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Lean protein foods, in the label sense, are meat, poultry, seafood and game products that meet a legal definition. Under 21 CFR 101.62(e) and the matching USDA rules, “lean” means less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams and per reference amount, and “extra lean” means less than 5 grams of fat, less than 2 grams of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol. The table below applies the per-100-gram half of that test to 19 cooked USDA SR Legacy entries, with FDC IDs.
Peptide Labs does not sell foods. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.
Key Takeaways
- Cod, haddock, scallops, light tuna canned in water, turkey breast, chicken breast, pork tenderloin, elk and beef eye of round pass the extra lean screen in USDA cooked values.
- Shrimp, lobster and blue crab list less than 1 gram of fat per 100 grams in USDA data but miss the lean definition on cholesterol.
- A "90% lean" label on ground meat is a lean percentage statement under the USDA rules; USDA lists the raw 90% lean beef row at 10.00 grams of fat per 100 grams, which misses the lean claim's limit of less than 10.
- Cooking concentrates fat per 100 grams: USDA lists 93% lean ground turkey at 8.34 grams of fat raw and 11.45 grams as a broiled patty.
- The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, listed lean meats among protein foods.
Lean protein foods ranked by fat per 100 grams
The table uses USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values from the April 2018 release for cooked meat, poultry and seafood without skin or breading. Protein and calories are per 3 ounces (85 grams); fat, saturated fat and cholesterol are per 100 grams, the basis of the FDA and USDA definitions. The last column is an editorial screen, not a label claim: a package can say lean only when the labeled product meets the limits per 100 grams and per reference amount customarily consumed.
| Food, cooked (USDA FDC ID) | Protein per 3 oz | Calories per 3 oz | Fat per 100 g | Sat. fat per 100 g | Cholesterol per 100 g | Lean screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shrimp, cooked (175180) | 20.4 g | 84 | 0.28 g | 0.06 g | 189 mg | Not lean: cholesterol |
| Haddock, cooked (174198) | 17.0 g | 76 | 0.55 g | 0.11 g | 66 mg | Extra lean |
| Blue crab, cooked (174205) | 15.2 g | 71 | 0.74 g | 0.20 g | 97 mg | Not lean: cholesterol |
| Scallops, steamed (167742) | 17.5 g | 94 | 0.84 g | 0.22 g | 41 mg | Extra lean |
| Cod, Atlantic, cooked (171956) | 19.4 g | 89 | 0.86 g | 0.17 g | 55 mg | Extra lean |
| Lobster, northern, cooked (174209) | 16.1 g | 76 | 0.86 g | 0.21 g | 146 mg | Not lean: cholesterol |
| Light tuna, canned in water (173709) | 16.5 g | 73 | 0.96 g | 0.21 g | 36 mg | Extra lean |
| Elk, roasted (175302) | 25.7 g | 124 | 1.90 g | 0.70 g | 73 mg | Extra lean |
| Turkey breast, roasted (171496) | 25.6 g | 125 | 2.08 g | 0.59 g | 80 mg | Extra lean |
| Tilapia, cooked (175177) | 22.2 g | 109 | 2.65 g | 0.94 g | 57 mg | Extra lean |
| Venison (deer), roasted (175085) | 25.7 g | 134 | 3.19 g | 1.25 g | 112 mg | Not lean: cholesterol |
| Pork tenderloin, lean, roasted (168250) | 22.2 g | 122 | 3.51 g | 1.20 g | 73 mg | Extra lean |
| Chicken breast, roasted (171477) | 26.4 g | 140 | 3.57 g | 1.01 g | 85 mg | Extra lean |
| Beef eye of round, lean, roasted (170633) | 25.4 g | 139 | 3.90 g | 1.38 g | 76 mg | Extra lean |
| Bison top round, lean, broiled (172600) | 25.7 g | 148 | 4.96 g | 1.96 g | 85 mg | Extra lean |
| Salmon, sockeye, cooked (173692) | 22.5 g | 133 | 5.57 g | 0.97 g | 61 mg | Lean |
| Beef top sirloin, lean, broiled (168634) | 26.0 g | 156 | 5.79 g | 2.21 g | 82 mg | Lean |
| Chicken thigh, meat only, roasted (172388) | 21.0 g | 152 | 8.15 g | 2.31 g | 133 mg | Not lean: cholesterol |
| Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked (175168) | 18.8 g | 175 | 12.35 g | 2.40 g | 63 mg | Not lean: fat |
Seafood fills the top of the table: haddock, scallops, cod and light tuna canned in water list under 1 gram of fat per 100 grams in USDA data and pass the extra lean screen, as does tilapia at 2.65 grams. Elk, turkey breast, pork tenderloin, chicken breast, beef eye of round and bison top round also pass that screen, with about 22.2 to 26.4 grams of protein per 3 ounces in USDA data. Sockeye salmon and beef top sirloin pass the lean screen, while farmed Atlantic salmon misses it on fat at 12.35 grams per 100 grams in USDA data.
Why shrimp misses the lean definition
Cholesterol is one of the three limits in the lean definition. Cooked shrimp lists about 0.28 gram of fat per 100 grams in USDA data, the lowest in the table, but about 189 milligrams of cholesterol, so it misses the less-than-95-milligram limit in 21 CFR 101.62(e). Lobster at 146 milligrams, roasted venison at 112 milligrams, skinless chicken thigh at 133 milligrams and blue crab at 97 milligrams miss the same limit in USDA’s cooked values. The definition says nothing about protein, and these five rows still list about 15.2 to 25.7 grams per 3 ounces in USDA data.
