Chicken breast vs Ground beef: nutrition compared
Chicken breast has over 2× the niacin, 1.6× the vitamin B6, 1.4× the magnesium of Ground beef per 100 g. Ground beef has over 7× the vitamin B12, over 6× the zinc, over 2× the iron of Chicken breast. Chicken breast is lower in calories (165 vs 250 kcal per 100 g).
% Daily Value per serving
Nutrient by nutrient
Per serving: Chicken breast 3 oz (85 g), Ground beef 3 oz (85 g). Per 100 g columns compare equal weights. The highlighted cell has the higher amount when the gap is at least 15%.
| Nutrient | Chicken breast / serving | Ground beef / serving | Chicken breast / 100 g | Ground beef / 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories (kcal) | 140 7% | 212 11% | 165 | 250 |
| Protein (g) | 26.4 53% | 22 44% | 31 | 25.9 |
| Total fat (g) | 3 3.9% | 13.1 17% | 3.6 | 15.4 |
| Saturated fat (g) | 0.9 4.3% | 5 25% | 1 | 5.9 |
| Monounsaturated fat (g) | 1.1 | 5.7 | 1.2 | 6.7 |
| Polyunsaturated fat (g) | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.5 |
| Omega-3 (ALA+EPA+DHA) (g) | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.06 | 0.05 |
| Cholesterol (mg) | 72 24% | 75 25% | 85 | 88 |
| Carbohydrate (g) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Fiber (g) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Sugars (g) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Calcium (mg) | 13 1% | 15 1.2% | 15 | 18 |
| Iron (mg) | 0.9 4.9% | 2.2 12% | 1 | 2.6 |
| Magnesium (mg) | 25 5.9% | 18 4.2% | 29 | 21 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 194 16% | 168 13% | 228 | 198 |
| Potassium (mg) | 218 4.6% | 270 5.8% | 256 | 318 |
| Sodium (mg) | 63 2.7% | 61 2.7% | 74 | 72 |
| Zinc (mg) | 0.8 7.7% | 5.4 49% | 1 | 6.3 |
| Copper (mg) | 0.04 4.6% | 0.07 8% | 0.05 | 0.09 |
| Manganese (mg) | 0.01 0.6% | 0.01 0.4% | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Selenium (µg) | 23.5 43% | 18.3 33% | 27.6 | 21.5 |
| Vitamin A (RAE) (µg) | 5 0.6% | 3 0.3% | 6 | 3 |
| Vitamin C (mg) | 0 0% | 0 0% | 0 | 0 |
| Vitamin D (µg) | 0.09 0.4% | 0 0% | 0.1 | 0 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 0.23 1.5% | 0.1 0.7% | 0.27 | 0.12 |
| Vitamin K (µg) | 0.3 0.2% | 1 0.9% | 0.3 | 1.2 |
| Thiamin (B1) (mg) | 0.06 5% | 0.04 3.3% | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| Riboflavin (B2) (mg) | 0.1 7.5% | 0.15 12% | 0.11 | 0.18 |
| Niacin (B3) (mg) | 11.7 73% | 4.6 29% | 13.7 | 5.4 |
| Vitamin B6 (mg) | 0.51 30% | 0.32 19% | 0.6 | 0.38 |
| Folate (DFE) (µg) | 3 0.9% | 8 1.9% | 4 | 9 |
| Vitamin B12 (µg) | 0.29 12% | 2.24 94% | 0.34 | 2.64 |
| Choline (mg) | 73 13% | 70 13% | 85 | 82 |
Highlighting marks the higher value; for calories, saturated fat, sugars, sodium and cholesterol "higher" is not better. Sources: USDA FoodData Central #171477 and #174032.
Frequently asked questions
Which is healthier, Chicken breast or Ground beef?
Chicken breast has over 2× the niacin, 1.6× the vitamin B6, 1.4× the magnesium of Ground beef per 100 g. Ground beef has over 7× the vitamin B12, over 6× the zinc, over 2× the iron of Chicken breast. Chicken breast is lower in calories (165 vs 250 kcal per 100 g). By nutrient density (NRF9.3 per 100 kcal) Chicken breast scores 46 and Ground beef scores 19. Which is 'healthier' depends on what you need more of.
Which has more protein, Chicken breast or Ground beef?
Chicken breast: 31 g per 100 g for Chicken breast vs 25.9 g for Ground beef (26.4 vs 22 g per serving).
Which has fewer calories, Chicken breast or Ground beef?
Chicken breast: 165 kcal per 100 g for Chicken breast vs 250 kcal for Ground beef (140 vs 212 kcal per serving).
Related comparisons
Chicken breast nutrition facts · Ground beef (85% lean) nutrition facts · All comparisons
Nutrient values are from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy, April 2018; Foundation Foods, April 2026) and shown per serving as described on each page. %DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. This is nutrition data for general information, not medical or dietary advice; talk to a clinician or registered dietitian about your own needs. How the numbers are calculated.