Cooked Beef Brain Calories, Protein & Cholesterol

Beef Brain (Cooked)

1 g

Calculation basis: Simmered beef brain USDA13320, cooked edible weight; not pan-fried, soup, lamb or veal.

Calculated from the 100 g values. — means unknown, not zero. ~ indicates an estimated serving weight.

2kcal

Carbohydrate0 g 4%

Protein0.1 g 31%

Fat0.1 g 63%

Beef Brain (Cooked) Nutrition Values

Nutrients	100 g	1 Gram cooked brain
Calories(kcal)	151	2
Carbohydrate (g)	1.48	0.01
Protein (g)	11.67	0.12
Fat (g)	10.53	0.11
Fiber (g)	0	0
Cholesterol (mg)	3100	31
Sodium (mg)	108	1.08
Potassium (mg)	244	2.44
Calcium (mg)	9	0.09
Iron (mg)	2.3	0.02
Vitamin A (µg RAE)	6	0.06
Vitamin C (mg)	10.5	0.11

Values are calculated from a 100 g basis. The product, recipe and serving amount can change the result. See the food-specific notes below for the reference used.

Cooked beef brain: calories, protein and fat

Simmered beef brain provides 151 calories, 11.67 grams of protein and 10.53 grams of fat per 100 grams. These figures describe the cooked edible portion. Veal brain, lamb brain and pan-fried brain are separate foods, even when the serving looks similar. [1]

How much is a serving of beef brain?

A weighed 50 grams provides 76 calories, 85 grams provides 128, and 125 grams provides 189. The source lists 3 ounces as 85 grams. Four ounces is about 113.4 grams, giving 171 calories and 13.23 grams of protein for this cooked brain, not for beef in general.

The source also records a whole cooked piece weighing 391 grams. That is a reference measure, not a universal brain size or a one-person serving. Weigh what you will eat. A soup containing brain needs its liquid and other ingredients counted separately.

Is beef brain a useful source of B12?

The reference contains 10.1 micrograms of vitamin B12 and 2.3 milligrams of iron per 100 grams. These nutrients do not establish that eating brain improves memory or treats a deficiency. Some people cannot absorb B12 properly from food; the NIH B12 fact sheet explains why intake and absorption are different issues.

Why does the cholesterol figure matter?

This simmered reference contains 3100 milligrams of cholesterol per 100 grams, or 1550 milligrams in 50 grams. Dietary cholesterol is not the same measurement as blood cholesterol. The table cannot predict a change in your LDL, as explained in the AHA overview of cholesterol.

Brain is therefore a food to consider by portion and frequency, not an everyday protein choice simply because it contains B12. Lemon juice or a side salad does not remove its cholesterol. Follow any eating plan given for your cholesterol, and compare alternatives such as cooked skinless chicken thigh by equal edible weight rather than calling all beef or all chicken healthier. The cholesterol figures for braised lamb brain refer to a different species; do not copy beef-brain figures to other organ meats.

USDA National Nutrient Database, Standard Reference 28 (2015), 13320. Source data archive.