Beef is essentially a zero-carb food. A pound of raw ground beef contains 0 grams of carbohydrates, regardless of the fat-to-lean ratio. This applies to virtually every cut of plain beef, from ribeye to sirloin to brisket. If you’re following a low-carb or ketogenic diet, beef is one of the most straightforward foods you can eat.
What’s Actually in Beef
Beef is made up of two macronutrients: protein and fat. That’s it. A 100-gram serving of grass-fed ground beef provides roughly 20 grams of protein and 13 grams of fat, with zero carbs. Fattier cuts shift the ratio toward more fat and slightly less protein per serving, but the carbohydrate count stays at zero.
Beyond the macros, beef is notably rich in vitamin B12, iron, zinc, selenium, vitamin B6, niacin, and phosphorus. B12 and iron are particularly worth noting because they’re harder to get from plant-based foods, and people on restrictive diets sometimes fall short on both. Beef also provides smaller amounts of copper, riboflavin, and choline.
Where the Carbs Sneak In
Plain beef has no carbs, but the way you prepare it can change that quickly. Marinades, glazes, and sauces are the most common culprits. A single tablespoon of a sweetened marinade can contain up to 9 grams of carbohydrates, mostly from honey, sugar, or corn syrup. Teriyaki sauce, barbecue sauce, and honey-garlic glazes are especially high. If you’re watching carbs closely, look for marinades with 2 grams of carbohydrate or less per tablespoon, or stick with oil, vinegar, herbs, and spices.
Breading is another obvious source. Chicken-fried steak, for example, wraps beef in a flour coating that adds significant carbs. The same goes for beef stir-fries thickened with cornstarch or served over rice.
Beef Jerky Is a Different Story
Jerky seems like it should be low-carb since it’s just dried meat, but most commercial brands add sugar during the curing process. The carb count varies widely depending on the brand and flavor. Sweet or teriyaki-flavored jerky can pack a surprising amount of sugar per serving. If jerky is a regular snack for you, look specifically for brands labeled zero sugar. Several companies now make zero-sugar, zero-carb options that skip the sweeteners entirely.
How Beef Fits Into Keto and Low-Carb Diets
Most ketogenic diets cap daily carbohydrates at around 20 to 50 grams. Since plain beef contributes zero grams toward that limit, it’s one of the easiest proteins to build meals around. You can use your entire carb budget on vegetables, nuts, or other foods without worrying about what the beef adds.
Fattier cuts like ribeye, chuck roast, and 80/20 ground beef work especially well for keto because they provide the higher fat content the diet calls for. Leaner cuts like eye of round or top sirloin are still zero-carb but have less fat, which matters if you’re trying to hit specific fat-to-protein ratios. For a standard low-carb diet that isn’t strictly keto, any cut works.
Comparing Beef to Other Proteins
- Chicken and turkey: Also zero carbs when plain, similar to beef. Skin-on poultry is higher in fat, skinless breast is very lean.
- Pork: Zero carbs for plain cuts. Processed pork products like sausages or bacon sometimes contain small amounts of sugar from curing.
- Fish and shellfish: Most fish is zero-carb. Some shellfish like shrimp and mussels contain trace amounts (typically under 1 gram per serving).
- Eggs: Less than 1 gram of carbohydrate per egg.
- Beans and legumes: Often used as protein sources but contain 20 to 25 grams of carbs per half-cup serving, making them a poor fit for strict low-carb diets.
Among animal proteins, beef stands out not because it’s lower in carbs than chicken or fish (they’re all essentially zero), but because it delivers more iron and B12 per serving than most other options. If you’re building a low-carb diet and want nutrient density alongside zero carbs, beef pulls double duty.
Keeping Beef Meals Low-Carb
The simplest approach is seasoning beef with salt, pepper, garlic, and herbs, then cooking it with butter or olive oil. Grilling, pan-searing, roasting, and slow-cooking all keep the carb count at zero as long as you skip sugary sauces. If you want a sauce, mustard, hot sauce, and sugar-free salsa are reliably low-carb. Cheese, sour cream, and guacamole add flavor and fat without meaningful carbs.
For side dishes, pairing beef with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, or asparagus keeps the entire plate low-carb. Swapping mashed potatoes for mashed cauliflower or trading burger buns for lettuce wraps are simple substitutions that make a real difference in total carb count.