Informational side-by-side cooked comparison of beef and salmon for calories, protein, fat, iron, zinc, vitamin B12, and omega-3 per 100g serving.
| Nutrient (cooked) | Sirloin | Farmed Salmon | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 187 kcal | 206 kcal | -19 kcal |
| Protein | 29.5g | 22.1g | +7.4g |
| Total Fat | 6.7g | 12.4g | -5.7g |
| Saturated Fat | 2.6g | 2.4g | +0.2g |
| Cholesterol | 81mg | 63mg | +18mg |
| Iron | 2mg | 0.3mg | +1.7mg |
| Zinc | 5.6mg | 0.4mg | +5.2mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.6µg | 2.8µg | -1.2µg |
| Omega-3 (EPA + DHA) | 0.04g | 1.53g | -1.49g |
USDA SR Legacy cooked broiled reference
USDA FDC 175168 — Atlantic salmon, farmed, cooked dry heat
Last reviewed: 2026-07-08. This tool is for informational food comparison, nutrition logging, and journaling use only. It is not medical guidance.
Beef and salmon differ most in iron, zinc, vitamin B12, total fat, and omega-3 (EPA + DHA) content. Lean cooked beef cuts often show higher protein, iron, and zinc per 100 g. Salmon shows higher long-chain omega-3 fats, and farmed salmon cooked references can show more vitamin B12 than lean beef sirloin. Exact numbers depend on the cut, species, and preparation reference.
A common reference portion for both foods is about 4–6 oz (113–170 g) of cooked edible meat or fish. The calculator above lets you match any gram weight so you can compare the same serving size for both items.
Beef is often grilled, pan-seared, roasted, or used ground in burgers and meatballs. Salmon is commonly baked, grilled, pan-seared, poached, or smoked. These preparation styles change moisture and fat retention, which is why raw and cooked references are kept separate.
Nutrition per 100 g shifts when moisture is lost during cooking. The values here are USDA reference records for specific raw and cooked preparations — not guarantees for every recipe, marinade, or restaurant portion.
Default pair: beef sirloin (broiled reference) vs farmed Atlantic salmon (cooked dry heat reference). Toggle cuts and salmon types in the calculator for other combinations.
| Nutrient | Beef Sirloin | Farmed Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 187 kcal | 206 kcal |
| Protein | 29.5 g | 22.1 g |
| Total fat | 6.7 g | 12.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 2.6 g | 2.4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g | 0 g |
Same default pair as above. Omega-3 values reflect EPA + DHA totals from USDA FoodData Central.
| Nutrient | Beef Sirloin | Farmed Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | 2.0 mg | 0.3 mg |
| Zinc | 5.6 mg | 0.4 mg |
| Vitamin B12 | 1.6 µg | 2.8 µg |
| Cholesterol | 81 mg | 63 mg |
| Omega-3 (EPA + DHA) | 0.04 g | 1.53 g |
Scaled from the same cooked references used in the macro table above.
| Nutrient | Beef Sirloin | Farmed Salmon |
|---|---|---|
| 4 oz (113 g) — protein | 33.3 g | 25.0 g |
| 4 oz (113 g) — calories | 211 kcal | 233 kcal |
| 6 oz (170 g) — protein | 50.2 g | 37.6 g |
| 6 oz (170 g) — calories | 318 kcal | 350 kcal |
Data and methodology
Raw and cooked values are kept separate so you never mix a raw beef reference with a cooked salmon reference — or vice versa.
Raw beef values come from the same shared beef dataset used across the site. Cooked beef uses disclosed USDA broiled or pan-browned references matched to each cut.
Salmon values come from USDA FoodData Central records for farmed and wild Atlantic salmon in raw and cooked preparations. Omega-3 totals use EPA + DHA per 100 g from those same records.
Trace beef omega-3 values come from the site fat profile estimates for each cut. They are included for comparison context and are much lower than salmon references.
Last reviewed: 2026-07-08. Values from USDA FoodData Central.
Frequently asked
It depends on the beef cut, salmon type, and whether you compare raw or cooked references. At the default cooked references, lean beef sirloin shows about 29.5 g protein per 100 g versus about 22.1 g for farmed Atlantic salmon cooked dry heat. Wild salmon cooked references show about 25.4 g protein per 100 g at the same weight basis.
Calorie density varies by cut and preparation. Cooked lean beef sirloin is about 187 kcal per 100 g, while farmed Atlantic salmon cooked dry heat is about 206 kcal per 100 g. Wild Atlantic salmon cooked dry heat is about 182 kcal per 100 g. Fattier beef cuts such as ribeye would show higher calories than lean sirloin.
Match the same gram or ounce weight for both foods before comparing. At 6 oz (170 g) cooked using the default references, beef sirloin provides about 50 g protein and 318 kcal, while farmed salmon provides about 38 g protein and 350 kcal.
Beef contains small trace amounts of omega-3 fats — roughly 0.03–0.05 g EPA + DHA per 100 g raw in lean cuts from this site’s fat profile estimates. Salmon contains substantially more long-chain omega-3 fats, about 1.4–1.8 g EPA + DHA per 100 g depending on species and preparation.
Yes. Cooking removes moisture, so calories, protein, and fat per 100 g often become more concentrated in cooked references than in raw ones. Always compare beef and salmon using the same preparation state — raw with raw, or cooked with cooked.
No. Values are USDA FoodData Central reference records for specific cuts and preparations. Actual store-bought products vary with trim, feed, season, and cooking method.
Wild Atlantic salmon raw references are leaner and lower in calories than farmed raw salmon. Beef references on this page consistently show higher iron and zinc per 100 g. Vitamin B12 totals vary by species and preparation — farmed salmon cooked references can exceed lean beef sirloin on a per-100 g basis.
This page focuses only on beef and salmon with omega-3 detail, salmon type options, and serving tables. Use the Beef vs Fish comparison when you also want tilapia, tuna, or other fish references.
Scale both proteins to the same gram or ounce serving before comparing nutrition.
Toggle between raw and cooked references so you never accidentally mix preparation states.
All nutrition values are maintained from USDA FoodData Central source records.
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