Healthiest Beef Cuts, Ranked by Nutrition
From 95% lean ground to ribeye, beef varies wildly in nutritional profile. We ranked every cut by the numbers.
Whole-category ranking instead of cherry-picked favorites
Nutrient density scoring that accounts for calories
Clear standout nutrients for each recommended food
Created By
EatAndAchieve Editorial System
AI-assisted editorial system
This content is assembled from USDA FoodData Central data, in-house ranking logic, and reusable editorial templates to make nutrition information easier to understand.
Reviewed By
Jordan Vale
Founder, editor, and product builder
Jordan reviews pages for clarity, methodology, and product accuracy before they go live. He also maintains the code, data pipeline, and editorial standards for the site.
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Pages on EatAndAchieve combine USDA source data, site-specific scoring logic, and AI-assisted drafting, then receive human review for clarity and methodology. They are educational tools, not medical advice. Read more on the About page.
We analyzed all 954 beef products in the USDA database and ranked them by overall nutritional density — factoring in protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals relative to calories. All values are per 100g from USDA FoodData Central.
What is being ranked
These are category-specific foods scored for overall nutrient density, not just one headline vitamin or mineral.
Why calories matter
Foods score better when they deliver more useful nutrition for the calories they cost.
How to read it
Use the top of the list for reliable staples, then scan the tradeoffs before making a food a daily default.
What makes this category strong
Category spotlights are broader than nutrient posts. They reward foods that do several jobs well at once instead of winning one narrow metric.
Best for
Finding reliable staples inside one aisle of the grocery store.
Read the list this way
Higher-ranked foods usually combine better micronutrients, better fiber or protein, and a more reasonable calorie tradeoff.
Beef, chuck, mock tender steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw finishes first by doing a lot of jobs well at once: good nutrient coverage without an unreasonable calorie cost. Its clearest standout is protein (42% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 68mg per 100g.
Beef, shoulder pot roast or steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (44% DV). It is also easier to use as a real meal anchor because the protein is doing meaningful work.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 68mg per 100g.
Beef, loin, top sirloin petite roast/filet, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. Its clearest standout is protein (46% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 69mg per 100g.
Beef, chuck eye roast, boneless, America's Beef Roast, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (41% DV). It is also easier to use as a real meal anchor because the protein is doing meaningful work.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 74mg per 100g.
Beef, ribeye petite roast/filet, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (46% DV). It is also easier to use as a real meal anchor because the protein is doing meaningful work.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 65mg per 100g.
Beef, round, knuckle, tip side, steak, separable lean and fat , trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw ranks #6 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is protein (44% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 61mg per 100g.
Beef, shank crosscuts, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. Its clearest standout is protein (44% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Beef, shoulder top blade steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. Its clearest standout is protein (41% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 71mg per 100g.
Beef, chuck for stew, separable lean and fat, select, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. Its clearest standout is protein (44% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 66mg per 100g.
Beef, ground, 97% lean meat / 3% fat, raw
Beef, ground, 97% lean meat / 3% fat, raw ranks #10 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is protein (44% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 60mg per 100g.
Beef, ribeye petite roast, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, roasted earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. Its clearest standout is protein (57% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 89mg per 100g.
Beef, chuck eye steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw ranks #12 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is protein (43% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 69mg per 100g.
Beef, ground, 97% lean meat /3% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled ranks #13 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is protein (52% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 84mg per 100g.
Beef, top loin petite roast/filet, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/8" fat, select, raw ranks #14 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is protein (46% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 76mg per 100g.
Beef, chuck eye Country-Style ribs, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. Its clearest standout is protein (42% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 71mg per 100g.
How We Ranked
Each food was scored by adding up its contribution to 12 key daily values (protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, C, D, magnesium, zinc, folate, and B12), capped at 100% each, then normalized by calories. This rewards foods that pack the most nutrition per calorie — true nutrient density.