Bison Meat: Nutrition, Bison vs Beef and Cooking Safety

Bison meat comes from the American bison, the large grazing animal many Americans call a buffalo. It looks and cooks much like beef, tastes slightly richer and sweeter to many people, and is sold as steaks, roasts and, most often, ground meat. The short answer on nutrition: a lean bison steak and a lean beef steak are close in calories, protein and fat in USDA data, while bison carries more iron, vitamin B12 and riboflavin. Ground bison is a different story, because its fat content varies as much as ground beef does. This guide walks through bison nutrition per serving, a cut-by-cut look at bison vs beef, and how to cook it safely.

Peptide Labs does not sell bison or other meat products. This article is general nutrition information, not medical advice.

What is bison meat?

American bison are native North American grazing animals. The everyday name buffalo meat usually means bison in US stores, but true buffalo, such as the water buffalo of Asia, are a separate animal; USDA’s SR Legacy database lists water buffalo as its own entry, and federal rules name water buffalo and bison as two different species. Most bison sold in the US is raised on ranches.

One regulatory difference surprises shoppers. Beef falls under mandatory federal inspection, but bison does not. Under the Agricultural Marketing Act, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service inspects bison on a voluntary basis when a processing plant requests it, the same program that covers elk, deer and other species the federal rules call exotic animals. Look for a USDA inspection mark on the package, and handle bison with the same kitchen hygiene you would use for beef.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025 list bison as a game meat within the meats subgroup of protein foods, alongside beef, lamb and pork, and the 2025-2030 edition encourages a variety of protein foods, including red meat, seafood, poultry, eggs and plant proteins such as beans and lentils. For a wider view of protein sources, see our guide to protein-rich foods.

Bison nutrition per serving

The table shows USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values per 3-ounce (85-gram) cooked serving, with the percent of the FDA Daily Value (DV). Bison has several USDA entries, and the cut matters as much as the animal.

Beyond the table, bison is a strong source of zinc and selenium. The broiled top sirloin supplies about 39% of the DV for zinc and 64% for selenium per serving, plus 29% for riboflavin, in USDA data. Like other meats, bison has no carbohydrate or fiber and no vitamin C. Its iron is heme iron, the form the body absorbs more readily than the iron in plants, as explained in our guide to foods high in iron. See also our guides to zinc in foods, vitamin B12 foods and selenium.

Bison vs beef: a fair comparison

Bison is often marketed as much leaner than beef. That holds when you compare a lean bison cut with a fatty beef cut, but it narrows when you compare like with like. Here are matched cuts from USDA SR Legacy, per 3 ounces cooked.

• Steak to steak: lean bison and lean beef top sirloin are within about 10 calories and the same fat per serving. Bison has nearly twice the iron and more vitamin B12, riboflavin and selenium; beef has a little more protein and zinc.
• Ground to ground: the general USDA ground bison entry has more fat and saturated fat than 90% lean ground beef and is close to 85% lean. The grass-fed ground bison entry is leaner. Ground bison packages vary, so read the lean-to-fat ratio or the Nutrition Facts label.
• Cholesterol: every meat in the table lands near a quarter of the DV per serving, so bison is not a low-cholesterol swap. Our dietary cholesterol guide covers how much that matters.

If the lowest fat per serving is your aim, a skinless roasted chicken breast has 3 grams of fat per 3 ounces in USDA data but far less iron, zinc and vitamin B12 than either red meat; our chicken breast nutrition guide has the details. Comparisons between grass-fed and conventional beef are a separate question we cover elsewhere.

Is bison healthy? The red meat context

Bison is red meat, so the same research context applies as for beef. In 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization’s cancer agency, classified red meat as probably carcinogenic to humans (Group 2A) and processed meat, such as jerky, sausages and salted or smoked meats, as carcinogenic (Group 1). A hazard classification describes the strength of evidence, not how large the risk is, and it applies to bison as much as to beef. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines also suggest baking, broiling, roasting, stir-frying or grilling instead of deep-frying.

Within that context, unprocessed lean bison offers a lot of protein and minerals per calorie. Bison jerky, sausages and snack sticks are processed meats and usually much higher in sodium; check the label. If you render fat from fattier cuts, our beef tallow guide explains how animal fats fit into the Dietary Guidelines.

How to cook bison safely

Because lean bison has little fat, it cooks faster than many people expect and can dry out. The safety numbers are the same as for beef. The FoodSafety.gov temperature chart lists bison alongside beef:

• Steaks, roasts and chops: 145°F, then rest for 3 minutes before cutting.
• Ground bison and bison sausage: 160°F, checked with a food thermometer in the thickest part.
• Handling: keep raw bison cold, separate it from ready-to-eat foods, and wash hands, boards and knives after contact, as with any raw meat.

Cooks often suggest lower heat or shorter cooking times for lean bison to keep it moist, but the thermometer, not color, tells you when it is done. For a lean seafood protein with a very different nutrient profile, see our sibling guide to shrimp nutrition.

Frequently Asked Questions

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 food allergy. 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: Shrimp Nutrition: Protein, Calories and Is Shrimp Healthy?, Grass-Fed Beef: Nutrition, Labels and Grass-Fed vs Grain-Fed, High Protein Foods: USDA Values for Meat, Dairy and Plant Sources, Venison Nutrition: Deer Meat vs Beef, CWD and Lead Safety.