Either the extra lean (also known as 5% or 95/5) or the lean (also known as 10% or 90/10) is a healthful option, says Kris-Etherton. “The advantage of choosing the 5% (extra lean) is, it is lower in saturated fat, which is beneficial to lowering risk of coronary heart disease,” she says.

Beef, ground, 95% lean meat / 5% fat, raw, 1 serving ( 4 oz )

3 oz.

Extra-lean and lean ground beef are best for meatloaf, stuffed peppers and cabbage rolls – recipes that don’t need to be drained of fat after cooking. Medium ground beef is a good choice for recipes that allow excess fat to drip off during cooking or where fat can be drained off after cooking (e.g. burgers, meatballs).

If we adjust the numbers to a similar serving size, we find that in addition to getting more to serve per pound of uncooked meat, the cooked extra-lean ground beef provides more protein, significantly less fat and less cholesterol on a weight basis.

A good all-rounder: 20% and 15 % fat While a high fat content is great for cooking burgers over a hot grill, anything between 15% and 20% is a good all-rounder. It still has enough fat that it won’t dry out in slow-cooked dishes, but you don’t need such a high fat content if you’re trying to stay on the healthier side.

Wagyu beef

Poultry, lean cuts of meat like pork tenderloin, and ground meats with less than 10% fat have the least calories. Avoid meats with lots of visible fat to keep calories in check.

Which Meats Should You Avoid?

• hot dogs.
• ham.
• sausages.
• corned beef.
• beef jerky.
• canned meat.
• meat-based preparations and sauces (e.g. certain kinds of Bolognese)