Beef, variety meats and by-products, heart, raw
Whole food · Beef Products
Beef heart is a dense, muscular organ with a surprisingly mild, clean beef flavor and a firm, steak-like texture when cooked properly. It's a nutritional powerhouse, offering an exceptional amount of protein and essential nutrients like CoQ10 and B vitamins with virtually no fat or carbohydrates.
Calorie split: 66% protein · 1% carbs · 33% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love beef heart for its deep, satisfying beefy flavor that's more pronounced than standard cuts, and its incredible versatility—it can be grilled, braised, or ground. In many cultures, it's a prized, economical cut celebrated in dishes from anticuchos to stews.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
Its dense, muscular texture can be tough and chewy if overcooked or not prepared correctly, which may deter some. To counteract this, it's best sliced thinly against the grain for quick cooking (like grilling) or braised low-and-slow to break down connective tissue. Soaking in acidic liquid like vinegar or citrus juice beforehand can also help tenderize it.
Key benefits
- Extremely high in protein (17.7g per 100g)
- Rich in CoQ10, a vital antioxidant for cellular energy
- Excellent source of B vitamins, especially B12 and B6
- Very low in fat and contains zero carbs or sugar
- High in iron and zinc, supporting immune function
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
A single beef heart is a powerful pump, capable of beating over 2.5 billion times in a cow's lifetime and weighing about 2 pounds.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 77.1 g |
| Energy | 112 kcal |
| Energy | 467 kj |
| Protein | 17.7 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 3.9 g |
| Ash | 1.1 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 0.14 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 0.00 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.00 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 7.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 4.3 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 21.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 212 mg |
| Potassium, K | 287 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 98.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.7 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.40 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.04 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 21.8 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 2.0 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.24 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.91 mg |
| Niacin | 7.5 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 1.8 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.28 mg |
| Folate, total | 3.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 3.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 3.0 ug |
| Vitamin B-12 | 8.6 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 0.00 iu |
| Lycopene | 17.0 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.22 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.02 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.00 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 1.4 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 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.07 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.02 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.62 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.05 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.62 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 1.1 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.06 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 1.1 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.55 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.40 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-3 c,c,c (ALA) | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:3 n-6 c,c,c | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0.01 g |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.13 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 | 0.18 g |
| Cholesterol | 124 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
Estimated from Beef, variety meats and by-products, mechanically separated beef, raw — USDA does not publish this profile for Beef.
| Tryptophan | 0.17 g |
| Threonine | 0.47 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.58 g |
| Leucine | 1.2 g |
| Lysine | 1.2 g |
| Methionine | 0.43 g |
| Cystine | 0.23 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.64 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.38 g |
| Valine | 0.92 g |
| Arginine | 1.2 g |
| Histidine | 0.44 g |
| Alanine | 1.0 g |
| Aspartic acid | 1.3 g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.1 g |
| Glycine | 1.2 g |
| Proline | 0.92 g |
| Serine | 0.57 g |
FAQ
Does beef heart taste like regular beef?
Yes, but with a more intense, mineral-rich, and slightly gamey flavor. It's often described as tasting like the most 'beefy' part of the cow.
How do I make beef heart tender?
For quick cooking (grilling, sautéing), slice it very thin against the grain. For slow cooking (braising, stewing), cook it low and slow for several hours to break down the tough muscle fibers.
Is beef heart safe to eat raw?
When prepared as tartare, it must be extremely fresh, properly handled, and sourced from a trusted butcher to minimize food safety risks. Cooking is generally recommended.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.12 kcal/g · 63% calories from protein · 0.0 g fiber · 0.0 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.34 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.