Ground beef and eggs are both nutrient-dense and offer distinct benefits. One is not a “healthier” protein than the other. The best choice depends on your personal health goals.
Here are five ways ground beef and eggs compare:
Ground beef and eggs are both complete proteins. This means each food supplies all the essential amino acids your body requires to build and repair muscles. However, ground beef provides much more protein per serving than eggs do.
- A standard 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of cooked 90% lean ground beef delivers about 26 grams of protein.
- The same 3.5-ounce (100-gram) serving of whole, cooked, hard-boiled eggs (about two large eggs) provides about 13 grams of protein.
Ground beef is an excellent protein choice for people with high muscle-recovery demands. If you exercise regularly, are focusing on building muscle, or recovering from an injury, the greater protein content in ground beef can better support your body’s increased needs.
Eggs contain less saturated fat than ground beef. Saturated fat is a type of fat that increases the “bad” type of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), in your bloodstream, which raises your risk of heart disease.
- A 3.5-ounce serving of 90% lean ground beef has about 12 grams of total fat. Of this, about 5 grams are saturated fat.
- A 3.5-ounce weight of whole eggs (about two large eggs) contains about 10 grams of total fat. Of this, around 3-4 grams are saturated fat.
If you prefer ground beef, you can reduce saturated fat by choosing leaner options. Look for 90% or 93% lean ground beef instead of the standard 70-80% lean varieties. Grass-fed beef also has less total and saturated fats and higher concentrations of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than conventional (grain-fed) beef.
Ground beef contains a much lower amount of dietary cholesterol than eggs. Dietary cholesterol is the cholesterol found in animal products such as meat, eggs, and dairy.
- Two large eggs provide 373 milligrams of cholesterol, with all of it located in the yolk.
- A 3.5-ounce serving of 90% lean ground beef contains about 88 milligrams of cholesterol.
For many years, experts recommended that people limit foods high in cholesterol, like eggs. However, recent research shows that, for most people, dietary cholesterol doesn’t significantly raise blood cholesterol levels the way saturated fat does. Still, if you have high cholesterol or diabetes, your doctor may recommend limiting egg yolks to a few times per week.
Eggs supply a broader mix of specific vitamins, including some that are often hard to get from food alone. These include:
- Choline: Eggs are one of the best natural sources of choline. Choline is an essential nutrient the body uses to create substances needed for brain and nerve function. Your brain and nervous system use choline to regulate mood, memory, and muscle control.
- Vitamin D: Eggs are one of the few foods that are naturally rich in vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium to build strong bones and supports the immune system.
- Antioxidants: Egg yolks contain the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin. These antioxidant compounds protect your eyes from damage and support long-term vision health.
Ground beef is an excellent source of minerals your body needs, especially those that support energy and immunity.
- Iron: Ground beef supplies heme iron, a form your body easily absorbs and uses. Eggs contain non-heme iron, a form of iron your body absorbs less easily. This difference matters if you have anemia (low iron levels), because iron carries oxygen through your bloodstream and helps prevent fatigue. Because of the heme iron, your body gets five to six times more usable iron from ground beef than from eggs.
- Zinc: Ground beef is a rich source of zinc. Zinc strengthens your immune system and supports wound healing.
- B Vitamins: Ground beef is high in B vitamins, including vitamin B12. B12 is crucial for nerve function, making new red blood cells, and helps your body break down the food you eat and turn it into energy.
Choose ground beef if:
- You need high protein and key minerals: Ground beef packs the most protein per serving (26 grams vs. 13 grams).
- You are at risk for iron deficiency: Ground beef is the best food source of highly absorbable heme iron, which is crucial for fighting fatigue and maintaining energy.
- You need vitamin B12 and zinc: It provides much higher amounts of these essential nutrients for nerve health and a strong immune system.
Choosing the leanest ground beef (90% lean or higher) can help keep your saturated fat intake down and protect your heart health.
Choose eggs if:
- You want to limit saturated fat: Eggs are significantly lower in saturated fat than standard ground beef, making them better for heart health.
- You need choline and Vitamin D: Eggs are one of the richest natural food sources of these two important nutrients, which support brain function and strong bones.
- You want to protect your eye health: The antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin in the yolk help maintain long-term vision health.
Most nutrition experts recommend eating a variety of protein sources rather than relying on just one. Including both ground beef and eggs in your weekly meal rotation gives you the nutritional benefits of each while keeping your diet interesting and balanced.
