Lean meat is meat that gives you a lot of protein with little fat. The USDA defines “lean” as under 10 grams of total fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, and 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams (about 3.5 ounces). By that rule, skinless chicken breast, turkey, pork tenderloin, sirloin, and most white fish all make the cut.
That single standard is why the same word covers poultry, fish, and certain red-meat cuts. What ties them together is not the animal, it is the ratio: high protein, low fat. Below you get the full list with real numbers from USDA FoodData Central, plus how to pick and cook these cuts so they stay lean on your plate.
Why lean meat is worth building meals around
Three things make lean meat pull its weight, whether you are training hard or just trying to eat better.
High protein, low cost per gram. A palm-sized piece of chicken breast covers 30-plus grams of complete protein, with all nine essential amino acids your body cannot make on its own. If you want the full case for eating this way, our guide to the benefits of a high-protein diet walks through what it does for muscle and recovery.
Less saturated fat. Cutting saturated fat is one of the few diet moves with broad agreement behind it, and lean cuts make it easy without going meat-free. You keep the protein and drop most of the fat that comes with fattier cuts.
Staying power. Protein is the most filling of the three macronutrients. Meals built on lean meat tend to keep you full longer, which is part of why they show up in almost every sensible weight-loss plan. Lean protein pairs well with slow-digesting carbs too, and our list of good carbs to include in your diet covers the other half of a balanced plate.
The 14 leanest meats (per 100g cooked)
Values are for cooked portions from USDA FoodData Central, rounded for everyday use. The list runs from leanest to a couple of borderline picks worth knowing about.
|
Meat (cooked, 100g) |
Protein |
Total fat |
Calories |
|
Egg whites |
11 g |
0.2 g |
52 |
|
Shrimp |
24 g |
0.3 g |
99 |
|
Cod (white fish) |
23 g |
0.9 g |
105 |
|
Tuna, yellowfin |
29 g |
1 g |
130 |
|
Turkey breast, skinless |
29 g |
1 g |
135 |
|
Halibut |
27 g |
2.3 g |
140 |
|
Tilapia |
26 g |
2.7 g |
128 |
|
Venison (deer) |
30 g |
3 g |
158 |
|
Rabbit |
33 g |
3.5 g |
173 |
|
Pork tenderloin |
26 g |
3.5 g |
143 |
|
Chicken breast, skinless |
31 g |
3.6 g |
165 |
|
Top sirloin, trimmed |
27 g |
6 g |
183 |
|
Bison, ground |
28 g |
7 g |
179 |
|
Salmon (see note) |
25 g |
13 g |
208 |
A quick read of the table: most poultry, white fish, and game cluster around 24 to 31 grams of protein per 100 grams with fat in the low single digits. That is the sweet spot the USDA rule is pointing at.
Two cuts need an asterisk. Salmon is not technically lean by the fat threshold, since it carries about 13 grams of fat per 100 grams. But most of that is heart-friendly omega-3, so it earns a place in a healthy rotation even though it fails the strict “lean” test. Bison and top sirloin sit near the fat ceiling depending on how they are trimmed, so buy them well-trimmed and they qualify comfortably.
How to pick lean meat at the store
The label does half the work if you know what to look for.
- Poultry: breast beats thigh, and skinless beats skin-on. Removing the skin from chicken cuts the fat roughly in half.
- Pork: look for “loin” or “tenderloin” in the name. Those are the leanest cuts by a wide margin.
- Beef: the leanest cuts usually have “loin” or “round” in the name, such as top sirloin, eye of round, and top round. Choose “Select” grade over “Prime” if you want less marbling.
- Ground meat: read the ratio. 93/7 (93 percent lean) counts as lean, 80/20 does not.
- Fish and shellfish: almost all white fish and shellfish are naturally lean, so this is the easiest aisle to shop.
How to cook it so it stays lean
Buying a lean cut is only half the job. How you cook it decides whether it stays that way.
- Trim and skin before cooking. Cut visible fat off red meat and pull the skin off poultry.
- Use dry heat. Grilling, baking, roasting, broiling, poaching, and air-frying add little or no fat. Deep-frying can double the calories of the same cut.
- Go easy on added oil. A teaspoon in the pan is plenty. Marinades built on citrus, vinegar, herbs, and spices add flavor without the fat.
- Do not overcook it. Lean cuts have little fat to keep them moist, so they dry out fast. A meat thermometer beats guessing: 165°F for poultry, 145°F for pork and whole cuts of beef.
Lean meat is also a solid choice after a session, when your muscles are primed to use the protein. Our guide on what to eat after a workout covers how to pair it with carbs for recovery.
Plant-based lean-protein alternatives
You do not need meat to hit the same high-protein, low-fat target. These plant sources land in similar territory, and most are naturally low in saturated fat.
|
Food |
Protein |
Total fat |
|
Seitan (wheat gluten), 100 g |
25 g |
2 g |
|
Tempeh, 100 g |
19 g |
11 g |
|
Firm tofu, 100 g |
14 g |
8 g |
|
Edamame, 1 cup |
18 g |
8 g |
|
Lentils, cooked, 1 cup |
18 g |
0.8 g |
|
Textured vegetable protein, 1/4 cup dry |
12 g |
0.2 g |
Soy foods (tofu, tempeh, edamame) are complete proteins on their own. Grains and legumes are not, but eating a range across the day fills the gaps. Seitan and lentils are the standouts if you want maximum protein for minimum fat.
How much lean meat should you eat?
A sensible portion of cooked lean meat is 3 to 4 ounces, roughly the size of your palm or a deck of cards. That lands most people around 25 to 30 grams of protein per serving.
For a daily target, active adults do well aiming for about 0.7 to 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, spread across meals. A 150-pound person might split that into three or four servings of protein a day, only some of which need to be meat. You can rebalance the plate with beans, eggs, dairy, or the plant options above.
Lean protein sits at the center of most weight-loss plates because it fills you up for relatively few calories. Pair it with a walk or a short cardio session and the math works in your favor; here is how many calories 10 minutes of cardio burns if you want a sense of the trade.
Whatever you cook, the right kit makes the training that follows easier. Our best sellers are a good place to start.
Frequently asked questions
Is chicken breast the leanest meat?
It is one of the leanest common choices, at about 31 grams of protein and under 4 grams of fat per 100 grams cooked. Egg whites, shrimp, white fish like cod, and skinless turkey breast are actually leaner still, but few everyday meats beat chicken breast for the balance of price, protein, and versatility.
Is salmon a lean meat?
Not by the strict USDA definition. Salmon carries around 13 grams of fat per 100 grams, above the 10-gram lean threshold. The difference is that most of it is omega-3 fat, which is good for the heart, so salmon still belongs in a healthy diet even though it is not technically “lean.”
What is the leanest red meat?
Among red meats, the leanest cuts are top round, eye of round, top sirloin, and game meats like venison and bison. Look for “loin” or “round” in the name, buy it well-trimmed, and choose “Select” grade for less marbling.
Can I eat lean meat every day?
Yes. Lean poultry, fish, and trimmed cuts are fine as a daily protein source for most people, and mixing them keeps meals interesting. It helps to vary your sources across the week, working in fish, eggs, and plant proteins so you are not leaning on one food.
Is lean meat good for weight loss?
It tends to help. Protein is the most filling macronutrient, so lean meat keeps you full on fewer calories, which makes it easier to stay in a deficit. The key is cooking method: grill, bake, or air-fry rather than deep-fry, and keep added oils light.
