How Much Protein is in 100g of Cooked Beef? A Detailed Look

Beef is one of the most widely consumed meats globally, prized for its great taste, versatility and nutritional profile But exactly how much protein is packed into a 100g serving of cooked beef? Let’s analyze this in detail.

Protein Content in 100g Cooked Beef

A 100g serving of cooked beef contains approximately 26g of protein on average.

However, the exact protein content varies depending on the leanness and cut of the beef:

• Fattier cuts like ribeye contain around 24g protein per 100g cooked.

• Leaner cuts like eye of round contain around 31g protein per 100g cooked

To put this protein content into context against other high protein foods:

• 100g cooked chicken breast contains around 31g protein
• 100g canned tuna contains around 25g protein
• 100g tofu contains around 8g protein
• 100g chickpeas contains around 9g protein

So beef stacks up very well as an excellent source of protein compared to other whole foods. Let’s now look closer at the factors that affect beef’s protein content.

Factors Affecting Protein in Cooked Beef

There are a few key factors that determine the protein levels in cooked beef:

1. Cut of Beef

• Fattier cuts like ribeye, T-bone and prime rib contain around 24-25g protein per 100g cooked.

• Leaner cuts like eye of round, sirloin and flank contain around 30-31g protein per 100g cooked.

Choosing lean cuts maximizes the protein content per 100g serving.

2. Cooking Method

• Grilling, pan-frying and broiling beef causes greater water loss so more protein is lost.

• Moist cooking methods like stewing, braising, slow cooking result in less water loss so more protein is retained per 100g.

Gentle cooking retains the most protein.

3. Degree of Doneness

• The more well-done beef is cooked, the more moisture loss it experiences.

• Rare beef retains the most moisture and protein per 100g; well-done beef retains the least.

Less cooking = more protein retained.

Daily Protein Requirements

To determine how 100g of cooked beef contributes to your daily protein needs, let’s examine the RDIs (Recommended Daily Intakes) for protein:

• Women aged 19-70 require 46g protein per day.
• Men aged 19-70 require 56g protein per day.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding women need more at 71g per day.

• A 100g serving of cooked beef provides around 26-31g protein.

• This supplies approximately 50-70% of the RDI for protein in just a 100g serving for men and women.

Consuming 200g of cooked lean beef could therefore supply almost all your daily protein needs. Beef is a high quality complete protein containing all the essential amino acids.

Just 100-200g provides a substantial dose of protein for muscle repair, growth and function.

How Much Protein is Lost During Cooking?

It’s important to account for cooking losses when assessing the protein in cooked beef. Here’s an estimate:

• Raw steak or roast beef loses around 25% of its weight during cooking.

• Raw ground beef loses around 20% of its weight when cooked.

This moisture loss causes a reduction in protein content. For example:

• 100g raw ground beef contains 26g protein

• After cooking, 80g remains (20% loss) which contains around 21g protein.

• So the 100g raw contained 26g protein, but after cooking it contains 21g (a 19% protein loss).

To summarize, expect around a 15-25% loss of protein when cooking beef, with greater losses for well-done steak.

Protein Content of Other Cuts and Portions

Now let’s examine the protein content of some other standard cuts and portion sizes of cooked beef:

• 100g lean mince/ground beef: 21-22g protein
• 100g rump steak: 30g protein
• 100g T-bone steak: 25g protein
• 100g sirloin steak: 31g protein
• 100g fillet steak: 29g protein
• 100g ribeye steak: 24g protein
• 100g roasting joint: 24-27g protein
• 100g beef stew cubes: 25g protein

As a rough guide, you can expect around 22-31g of protein per 100g serving for commonly consumed cuts of beef.

An 85-100g portion of lean beef supplying around 20-30g protein is enough to provide a significant chunk of your daily protein intake.

Top Tips to Maximize Protein from Beef

Follow these tips to get the most protein bang for your buck from beef:

• Choose leaner cuts like eye of round, sirloin, 95% lean mince
• Use moist cooking methods like braising, stewing, slow cooking
• Cook to medium rare or medium to prevent excessive moisture loss
• Enjoy grass-fed or organic beef when affordable for added nutrition
• Consume 200g or less daily as part of a balanced diet

Beef is one of the highest quality protein sources around. A 100-200g serving delivers a huge protein payload to power your day. Lean beef cuts should be a staple in any high protein diet.

Is Beef Protein Healthy and Nutritious Overall?

Beef provides not only an excellent source of protein, but also:

• B Vitamins like B12, niacin and B6 which support energy and brain health.

• Zinc and iron to keep your immune system and blood healthy.

• Selenium – an important antioxidant mineral.

• Conjugated linoleic acid – a beneficial fatty acid that protects against inflammation and cancer.

So beef provides a range of essential vitamins and minerals along with its generous protein content.

Just be sure to enjoy beef in moderation as part of an overall healthy and balanced diet for optimal health. Around 200g or less per day is considered a moderate and safe intake.

The Takeaway: Beef Provides Quality Protein

A 100g serving of cooked beef supplies around 26-31g of high quality, complete protein containing all the essential amino acids. This makes beef an excellent source of protein compared to other whole foods.

Choosing lean cuts, gently cooking and avoiding overcooking are the keys to maximizing beef’s protein content. Enjoy your beef in moderation as part of a varied diet for optimal nutrition.