Each 100 g red meat per day raises CVD risk. HR 1.11 (Shi et al., Eur J Prev Cardiol 2023). Per 100 g ground beef: 254 kcal, 17.2 g protein, 20 g fat. Fat % on the label is raw — cooking renders 30–50% of it out, but the calories stay in if you eat the drippings.
How should I track Ground Beef, 80% lean (raw)?
Ground Beef, 80% lean is high in zinc. The simplest way to track Ground Beef, 80% lean accurately is to weigh it raw, before cooking. According to USDA cooking yield data, meat loses 20–30% of its weight during cooking as moisture evaporates — so 150 g raw becomes roughly 105–120 g cooked. If you log the cooked weight using raw nutrition values, you will undercount your protein and calories. A kitchen scale takes the guesswork out of it. Quick tip: cook a batch, weigh it before and after, and you will know your personal shrink ratio for next time.