Who writes the lean rules
Three regulations use the same numbers. FDA’s rule at 21 CFR 101.62(e) covers seafood and game meat products, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) rule at 9 CFR 317.362(e) covers meat products, and the FSIS rule at 9 CFR 381.462(e) covers poultry products. Each of these FDA and FSIS rules applies the limits per 100 grams and per reference amount customarily consumed for individual foods, and per 100 grams and per labeled serving for meal and main-dish products.
FDA’s rule also sets lower limits for a mixed dish not measurable with a cup, less than 8 grams of fat, 3.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 80 milligrams of cholesterol per reference amount, and it limits extra lean to a discrete seafood or game meat product (21 CFR 101.62(e)).
Ground meat: lean percentage versus the lean claim
Ground meat labels use the word a second way. Under 9 CFR 317.362(f) for meat and 9 CFR 381.462(f) for poultry, a statement of the lean percentage, such as “90% lean,” may appear on ground or chopped products that do not meet the low fat criteria, provided a statement of the fat percentage sits next to it in the same lettering. That statement is separate from the lean claim in paragraph (e) of the same rules.
| Ground product (USDA FDC ID) | Fat per 100 g | Sat. fat per 100 g | Cholesterol per 100 g | Lean screen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beef, ground, 95% lean, raw (171790) | 5.00 g | 2.18 g | 62 mg | Lean |
| Beef, ground, 95% lean, broiled (171791) | 6.80 g | 2.98 g | 88 mg | Lean |
| Beef, ground, 90% lean, raw (174030) | 10.00 g | 3.93 g | 65 mg | Not lean: fat |
| Beef, ground, 90% lean, broiled (174031) | 11.75 g | 4.63 g | 88 mg | Not lean: fat and saturated fat |
| Turkey, ground, 93% lean, raw (172850) | 8.34 g | 2.17 g | 74 mg | Lean |
| Turkey, ground, 93% lean, broiled (174492) | 11.45 g | 2.96 g | 106 mg | Not lean: fat and cholesterol |
In USDA data the raw 95% lean beef row passes the lean screen but not the extra lean one, at 5.00 grams of fat per 100 grams, because extra lean requires less than 5 grams. The raw 90% lean row misses the lean screen at 10.00 grams in USDA data, because lean requires less than 10. Cooking moves the numbers: broiled 93% lean ground turkey lists 11.45 grams of fat and 106 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams in USDA data, against 8.34 grams and 74 milligrams raw. Our lean ground beef guide compares the common lean-to-fat ratios on labels.
Lean meats in the Dietary Guidelines
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025, described protein foods as including lean meats, poultry, and eggs; seafood; beans, peas, and lentils; and nuts, seeds, and soy products, and said meats and poultry should be lean or low-fat. The 2025-2030 edition, dated January 2026, asks Americans to prioritize high-quality, nutrient-dense protein foods from a variety of animal and plant sources, and that edition also says to swap deep-fried cooking methods for baked, broiled, roasted, stir-fried or grilled ones; USDA lists breaded and fried shrimp at 12.28 grams of fat per 100 grams against 0.28 gram plain. The gram limits in this article come from the FDA and FSIS rules, not from the Guidelines.
Plant and dairy protein foods
The lean definitions are written for seafood, game meat, meat and poultry products, so beans, soy, dairy and eggs are not screened here. In USDA data, boiled lentils list 0.38 gram of fat per 100 grams and no cholesterol, firm tofu lists 8.72 grams of fat, and a whole hard-boiled egg lists about 373 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams while the raw egg white lists none. Our high protein low calorie foods list ranks nonfat Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, edamame, black beans and other foods by protein per 100 calories, and our vegan diet, vegetarian diet, egg nutrition and high protein foods guides go further.
Other notes
- Check the label: a lean or extra lean claim on a package must meet the FDA or FSIS definition for that product, and the Nutrition Facts panel gives its fat, saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Values vary: USDA SR Legacy figures are averages, and grade, trim, skin and cooking method change them.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does lean mean on a meat label?
Under 21 CFR 101.62(e) and the matching USDA FSIS rules, lean means less than 10 grams of fat, 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat and less than 95 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams and per reference amount customarily consumed.
What is the difference between lean and extra lean?
Under the same FDA and FSIS rules, extra lean lowers the limits to less than 5 grams of fat and less than 2 grams of saturated fat, with the same less-than-95-milligram cholesterol limit.
Is shrimp a lean protein?
Not under the label definition: USDA lists cooked shrimp at about 0.28 gram of fat but about 189 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams, above the FDA limit of less than 95 milligrams.
Does a lean percentage on ground meat mean the meat is lean?
Not necessarily. USDA lists the raw 90% lean beef row at 10.00 grams of fat per 100 grams, which misses the less-than-10-gram limit of the lean definition in the FSIS rule.
Which lean meats have the most protein per serving?
Among rows that pass the screen in USDA data, roasted chicken breast lists about 26.4 grams of protein per 3 ounces, beef top sirloin about 26.0 grams, and elk and bison about 25.7 grams.
Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a health condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
Last reviewed October 2026.
Related guides: High Protein Low Calorie Foods: USDA Protein per 100 Calories, High Protein Foods: USDA Values for Meat, Dairy and Plant Sources, Ground Beef: Nutrition by Lean Percentage, Labels and Safety, Types of Meat: Federal Definitions and USDA Values for 20 Meats.