Beef, ground, 90% lean meat / 10% fat, crumbles, cooked, pan-browned
Whole food · Beef Products
Photo: Wikipedia
This is lean ground beef, cooked until browned into savory crumbles. It has a deep, meaty flavor with a satisfying, slightly chewy texture and a clean, non-greasy finish. Nutritionally, it's a powerhouse of protein with minimal fat and zero carbohydrates.
💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its rich, umami flavor that forms the savory backbone of countless comfort foods. Its crumbled texture is incredibly versatile, easily adapting to sauces, salads, and stuffed dishes across global cuisines.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The high protein and iron content can be heavy for some digestive systems, and it's a common food for those monitoring saturated fat intake. To counteract, pair it with fiber-rich vegetables like broccoli or spinach to aid digestion and balance the meal. Choose grass-fed varieties when possible for a better fatty acid profile.
Key benefits
- Excellent source of complete protein for muscle maintenance
- Very low in carbohydrates, suitable for keto and low-carb diets
- Provides essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and B12
- Leaner fat content compared to regular ground beef
- Quick-cooking and versatile for weeknight meals
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The term 'hamburger' likely originates from Hamburg, Germany, where minced beef patties were a popular dish among sailors in the 19th century.
Full nutrition (scales with serving)
| Water | 58.6 g |
| Energy | 230 kcal |
| Energy | 963 kj |
| Protein | 28.4 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 12.0 g |
| Ash | 1.3 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 0.00 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 16.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 3.1 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 27.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 250 mg |
| Potassium, K | 433 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 87.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 6.8 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.10 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.01 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 21.6 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.04 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.19 mg |
| Niacin | 6.8 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.81 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.43 mg |
| Folate, total | 8.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 8.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 8.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 91.4 mg |
| Betaine | 8.7 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 2.8 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 3.0 ug |
| Retinol | 3.0 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 9.0 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.12 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 2.0 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 1.2 ug |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 4.7 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.34 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.06 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 2.7 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.13 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 1.5 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.01 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 5.0 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.09 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.44 g |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0.11 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 4.8 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.04 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.43 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.32 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.05 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0.36 g |
| Fatty acids, total trans-monoenoic | 0.36 g |
| TFA 18:1 t | 0.36 g |
| Cholesterol | 89.0 mg |
| Tryptophan | 0.14 g |
| Threonine | 1.1 g |
| Isoleucine | 1.3 g |
| Leucine | 2.2 g |
| Lysine | 2.4 g |
| Methionine | 0.73 g |
| Cystine | 0.29 g |
| Phenylalanine | 1.1 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.88 g |
| Valine | 1.4 g |
| Arginine | 1.9 g |
| Histidine | 0.92 g |
| Alanine | 1.8 g |
| Aspartic acid | 2.6 g |
| Glutamic acid | 4.3 g |
| Glycine | 1.9 g |
| Proline | 1.4 g |
| Serine | 1.1 g |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
FAQ
How is 90% lean ground beef different from regular ground beef?
It contains a higher ratio of lean meat to fat (90% meat, 10% fat), resulting in fewer calories and less total fat per serving compared to 80/20 or 85/15 blends.
What's the best way to cook it without it becoming dry?
Avoid overcooking. Brown it in a hot pan just until no longer pink, breaking it into crumbles. Since it's lean, it can dry out quickly; consider adding it to sauces or dishes with liquid near the end of cooking.
Is this a good option for a high-protein diet?
Yes, it's an excellent choice. With over 28g of protein per 100g cooked, it's one of the most protein-dense and efficient food sources available.