Meat Lasagna Nutritional Information

Frozen meat lasagna is typically made from ground beef, cheese, enriched pasta and tomato sauce. Although the meat and cheese add large amounts of fat to each serving, they also add essential nutrients such as calcium and iron. Dietary reference intake, or DRI, percentages listed are for adults younger than age 50. Dietary reference intakes are recommended amounts for each nutrient per day.

Calories and Carbohydrates

One serving of meat lasagna, about 300 g, contains 377 calories, which come from a mix of fat, carbohydrates and protein. More than 150 of the calories come from carbohydrates, of which there are 38.2 g. Meat lasagna contains all three types of carbohydrates: sugar, starch and fiber. Most of the carbohydrates in lasagna are starch, but one serving does contain 3.6 g of fiber, which is 13 percent of the DRI.

Protein

One serving of meat lasagna contains 24.5 g of protein, which provides 53 percent of the DRI for women and 44 percent for men. Protein is important for growth, energy, and hormone production. Meat lasagna is a complete protein, as it contains all of the essential amino acids, which cannot be manufactured by the body.

Fat

One serving of meat lasagna contains 14.1 g of fat, which make up 127 calories. Of this 14.1 g of fat, 6.7 g are saturated fat. Because saturated fat can contribute to high cholesterol, the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion recommends limiting saturated fat intake to 10 percent of the daily calories. Based on this recommendation, if you consume 2,000 calories per day, less than 200 should be from saturated fat. The saturated fat in meat lasagna provides 60 calories, which is 30 percent of this amount.

Sodium

Like many prepackaged foods, meat lasagna is high in sodium. One serving contains 832 mg, which is 35 percent of the maximum recommended amount per day. Because sodium can contribute to high blood pressure and heart disease, it is recommended that you limit your intake to less than 2,400 mg per day.

Other Minerals

Because meat lasagna contains dairy, meat and grain products, it provides a wide range of minerals. One serving supplies more than 30 percent of the DRI for calcium, phosphorus and selenium and more than 20 percent of the DRI for potassium, zinc and manganese. One serving also contains 2.52 mg of iron, which provides 32 percent of the DRI for men and 14 percent for women.

Vitamins

Meat lasagna also contains large amounts of some vitamins, including vitamin C. One serving provides 85 percent of the DRI for women and 71 percent for men. One serving of meat lasagna also supplies 92 percent of the DRI for B-12, which can help prevent some types of anemia. In addition, one serving of meat lasagna supplies more than 20 percent of the DRI for niacin and riboflavin.