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Beef vs. Chicken thigh — In-Depth Nutrition Comparison

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The main differences between beef and chicken thigh

  • Beef is richer in vitamin B12, vitamin B6, iron, vitamin B2, selenium, phosphorus, and zinc, yet chicken thigh is richer in vitamin B5 and vitamin B3.
  • Daily need coverage for vitamin B12 for beef is 162% higher.
  • Beef contains 2 times more iron than chicken thigh. Beef contains 3.04mg of iron, while chicken thigh contains 1.46mg.
  • Beef contains less cholesterol.

Food types used in this article are Beef, loin, tenderloin roast, separable lean only, boneless, trimmed to 0" fat, select, cooked, roasted and Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, meat only, cooked, fried.

Infographic

Beef vs Chicken thigh infographic
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Mineral Comparison

Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Beef
6
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 10% 3.9% 31% 114% 32% 101% 111% 7% 1.2% 139%
Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 19% 3.9% 23% 55% 30% 76% 85% 12% 3.5% 112%
Contains more PotassiumPotassium +35.9%
Contains more IronIron +108.2%
Contains more ZincZinc +32.6%
Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +30.2%
Contains less SodiumSodium -43.2%
Contains more SeleniumSelenium +23.9%
Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +85.7%
Contains more ManganeseManganese +200%
~equal in Calcium ~13mg
~equal in Copper ~0.09mg

Vitamin Comparison

Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
Beef
7
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0.67% 5% 1.5% 19% 92% 108% 29% 154% 526% 4% 5.3% 41%
Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 0% 0% 0% 3% 22% 59% 134% 77% 88% 41% 0% 6.8% 0%
Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +∞%
Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +∞%
Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +56.9%
Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +76.1%
Contains more Vitamin B12Vitamin B12 +1175.8%
Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +∞%
Contains more CholineCholine +∞%
Contains more Vitamin DVitamin D +100%
Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +18.9%
Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +23.6%
Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +167.2%
Contains more FolateFolate +28.6%
~equal in Vitamin C ~0mg

Macronutrient Comparison

Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
Beef
1
28% 7% 66%
Protein: 27.55 g
Fats: 6.54 g
Carbs: 0 g
Water: 65.71 g
Other: 0.2 g
28% 10% 59%
Protein: 28.18 g
Fats: 10.3 g
Carbs: 1.18 g
Water: 59.31 g
Other: 1.03 g
Contains more FatsFats +57.5%
Contains more CarbsCarbs +∞%
Contains more OtherOther +415%
~equal in Protein ~28.18g
~equal in Water ~59.31g

Fat Type Comparison

Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
Beef
1
44% 47% 9%
Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 2.595 g
Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 2.734 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.532 g
31% 42% 27%
Saturated fat: Sat. Fat 2.78 g
Monounsaturated fat: Mono. Fat 3.82 g
Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 2.43 g
Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated fat +39.7%
Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +356.8%
~equal in Saturated fat ~2.78g

Comparison summary table

Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
Beef Chicken thigh
Lower in Sugar ok
Lower in Cholesterol ok
Lower in Sodium ok
Lower in Saturated fat ok
Rich in minerals ok
Lower in Glycemic Index Equal
Lower in price Equal
Rich in vitamins Equal

All nutrients comparison - raw data values

Nutrient Beef Chicken thigh DV% diff.
Vitamin B12 4.21µg 0.33µg 162%
Vitamin B6 0.669mg 0.38mg 22%
Iron 3.04mg 1.46mg 20%
Vitamin B5 0.481mg 1.285mg 16%
Choline 75.6mg 14%
Polyunsaturated fat 0.532g 2.43g 13%
Vitamin B2 0.4mg 0.255mg 11%
Selenium 25.4µg 20.5µg 9%
Phosphorus 259mg 199mg 9%
Vitamin B3 5.76mg 7.12mg 9%
Zinc 3.7mg 2.79mg 8%
Fats 6.54g 10.3g 6%
Cholesterol 85mg 102mg 6%
Monounsaturated fat 2.734g 3.82g 3%
Magnesium 14mg 26mg 3%
Potassium 352mg 259mg 3%
Calories 169kcal 218kcal 2%
Vitamin E 0.25mg 2%
Sodium 54mg 95mg 2%
Vitamin D 0.1µg 0.2µg 1%
Manganese 0.009mg 0.027mg 1%
Vitamin B1 0.074mg 0.088mg 1%
Copper 0.097mg 0.09mg 1%
Protein 27.55g 28.18g 1%
Vitamin K 1.6µg 1%
Folate 7µg 9µg 1%
Vitamin D 3IU 8IU 1%
Saturated fat 2.595g 2.78g 1%
Carbs 0g 1.18g 0%
Net carbs 0g 1.18g N/A
Calcium 13mg 13mg 0%
Vitamin A 2µg 0%
Trans fat 0.375g N/A
Tryptophan 0.359mg 0.329mg 0%
Threonine 1.534mg 1.188mg 0%
Isoleucine 1.52mg 1.486mg 0%
Leucine 2.833mg 2.115mg 0%
Lysine 3.178mg 2.384mg 0%
Methionine 0.871mg 0.778mg 0%
Phenylalanine 1.299mg 1.121mg 0%
Valine 1.603mg 1.397mg 0%
Histidine 1.244mg 0.874mg 0%
Omega-3 - EPA 0.002g 0.01g N/A
Omega-3 - DHA 0.002g 0.05g N/A
Omega-3 - ALA 0.013g N/A
Omega-3 - DPA 0.011g 0.03g N/A
Omega-6 - Dihomo-gamma-linoleic acid 0.017g N/A
Omega-6 - Eicosadienoic acid 0.002g N/A
Omega-6 - Linoleic acid 0.349g N/A

Which food is preferable for your diet?

ok
ok
is better in case of low diet
Beef Chicken thigh
Low Calories diet ok
Low Fats diet ok
Low Carbs diet ok
Low Glycemic Index diet Equal

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Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
76%
Beef
33%
Chicken thigh
Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
55%
Beef
42%
Chicken thigh

Comparison summary

Which food is lower in Sugar?
Chicken thigh
Chicken thigh is lower in Sugar (difference - 0g)
Which food is lower in Cholesterol?
Beef
Beef is lower in Cholesterol (difference - 17mg)
Which food contains less Sodium?
Beef
Beef contains less Sodium (difference - 41mg)
Which food is lower in Saturated fat?
Beef
Beef is lower in Saturated fat (difference - 0.185g)
Which food is richer in minerals?
Beef
Beef is relatively richer in minerals
Which food is lower in glycemic index?
?
The foods have equal glycemic indexes (0)
Which food is cheaper?
?
The foods are relatively equal in price ($)
Which food is richer in vitamins?
?
It cannot be stated which food is richer in vitamins. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information. See the charts below for detailed information.

References

All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

  1. Beef - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174006/nutrients
  2. Chicken thigh - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/172387/nutrients

All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.