What is the meat with the least amount of protein?

November 12, 2025 •

4 min read

By percentage of weight, some cuts of meat contain a surprisingly low amount of protein, largely due to their high fat content. This nutritional characteristic is central to determining what is the meat with the least amount of protein, which can be important for people on specialized diets.

Quick Summary

The meat with the lowest protein percentage is typically high in fat, with bone marrow, some offal, and certain fatty or processed cuts containing less protein per gram than lean muscle meat.

Key Points

Bone Marrow has the least protein: Due to its exceptionally high fat content, bone marrow contains the lowest percentage of protein among animal products considered meat.
Fat displaces protein: In very fatty meats, such as high-marbled beef or pork belly, the fat content replaces muscle tissue, lowering the overall protein density per gram.
Offal varies widely: The protein content of organ meats varies, with tripe being lower in protein density than most muscle meat, while organs like liver are quite protein-rich.
Processed meats are often high in fat: Processed products like bacon and some sausages typically have a low protein-to-fat ratio, making them lower in protein by weight.
Dietary implications: Choosing low-protein meats is often necessary for specific medical diets, such as those for chronic kidney disease, but can mean a higher intake of fat.
Chicken skin vs. muscle: An ounce of chicken skin contains less protein than an ounce of chicken breast, illustrating how different parts of an animal can have vastly different nutritional profiles.

Understanding Protein Density in Meat

The fundamental principle for finding the meat with the least amount of protein is understanding the inverse relationship between fat and protein content by weight. In general, all types of meat are primarily composed of protein, water, and fat. When the fat percentage in a specific cut or offal is exceptionally high, it displaces the protein and water content, leading to a lower overall protein percentage per serving size. This is why very fatty meats, as opposed to lean cuts, are the correct answer to this common nutritional question.

The Absolute Lowest Protein Meat: Bone Marrow

According to studies on raw U.S. beef offal, bone marrow contains the least amount of protein. The nutritional analysis reveals that bone marrow is comprised of between 1% and 2% protein by weight, while its total fat content can be as high as 77%. This makes it the standout candidate for the meat with the lowest protein concentration. Its high-fat composition is why it is often used as a source of rich flavor and calories rather than for its protein content. Despite being an animal product, it is fundamentally different in its macronutrient profile from the muscle meats most people consume regularly.

Other Low-Protein Meat Options

Beyond bone marrow, several other animal products also exhibit lower protein percentages due to higher fat or moisture content:

Fatty Processed Meats: Products like bacon and certain types of smoked pork sausage often have a high fat-to-protein ratio. For example, some smoked pork sausages can be composed of more than 80% fat and as little as 8-16% protein by calorie content, depending on the specific product and preparation.
Fatty Cuts of Beef: Extremely high-marbled beef, such as premium-grade Wagyu or Kobe, contains a high percentage of fat dispersed throughout the muscle tissue, which lowers the overall protein percentage compared to leaner beef cuts.
Tripe (Stomach Lining): While still a good source of protein, tripe generally has a lower protein concentration than muscle meat. A 3-ounce serving of cooked tripe contains approximately 10 grams of protein, a lower density than the equivalent amount of chicken breast or lean beef. It is also high in connective tissue, which can be a source of collagen rather than muscle protein.
Chicken Skin: Compared to boneless, skinless chicken breast, chicken skin has a higher fat and lower protein percentage. One ounce of chicken skin contains about 5.7 grams of protein, while an ounce of chicken breast contains around 9.1 grams. This illustrates how a fatty component of a common meat can significantly change its nutritional profile.

Nutritional Context and Health Considerations

While some people seek out lower-protein meat options for medical reasons, such as managing chronic kidney disease, for most individuals, lean meats are recommended as part of a healthy diet. The key is to look at the overall nutritional profile rather than just the protein percentage. Low-protein meats often contain a substantial amount of fat, including saturated fat, which can impact cholesterol levels. For healthy, low-protein options, plant-based alternatives or specific, carefully managed meat portions are often advised.

Table of Protein Content Comparison


Meat/Product	Approximate Protein per 100g (cooked)	Approximate Fat per 100g (cooked)	Key Observation
Beef Bone Marrow	~1-2g (raw)	~77g (raw)	Extremely low protein, exceptionally high fat.
Pork Sausage (smoked)	~12g	~29g	High fat content significantly lowers protein concentration.
Beef Tripe	~12g (based on 10g per 3oz serving)	~4g (based on 3g per 3oz serving)	Lower protein density than muscle meat; higher in collagen.
Skin-on Chicken	~17g (Ground chicken)	~8g (Ground chicken)	Skin-on or fattier cuts reduce protein percentage.
Beef Liver	~20g	~3.6g	Offal with moderate protein, but lower than lean muscle.
Lean Chicken Breast	~28g	~3g	High protein, low fat.

Practical Applications for Your Diet

For individuals on low-protein diets, understanding which parts of the animal and which preparations to choose is crucial. The goal is often to limit overall protein intake without sacrificing other essential nutrients or calories. Consulting a registered dietitian is recommended to create a balanced diet plan that meets specific health needs, especially for conditions like chronic kidney disease, where protein intake must be carefully monitored.

Conclusion

While all meat contains protein, the meat with the least amount of protein on a percentage basis is overwhelmingly bone marrow due to its extremely high fat content. Other fatty cuts and offal, including certain processed sausages and tripe, also rank lower in protein density compared to lean muscle meat. The search for low-protein meat highlights the importance of understanding macronutrient composition beyond simple classification, providing valuable information for those managing specialized diets or simply seeking a more comprehensive understanding of their food. For more detailed nutritional information, the USDA FoodData Central database is an excellent resource(https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/).

Frequently Asked Questions

The main difference is protein density per gram. Lean meat, like chicken breast, has a high protein content and low fat content. Fatty meat, like pork belly or high-marbled beef, has a high fat content that takes up more mass, resulting in a lower percentage of protein by weight.

While it comes from an animal, bone marrow is nutritionally distinct from muscle meat. It is a fatty tissue rather than muscle, which is why it has such a low protein percentage compared to traditional meat cuts.

Processed meats often combine different parts of an animal and can have significant amounts of added fat and other ingredients. This typically results in a lower protein percentage and higher fat content than lean muscle meat.

Most muscle meat is inherently high in protein. The lowest protein options are generally not muscle meat but rather fatty parts of the animal, processed products, or specific offal.

It depends on your overall health and dietary needs. For some with kidney disease, a low-protein diet is necessary. However, for most, focusing on lean, high-protein meats is a healthier option. The high fat content in low-protein meat can be a concern for heart health.

Chicken skin has significantly less protein by weight than chicken breast. Per ounce, chicken skin provides less protein and more fat compared to the lean muscle of the breast.

A low-protein diet is typically recommended for individuals with specific medical conditions, most notably chronic kidney disease, where reduced protein intake helps lessen the burden on the kidneys.