Is Lamb Healthier Than Beef?

Short answer: Usually beef comes out slightly ahead. Stewed lamb has more fat (about 20 g vs 14 g per 100 g) and more saturated fat (8.5 g vs 5.5 g), while beef has a bit more protein. Both supply iron, zinc and B12; a lean cut of either beats a fatty cut of the other.

Nutrition side by side

Per 100 g	Lamb	Beef
Calories	268 kcal	232 kcal
Protein	22 g	25 g
Fat	20 g	14 g
incl. saturated	8.5 g	5.5 g
Carbohydrates	0 g	0.5 g
incl. sugars	0 g	0.3 g
Fiber	0 g	0 g
Salt	0.6 g	0.6 g
Nutri-Score	D	C

Rounded averages from food composition tables (USDA FoodData Central and others) for the foods as eaten; brands and recipes vary.

Which wins, and when

Less energy: Beef — 36 kcal less per 100 g than lamb.
More protein: Beef — 3 g more per 100 g than lamb.
Less saturated fat: Beef — 3 g less per 100 g than lamb.

In short: for fewer calories or less saturated fat, look at the “less” lines; for staying full longer, protein and fiber matter most. Goals like lower sugar, more protein or more omega-3 can be set in the diary, and swaps there are ranked for that goal.

Portion tips

Lamb: a typical serving (serving, 150 g) is 402 kcal — about 2 h 11 min of easy walking for a 70 kg (154 lb) person.
Beef: a typical serving (serving, 150 g) is 348 kcal — about 1 h 54 min of easy walking.

Portion size usually moves the numbers more than the choice between two similar foods: a heaping serving of the “healthier” one can easily outweigh a modest serving of the other.

Log it and see your day

In Calories Not Count every food gets a Nutri-Score grade, a sugar–salt–fat–fiber traffic light, fair same-calorie swaps and the minutes of movement it costs for your weight and your activities — no scale needed.