgers!