How Many Calories Are in Roast Beef? A Complete Nutritional Breakdown

Roast beef is a classic entrée and sandwich filler enjoyed by many for its savory flavor and tender texture. But it’s also a relatively lean cut of beef that can fit into a healthy diet when eaten in moderation. So how many calories are actually in roast beef? The number of calories per serving depends on the cut, portion size, and fat content.

This guide provides a detailed nutritional profile of different types of roast beef to help you understand how many calories you’re consuming.

Calorie Ranges in Common Roast Beef Serving Sizes

There are a wide range of calories in roast beef depending on how thick you slice it and how fatty the particular cut is. Here are the typical calorie totals for popular serving sizes of roast beef:

• 1 thin slice (1 oz): 56 calories
• 1 medium slice (2 oz): 112 calories
• 1 thick slice (3 oz): 168 calories
• 4 oz: 303 calories
• 1/2 cup diced: 179 calories

As you can see, calories add up quickly as the portion size increases. Thinner slices are the lowest calorie option.

Factors That Affect Calories in Roast Beef

Several factors impact the calories and nutrients in roast beef:

Cut of Beef

• Fattier cuts like ribeye are higher in calories than leaner cuts like eye of round.

Portion Size

• More ounces mean more calories. Stick to smaller portions to limit calories.

Fat Content

• Higher fat varieties contain 2-3 times more fat and calories than lean roast beef.

Additions

• Cheese, gravy, and condiments boost the calories in a roast beef sandwich.

Cooking Method

• Fattier cooking methods like braising add more calories than roasting.

Calorie Comparison of Popular Roast Beef Cuts

The cut of beef makes a big difference in the calorie and fat content. Here is the nutrition info per 4-ounce serving for common roast beef options:

• Eye of round: 145 calories, 4g fat
• Top round: 200 calories, 9g fat
• Bottom round: 225 calories, 10g fat
• Sirloin tip: 205 calories, 11g fat
• Tri-tip: 200 calories, 12g fat
• Chuck shoulder: 245 calories, 15g fat
• Ribeye: 305 calories, 23g fat

As shown, leaner cuts like eye of round have far fewer calories and less fat than fattier options like ribeye.

Nutrition Profile of Lean Roast Beef

Choosing a lean cut helps control calories and fat. Here is the full nutrition data for 4 ounces of lean roast beef:

• Calories: 225
• Fat: 9.7g
• Saturated fat: 3.6g
• Protein: 32g
• Sodium: 350mg
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Iron: 25% DV
• Zinc: 40% DV
• Vitamin B12: 80% DV

Lean roast beef is an excellent source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Limiting your portion to 4 ounces provides an ample amount while keeping calories in check.

Calorie Differences in Regular vs. Lean Roast Beef

Regular roast beef often has visible fat marbling through it which significantly increases the calorie content.

Here is a calorie comparison of regular versus lean roast beef per slice:

• 1 thin slice (regular): 56 calories

• 1 thin slice (lean): 42 calories

• 1 medium slice (regular): 112 calories

• 1 medium slice (lean): 83 calories

• 1 thick slice (regular): 168 calories

• 1 thick slice (lean): 125 calories

As shown, lean roast beef shaves off about 14-25% of the calories compared to regular roast beef depending on thickness.

Extra Calories in Roast Beef Sandwiches

Once you put roast beef on bread for a sandwich, the calories add up fast. Here are the calories in some typical roast beef sandwiches:

• Roast beef sandwich: 341 calories
• Roast beef sandwich with cheese: 473 calories
• Roast beef sandwich with bacon and cheese sauce: 575 calories

The bread, cheese, sauces, and other fillings contribute significant extra calories. Building an open-faced sandwich on one slice of bread helps reduce calories.

Roast Beef Calorie Density

In terms of calories per gram, roast beef averages about:

• 2.2 calories per gram for lean cuts
• 3.1 calories per gram for regular cuts

Since protein is 4 calories per gram, the additional calories come from fat.

Compare this to the calorie density of other proteins:

• Chicken breast: 1.6 calories per gram
• Tofu: 1.7 calories per gram
• Salmon: 2.2 calories per gram
• Ground beef: 2.8 calories per gram

Roast beef is more calorie-dense than poultry or plant proteins, but less dense than fatty ground beef.

Ways to Reduce Calories in Roast Beef

Here are some easy ways to lighten up roast beef:

• Choose leaner cuts like eye of round or top round.
• Slice it thinner to limit portions.
• Trim off any visible fat after cooking.
• Build open-faced sandwiches with one slice of bread.
• Use mustard instead of mayo-based spreads.
• Load up on veggie toppings instead of cheese.
• Opt for roasting instead of braising.

Choosing lean roast beef in sensible portions can allow you to enjoy the delicious flavor and satisfaction of beef while still maintaining calorie goals.

The Bottom Line

A typical 4-ounce serving of lean roast beef contains about 225 calories. Factors like the specific cut, portion thickness, fat content, and added ingredients impact the calories. Building sandwiches wisely and choosing lean cuts are easy ways to control your intake. Overall, roast beef can be incorporated into a healthy diet when consumed in moderate portions a few times a week.