What does 70 grams of meat look like? A visual guide to portion control

November 9, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the UK's National Health Service, it is recommended to limit red and processed meat intake to 70 grams per day. Knowing exactly what does 70 grams of meat look like? is the first step toward effective portion control and a healthier diet.

Quick Summary

A visual guide to help you accurately portion out 70 grams of various types of cooked meat. Understand how different cuts and preparation methods affect the size of a 70g portion to simplify portion control for a balanced diet.

Key Points

70g is smaller than you think: A 70-gram portion of cooked meat is a moderate, sensible serving size, often equivalent to the palm of your hand.
Visual cues are effective: Use common objects like a deck of cards or your hand to estimate a portion when you can't weigh it accurately.
Processed meat counts: Examples of a 70g portion include two thick rashers of bacon or one-and-a-half sausages, showing how processed meats add up quickly.
Lean vs. Fatty impacts nutrition: 70g of lean meat provides high-quality protein and essential nutrients like iron and B12, while fatty or processed meats contain more saturated fat and salt.
Portioning tools are best for accuracy: While visual guides are helpful, a kitchen scale is the most accurate tool for strict diet management.

For many, understanding a specific weight of food can be abstract. This is particularly true for meat, where cuts, cooking methods, and preparation all affect the final appearance. Whether you are managing your red meat intake or simply aiming for a balanced diet, visualizing what 70 grams of meat looks like is a crucial skill for successful portion control. This guide breaks down the visual equivalent of this common serving size across different types of meat, helping you stay on track without needing a kitchen scale for every meal.

Visualizing 70 Grams of Meat

To grasp the concept of a 70-gram portion, it can be helpful to relate it to everyday objects. Keep in mind that cooking causes meat to shrink, with beef, lamb, and pork reducing by around 20-25%, and chicken by 15-20%. The following visuals refer to cooked weight unless specified.

Examples of cooked 70g portions

Ground Mince: Roughly 5 tablespoons of cooked mince. In a spaghetti bolognese, this means being mindful of your serving size and perhaps using half the typical amount of meat.
Beef or Lamb Steak: Just over a third of a medium-sized (8oz) sirloin steak. A small, thin slice of roast meat is another good reference.
Chicken Breast: A piece slightly larger than your thumb, or about two-thirds of a small, boneless chicken breast fillet. This is often smaller than what is commonly served as a single chicken fillet.
Bacon: Approximately two thick rashers of bacon. This is significantly less than what might be found in a typical cooked breakfast.
Sausages: Around one-and-a-half standard British pork sausages. A typical cooked breakfast with two sausages can easily exceed this limit.
Ham: Five thin slices of lunch meat ham.
Large Burger Patty: Roughly half a patty of a standard quarter-pound (113g raw weight) beef burger.

Using Your Hand for a Quick Reference

For times when a scale isn't available, your own hand can be a convenient guide for estimating portion sizes. A cooked portion of red meat or chicken about the size of the palm of your hand, and about the same thickness, provides a good visual marker. This method works best for boneless cuts. For minced meat or other preparations, a closed fist can represent a suitable portion of starchy carbohydrates, leaving plenty of room for vegetables.

Nutritional Value and Portion Control

Maintaining proper portion sizes is a cornerstone of a healthy diet, impacting weight management and overall health outcomes. Meat is a good source of protein and other essential nutrients like iron, zinc, and Vitamin B12. However, it can also be high in saturated fat and salt, especially in processed varieties. Limiting intake can reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.

Key Nutritional Contributions

Protein: Meat is a high-quality protein source, crucial for muscle repair and growth.
Iron: Particularly found in red meat, iron is essential for carrying oxygen in the blood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve function and energy production, with 70g of lean beef steak providing a significant percentage of the daily value.

Mastering Your Meat Portions

Use the right tools: A kitchen scale offers the most accuracy, especially when starting out.
Bulk up with veggies: Fill your plate with a variety of colorful vegetables. This adds volume, fiber, and nutrients, making the meal feel more satisfying while naturally reducing the meat portion size.
Reduce processed meats: Minimize consumption of processed meats like bacon, sausages, and deli ham, which are often high in salt and saturated fat.
Choose leaner cuts: Opt for leaner cuts of meat to reduce saturated fat intake without sacrificing flavor or protein.
Prep in advance: Portioning out your meat after buying or cooking can help you manage your intake consistently.

Comparison of 70-Gram Meat Portions


Meat Type (Cooked)	Visual Representation	Approx. Calories	Approx. Protein (g)
Chicken Breast (Skin not eaten)	A piece slightly larger than a thumb	115	~19-20
Lean Beef Steak (Broiled)	About a third of an 8oz sirloin steak	141	22
Lean Ground Beef (90% lean, raw weight)	5 tablespoons of cooked mince	123 (for 70g raw)	14 (for 70g raw)
Pork Sausage	1½ standard British sausages	Varies widely	Varies widely
Bacon	2 thick rashers	Varies widely	Varies widely

Conclusion

Knowing what 70 grams of meat looks like is a practical skill that can significantly improve your nutrition diet and help you achieve health goals. By utilizing visual cues, whether from this guide or your own hand, you can confidently control your portion sizes without constant reliance on a scale. Prioritizing smaller portions of lean meat, along with plenty of vegetables, can lead to a more balanced and health-conscious approach to eating. This isn't about restriction but about smarter, more mindful choices for a healthier you. To further explore nutritional guidance and portion control, consider reviewing resources from trusted organizations like the American Cancer Society.

Frequently Asked Questions

The protein content of 70 grams of meat varies depending on the type and leanness. For example, 70 grams of lean beef steak contains around 22g of protein, while 70 grams of raw, 90% lean ground beef contains about 14g.

Yes, meat shrinks significantly when cooked. Boneless beef, lamb, and pork shrink by approximately 20-25%, while chicken shrinks by about 15-20%. This is mainly due to the loss of water and fat.

Excessive consumption of red and processed meat has been associated with an increased risk of health issues, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers.

Using your hand is a helpful and practical method for quick estimation, but it is not as precise as using a kitchen scale. The palm of your hand, about the same thickness, is a good visual guide for a 70g cooked portion of meat.

Health guidelines in the UK recommend limiting daily red and processed meat consumption to around 70 grams. If you typically eat more than 90g daily, it is advisable to reduce your intake.

Examples of a 70g portion of red meat include five tablespoons of cooked mince, just over a third of an 8oz sirloin steak, or two thick rashers of bacon.

To reduce meat intake, try incorporating more plant-based meals, bulking up meals with vegetables and legumes, and consciously choosing smaller, leaner portions when you do eat meat.