Meat is considered a protein, and nearly all meats contain the same amount of protein per ounce, but vary in the grams of fat per ounce. For example, one ounce of chicken breast contains 7 grams of protein, 1.4 grams of fat, and 35 calories. One ounce of ground meat (70% lean and 30% fat) has 7 grams of protein, 8 grams of fat, and 93 calories.
White meats and fish are very low in fat and calories, because animal meats contain a higher amount of saturated fat, lean meats are a better choice to lower the fat content. If you are trying to lower your cholesterol, and/or trying to lose weight, chose lower fat meats and save the higher fat red meats for special occasions.
One gram of fat contains 9 calories. When selecting meat or fish, read the label to find the fat grams and saturated fat grams. Those with the lowest amounts of saturated fats will typically be the heart healthiest. For calories, multiply each gram of fat by 9, to learn how many fat calories are in the product.
