Protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, calories and food composition explained with practical context.
In trimmed raw USDA references, select top round roast is about 2.5 g fat/100 g, top round steak about 2.9–3.3 g, eye of round about 3.5 g and lean top sirloin about 3.5–5.4 g depending on the specific cut and grade. Visible fat can change the result dramatically.
Fresh, reduced-fat cheeses dominate the low-fat end. USDA references put 1% cottage cheese at about 1 g fat/100 g and part-skim ricotta at 7.9 g, compared with 15.9 g for part-skim mozzarella, 21.3 g for feta and roughly 33 g for cheddar. Product labels still matter because recipes vary.
Per 100 g, raw egg white provides about 52 calories, 10.9 g protein and 0.17 g fat; raw yolk provides about 322 calories, 15.9 g protein and 26.5 g fat. White is protein-efficient, while yolk carries most of the fat and many micronutrients.
Lean white fish dominate the low-calorie end. USDA references put raw flatfish such as flounder/sole at about 70 calories per 100 g, haddock at 74 and Atlantic cod around 82. Preparation can change the final calorie density more than a few places in the ranking.
Common cooked beans differ more in color and texture than in basic macros: most references are around 125–145 calories and 8–10 g protein per 100 g. White beans can stand out for iron, while black, pinto and navy beans often provide substantial fiber.
Mackerel, salmon, herring and sardines are among the common higher-fat fish. Representative cooked or canned references often provide roughly 10–18 g fat per 100 g, compared with around 1–2 g in many lean white fish. A substantial share is unsaturated fat, including EPA and DHA.
Per 100 g cooked, long-grain brown rice provides about 123 kcal, 25.6 g carbohydrate, 2.7 g protein, 1.0 g fat and 1.6 g fiber. It also contains roughly 39 mg magnesium and 1.0 mg manganese. A cooked cup weighing about 202 g is around 248 kcal and 5.5 g protein.
Compared cooked and per 100 g, white pasta provides a little more energy and carbohydrate than white rice, but more than twice the protein and substantially more fiber: about 158 kcal, 30.9 g carbs, 5.8 g protein and 1.8 g fiber versus 130 kcal, 28.2 g, 2.7 g and 0.4 g.
If organ meats are included, liver wins by a wide margin. NIH lists about 5 mg iron in 3 oz (85 g) cooked beef liver, versus ~2 mg in 85 g lean beef round and about 1 mg in similar servings of chicken or turkey. Much of meat iron is also highly bioavailable heme iron.
Among cooked legumes, soybeans and lupins stand out for lower total carbohydrate: about 8.4 and 9.9 g per 100 g. Lentils follow at ~20.1 g, kidney beans around ~22.8 g and chickpeas ~27.4 g. Soybeans and lupins devote more of their dry matter to protein and, for soybeans, fat.
The lowest-calorie meats are usually very lean cuts. Per 100 g cooked, skinless turkey breast can be around 135 kcal, lean pork tenderloin ~141 kcal, very lean eye of round beef ~157 kcal and roasted skinless chicken breast ~165 kcal. Fat content changes the ranking more than the animal name itself.
Among commonly eaten fish, salmon, herring, sardines and mackerel stand out for EPA and DHA. NIH lists about 1.83 g EPA+DHA in 3 oz (85 g) cooked farmed Atlantic salmon, ~1.71 g in Atlantic herring, ~1.19 g in drained canned sardines and ~1.02 g in Atlantic mackerel.