Beef vs. Big Mac
Nutrition comparison of Cooked Beef and Big Mac
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
cooked
beef
versus
big mac
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in beef and big mac:
- Both beef and big mac are high in calories and protein.
- Beef is a great source of potassium.
- Big mac has 59% less cholesterol than beef.
- Big mac has more thiamin and folate, however, beef contains more pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12.
- Big mac has signficantly more dietary fiber than beef.
- Big mac is an excellent source of calcium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: Beef (Beef, ground, 70% lean meat / 30% fat, patty, cooked, broiled) and Big Mac (McDONALD'S, BIG MAC) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both beef and big mac are high in calories. Beef has a little more calories (8%) than big mac by weight - beef has 277 calories per 100 grams and big mac has 257 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, beef is heavier in protein, much lighter in carbs and heavier in fat compared to big mac per calorie. Beef has a macronutrient ratio of 38:0:62 and for big mac, 18:31:51 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| Beef | Big Mac | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 38% | 18% |
| Carbohydrates | ~ | 31% |
| Fat | 62% | 51% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Beef has less carbohydrates than big mac - big mac has 20.1g of total carbs per 100 grams and beef does not contain significant amounts.
dietary fiber
Big mac has signficantly more dietary fiber than beef - big mac has 1.6g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and beef does not contain significant amounts.
sugar
Beef has less sugar than big mac - big mac has 4g of sugar per 100 grams and beef does not contain significant amounts.
Protein
protein
Both beef and big mac are high in protein. Beef has 115% more protein than big mac - beef has 25.4g of protein per 100 grams and big mac has 11.8g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Beef is high in saturated fat and big mac has 48% less saturated fat than beef - beef has 7.3g of saturated fat per 100 grams and big mac has 3.8g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Big mac has less trans fat than beef - beef has 1.2g of trans fat per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
cholesterol
Big mac has 59% less cholesterol than beef - beef has 88mg of cholesterol per 100 grams and big mac has 36mg of cholesterol.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Big mac and beef contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - big mac has 0.4mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and beef does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
Beef and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - beef has 3ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin D
Beef and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin D - beef has 2iu of Vitamin D per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
Beef and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - beef has 0.12mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin K
Beef and big mac contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - beef has 3ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and big mac does not contain significant amounts.
The B Vitamins
Big mac has more thiamin and folate, however, beef contains more pantothenic acid, Vitamin B6 and Vitamin B12. Both beef and big mac contain significant amounts of riboflavin and niacin.
| Beef | Big Mac | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.051 MG | 0.176 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.176 MG | 0.209 MG |
| Niacin | 4.537 MG | 3.384 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.658 MG | ~ |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.336 MG | ~ |
| Folate | 11 UG | 46 UG |
| Vitamin B12 | 2.9 UG | 0.88 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Big mac is an excellent source of calcium and it has 231% more calcium than beef - beef has 35mg of calcium per 100 grams and big mac has 116mg of calcium.
iron
Beef and big mac contain similar amounts of iron - beef has 2.3mg of iron per 100 grams and big mac has 2mg of iron.
potassium
Beef is a great source of potassium and it has 52% more potassium than big mac - beef has 275mg of potassium per 100 grams and big mac has 181mg of potassium.
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by common portions, e.g. cups, packages. You can also see a more concrete comparison by weight at equal weight (by grams) comparison.
Cooked Beef g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Big Mac g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does beef or big mac contain more calories in 100 grams?Both beef and big mac are high in calories. Beef has a little more calories ( 10%) than big mac by weight - beef has 277 calories in 100g and big mac has 257 calories.
Is beef or big mac better for protein?
Both beef and big mac are high in protein. Beef has 120% more protein than big mac - beef has 25.4g of protein per 100 grams and big mac has 11.8g of protein.
Does big mac or beef have more carbohydrates?
By weight, beef has fewer carbohydrates than big mac - big mac has 20.1g of carbs for 100g and beef has no carbs..
Does beef or big mac contain more calcium?
Big mac is a rich source of calcium and it has 230% more calcium than beef - beef has 35mg of calcium in 100 grams and big mac has 116mg of calcium.