Chicken or ground beef: which is healthier?

Full comparison · Protein · Calories · Healthier · Iron

Neither food is healthier in every way. Per 3.5 oz (100 g), here is where chicken and ground beef differ against FDA Daily Values, so you can choose for what you need more or less of.

Chicken

No nutrient where it is clearly ahead.

Ground beef

More of: vitamin b12 (116% vs 14% DV), iron (15% vs 6% DV), potassium (8% vs 5% DV).
Also more of what the FDA treats as nutrients to limit: saturated fat (21% vs 5% DV).

Beyond the nutrient table

Health effects depend on more than composition: how much you eat, what it replaces, and the studies on each food. These pages grade that evidence:

What the numbers don't tell you

If you want the most protein for the fewest calories, chicken breast wins. Per 4 oz (113 g), roasted breast gives 35.1 g of protein and 186 calories, the 90 percent lean beef patty 28.5 g and 231 calories, with about four times the saturated fat, 4.7 g against 1.1 g.

Beef brings more iron, 3.1 mg against 1.2 mg per 4 oz. In absorption tests in women, blending heme iron with chicken cut its absorption from 10.3% to 4.9%, while beef left it unchanged.

For cholesterol, trials show no clear winner. Across 8 randomized trials in 406 adults free of chronic disease, LDL fell 8.2 mg/dL on beef and 8.9 on poultry or fish. In 113 healthy adults, LDL ran higher on white and red meat alike than on a meatless diet.

The kitchen matters more. USDA sets 165 °F (74 °C) for chicken and 160 °F (71 °C) for ground beef, read on a thermometer, because ground beef can turn brown before it is safe. Do not rinse raw chicken, since that spreads bacteria. FSIS warns that toxin-making E. coli may cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, particularly in young children. Children under 5, pregnant women, people 65 and older and anyone with weakened immunity are most at risk from contaminated food.

Pick chicken for lean protein, beef when iron is the goal.

Evidence behind this note

Level B The meat factor that is supposed to help you absorb iron does not come from chicken: blending heme iron with chicken halved its absorption, while beef left it alone. Food Chemistry, 2016
Level A A meta-analysis of 8 RCTs with 406 people found LDL fell by 8.2 mg/dL on beef and 8.9 mg/dL on poultry or fish, no real difference. J Clin Lipidol, 2012
Level B In 113 adults eating each diet for 4 weeks, white meat raised LDL cholesterol as much as red meat, and both more than plant protein. Am J Clin Nutr, 2019
Level E USDA FSIS sets 165 °F (74 °C) for poultry and 160 °F (71 °C) for hamburger, measured with a food thermometer, and warns that ground beef can turn brown before bacteria are destroyed. USDA FSIS, Doneness Versus Safety
Level E The agency responsible for US poultry safety tells people not to wash raw chicken, because rinsing spreads the bacteria instead of removing them. Chicken from Farm to Table, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
Level E FSIS says the toxin made by STEC bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7 may cause hemolytic uremic syndrome, particularly in young children, and names children under 5, pregnant women, people 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems as most at risk from contaminated food. Ground Beef and Food Safety, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

Written from the studies and agency guidance we hold for both foods, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.

Keep exploring

Read more about these foods

Rankings and guides

More comparisons

Where the numbers come from

Chicken: USDA FoodData Central, Chicken, broilers or fryers, breast, meat only, cooked, roasted, FDC ID 171477 · full profile · all forms of chicken
Ground beef: USDA FoodData Central, Beef, ground, 90% lean meat / 10% fat, patty, cooked, pan-broiled, FDC ID 171793 · full profile · all forms of ground beef

Each food is one USDA entry, chosen as it is usually eaten. Other cuts, brands and preparations differ, and the links show them. % DV uses FDA Daily Values for adults. How we verify.