Healthiest Meats, Ranked by Nutrition
Not all meat is created equal. We ranked beef, poultry, pork, and game by nutritional density.
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.
How This Page Is Made
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 2140 beef products and poultry products and pork products and lamb, veal, and game 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.
Chicken, liver, all classes, raw
Chicken, liver, all classes, raw ranks #1 because it is the strongest all-around performer in this category, not just the winner of one narrow metric. Its main nutritional strengths are protein (34% DV), iron (50% DV), vitamin A (367% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 345mg per 100g.
Emu, outside drum, raw
Emu, outside drum, raw ranks #2 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. The biggest contributors to its score are protein (46% DV), iron (25% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 78mg per 100g.
Emu, fan fillet, raw
Emu, fan fillet, raw ranks #3 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its main nutritional strengths are protein (45% DV), iron (25% 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 71mg per 100g.
Emu, flat fillet, raw
Emu, flat fillet, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. Where it really pulls ahead is protein (44% DV), iron (28% 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.
Emu, inside drum, raw
Emu, inside drum, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. The biggest contributors to its score are protein (44% DV), iron (29% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 67mg per 100g.
Beef, chuck, mock tender steak, boneless, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, select, raw ranks #6 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. The easiest thing to notice here is the protein (42% 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, shoulder pot roast or steak, 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 (44% 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.
Emu, full rump, raw
Emu, full rump, raw ranks #8 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Where it really pulls ahead is protein (46% DV), iron (28% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 85mg per 100g.
Game meat, bison, shoulder clod, separable lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, 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 (42% 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 66mg per 100g.
Ostrich, inside leg, raw
Ostrich, inside leg, raw ranks #10 and lands roughly in the top 1% of foods we screened in this category. Its clearest standout is protein (45% 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, 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. 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 69mg per 100g.
Lamb, foreshank, separable lean only, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw makes the list because its overall nutrient density holds up well against the rest of this category. 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 69mg per 100g.
Turkey, gizzard, all classes, raw
Turkey, gizzard, all classes, 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 (38% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 271mg per 100g.
Veal, shank, separable lean only, raw
Veal, shank, separable lean only, 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 (40% DV).
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 62mg per 100g.
Ostrich, fan, raw
Ostrich, fan, raw earns this spot by delivering a strong mix of nutrients without wasting too many calories. Where it really pulls ahead is protein (44% DV), iron (24% DV). The protein content also makes it more filling and more useful in complete meals.
Worth knowing
Relatively high in cholesterol at 73mg 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.