Fatty and processed red meat raises LDL, so cut down. Lean cuts in modest portions can fit, but beans, lentils and fish are better swaps.
A 3 oz (85 g) portion of 80% lean ground beef has 5.6 g of saturated fat, and a restaurant-sized ribeye can pass 20 g, well over a day's target. Lean cuts like top sirloin or 95% lean mince have a third as much. In trials, swapping red meat for beans, soy or nuts lowered LDL, while swapping it for chicken did not. The NHS advises cutting red and processed meat to 70 g a day if you eat more than 90 g.
Red meat: nutrition per cooked serving
| Food and serving | Sat fat | Cholesterol | Fibre | kcal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ground beef, 80% lean3 oz (85 g) cooked · FDC 171799 | 5.6 g | 76 mg | 0 g | 231 |
| Ground beef, 95% lean3 oz (85 g) cooked · FDC 174028 | 2.8 g | 76 mg | 0 g | 164 |
| Top sirloin steak, lean, trimmed3 oz (85 g) cooked · FDC 168634 | 1.9 g | 70 mg | 0 g | 156 |
| Rib steak (ribeye cut), lean and fat3 oz (85 g) cooked · FDC 168676 | 9.8 g | 70 mg | 0 g | 299 |
| Pork loin roast, lean and fat3 oz (85 g) cooked · FDC 167828 | 4.1 g | 65 mg | 0 g | 196 |
| Ground lamb3 oz (85 g) cooked · FDC 172544 | 6.9 g | 82 mg | 0 g | 241 |
| Pork sausages, pan-fried2 links (about 50 g) · FDC 174578 | 4.4 g | 43 mg | 0 g | 162 |
| Bacon, baked2 slices (16 g) · FDC 167914 | 2.3 g | 17 mg | 0 g | 88 |
| Lentils, boiled, for comparison½ cup (99 g) · FDC 172421 | 0.1 g | 0 mg | 7.8 g | 115 |
A 3 oz cooked portion is about the size of a deck of cards. Restaurant steaks are often 8 to 12 oz: an 8 oz rib steak is about 26 g of saturated fat. Cholesterol is similar across cuts (65 to 82 mg); the difference is the saturated fat. Source: USDA FoodData Central (public domain); search the FDC number to see the full record. Values are rounded and vary by brand and recipe.
Lean vs fatty: the gap is bigger than you think
Red meat is the clearest case where the cut matters more than the food. The same 3 oz portion ranges from about 15% of a 13 g day for lean sirloin to more than 75% for a fatty rib steak.
Bars show each serving against about 13 g a day, the American Heart Association's target (under 6% of 2,000 calories) for people lowering LDL. Work out your own number with the saturated fat calculator.
What the trials say about red meat and LDL
Two pieces of research explain why the answer depends on what replaces the meat.
Harvard meta-analysis (2019). Researchers pooled 36 randomised trials (1,803 people) that compared diets with red meat against diets that swapped it for something else. Overall, red meat made no significant difference to LDL. But the replacement mattered:
- Compared with high-quality plant protein (beans, lentils, soy, nuts), red meat diets left LDL about 0.20 mmol/L (8 mg/dL) higher.
- Compared with refined carbohydrates (white bread, pasta, biscuits), red meat lowered triglycerides more.
The APPROACH trial (2019). In a US feeding trial, about 110 healthy adults ate diets where protein came mainly from red meat, white meat (chicken and turkey) or non-meat sources, for 4 weeks each. LDL and apoB were the same on red and white meat, and both were higher than on plant protein. Separately, a high saturated fat diet raised LDL whatever the protein source.
So the problem is mainly saturated fat, which fatty red meat and processed meat carry a lot of, and the missed chance to eat beans, lentils or soy instead. The 2026 ACC/AHA guideline lists red meat among the main dietary sources of saturated fat.
Leaner choices and swaps
- Choose lean cuts: sirloin, fillet, rump, pork tenderloin, and mince labelled 95% lean or "less than 5% fat". Trim visible fat before cooking.
- Grill, roast on a rack or dry-fry and pour off the fat. The NHS suggests grilling rather than frying and not adding extra fat or oil.
- Make meat go further: replace half the mince in chilli, bolognese or shepherd's pie with lentils or beans. You keep the texture and cut the saturated fat roughly in half.
- Cut back on processed meat: sausages, bacon, salami, pepperoni and burgers are high in saturated fat and salt.
- Swap some meals for oily fish, a lentil dal, tofu or beans.
- Watch the portion: a 3 oz (85 g) cooked portion, not an 8 oz steak.
How much red meat is sensible?
The NHS advises that anyone eating more than 90 g of cooked red and processed meat a day cuts down to 70 g. That's about 490 g a week, or five to six 3 oz portions. If you're trying to lower LDL, aim lower than that, choose lean cuts, and make processed meat an occasional food. Building some meals around pulses or soy instead pays off: the 2026 ACC/AHA guideline cites an LDL about 7.7 mg/dL (0.20 mmol/L) lower with plant protein than with meat.
General information, not medical advice
This page is for education and doesn't diagnose or treat anything. If you have high cholesterol, take medication or have another health condition, check changes to your diet with your doctor or a registered dietitian.
Frequently asked questions
Does red meat raise cholesterol?
Fatty and processed red meat can raise LDL because of its saturated fat. In trials, replacing red meat with beans, lentils, soy or nuts lowered LDL by about 0.20 mmol/L (8 mg/dL). Lean cuts in small portions have much less effect.
What is the leanest red meat?
In USDA data, lean top sirloin trimmed of fat has about 1.9 g of saturated fat per 3 oz cooked, and 95% lean ground beef about 2.8 g. Pork tenderloin and fillet steak are also lean. Rib steaks, lamb mince and sausages are among the fattiest.
Is pork better than beef for cholesterol?
Not by default. It depends on the cut: pork tenderloin is lean, while pork belly, sausages and bacon are high in saturated fat. Compare cuts, not animals.
How much red meat can I eat with high cholesterol?
The NHS advises cutting down to 70 g of cooked red and processed meat a day if you eat more than 90 g. If you are lowering LDL, eat less than that, choose lean cuts and replace some meals with beans, lentils, tofu or fish.
Is chicken better than red meat for cholesterol?
In the APPROACH trial, red meat and white meat had the same effect on LDL when saturated fat was matched, and both raised LDL compared with plant protein. Skinless chicken breast is lower in saturated fat than most red meat, though, so it is usually the easier choice.
Scan or log red meat in Heart Tracker
Scan the pack or search for the exact cut, then log the cooked weight. Heart Tracker shows the saturated fat next to your daily target, so you can see the difference between 80% and 95% lean mince on your plate.
Download Heart Tracker FreeRelated guides
Sources
- Guasch-Ferré M, et al. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of red meat consumption in comparison with various comparison diets on cardiovascular risk factors. Circulation. 2019;139(15):1828–45.
- Bergeron N, et al. Effects of red meat, white meat, and nonmeat protein sources on atherogenic lipoprotein measures in the context of low compared with high saturated fat intake: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Clin Nutr. 2019;110(1):24–33.
- NHS: Meat in your diet (90 g to 70 g a day; leaner cuts and cooking methods).
- 2026 ACC/AHA multisociety guideline on the management of dyslipidemia. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2026.
- USDA FoodData Central: ground beef 80% lean (FDC 171799) and 95% lean (174028); top sirloin, lean (168634); rib, lean and fat (168676); pork loin (167828); ground lamb (172544); pork sausage, pan-fried (174578); bacon, baked (167914); lentils, boiled (172421).