Calories in
beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat
256 kcal per 100 g Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat contains 256 calories per 100 grams, or about 218 calories per 3 oz. Per 100 g it provides 27.7 g protein, 0.0 g carbohydrate and 15.3 g fat.
By calories that splits 0% carbohydrate, 45% protein, 55% fat.
Calories in a typical serving
Per-100 g figures are useful for comparison but nobody eats 100 g of anything on purpose. These are the USDA's own household measures.
| Serving | Grams | Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 oz | 85.0 g | 218 | 23.6 g | 0.0 g | 13.0 g |
Full nutrition, per 100 g and per 3 oz
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per 3 oz |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 256 kcal | 218 kcal |
| Protein | 27.7 g | 23.6 g |
| Total fat | 15.3 g | 13.0 g |
| Saturated fat | 5.8 g | 4.9 g |
| Carbohydrate | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Fibre | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sugars | 0.0 g | 0.0 g |
| Sodium | 89.0 mg | 75.7 mg |
| Potassium | 407.0 mg | 346.0 mg |
| Calcium | 22.0 mg | 18.7 mg |
| Iron | 2.9 mg | 2.5 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0.0 mg | 0.0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 3.0 µg | 2.6 µg |
| Cholesterol | 89.0 mg | 75.7 mg |
| Water | 55.9 g | 47.5 g |
USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (FDC ID 174034). A dash means the nutrient was not measured for this item, which is not the same as zero.
How beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat compares
Among the 207 beef products items on this site, beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat ranks 44 of 207 by calorie density, against a category average of 224 kcal per 100 g — so it is about 14% more calorie-dense than typical for its group.
It carries 10.8 g of protein per 100 calories — a genuinely protein-dense food.
To burn off 3 oz (218 kcal), a 70 kg adult would walk for roughly 44 minutes — see the walking calculation on our sister site, or pick a different activity. Treat that as a sense of scale rather than a rule: eating and moving are not a simple ledger.
Questions
How many calories are in beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat?
Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat contains 256 calories per 100 g, which works out to about 218 calories per 3 oz. It also provides 27.7 g of protein, 0.0 g of carbohydrate and 15.3 g of fat per 100 g.
What is the macro breakdown of beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat?
By calories, beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat is roughly 0% carbohydrate, 45% protein and 55% fat. That makes it a predominantly fat-based food.
How long does it take to burn off 3 oz?
About 44 minutes of ordinary walking for a 70 kg adult (MET 4.0). That is a rough guide for scale, not a prescription — appetite and activity interact in ways a simple subtraction does not capture.
Is this figure exact for the beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat I bought?
No. These are USDA reference values, averaged across samples. Real foods vary with variety, ripeness, growing conditions, cut, brand and how they were cooked — 10–20% either way is normal. Use them for planning, not precision.
Similar foods
Closest in calorie density within beef products.
Source: USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy — public domain. Full USDA description: "Beef, ground, 85% lean meat / 15% fat, crumbles, cooked, pan-browned". General information only — not medical or nutrition advice. Values are averages for a food type and vary by brand, ripeness and preparation.