Calories in a New York Strip Steak

A staple of fine dining, the New York strip steak comes from a part of the animal without a lot of movement, making this meat tender. But strip steak calories quickly add up if you opt for the biggest cut. Even though you might crave a steak sometimes, be sure to keep your portion size small.

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According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), one beef, grass-fed, lean strip steak is 250 calories (weighing 214 grams) for those who total their daily caloric intake. Other New York strip nutrition info at this serving size includes:

• 157 grams of water for hydration
• Nearly 50 grams of protein for building and repairing tissues and making hormones
• Almost 6 grams of total lipid fats for storing energy
• 19.3 grams of calcium for healthy, strong bones
• Almost 50 milligrams of magnesium to help maintain nerve and muscle function
• 454 milligrams of phosphorus for the formation of teeth and bones

New York strip steak, as well as any cut of beef, doesn't contain carbohydrates. Roughly 65 percent of the calories come from protein, while the remaining 35 percent come from fat. One strip steak also has no fiber, no sugars and little saturated fat (less than 2.25 grams).

You'll also receive trace amounts of vitamins and minerals. This includes vitamins A, K, E and B12, as well as total folate, copper, zinc and iron.

For anyone wanting to limit their red meat intake, you could opt for a moderately-sized 4-ounce New York strip steak, weighing 100 grams less than a full-sized steak, according to the USDA. The 4-ounce steak offers a total of 132 calories, 26 grams of protein, 3 grams of total lipid fats and 10 milligrams of calcium.

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Although you hear about red meat consumption and its danger to your health, you can consume steak and receive health benefits. These include the following:

Provides nutrients that you don't get enough of in your diet. A July 2018 study published in Animal Frontiers found that red meat is nutrient dense and offers necessary vitamins, minerals and amino acids that are the most common shortages in the world's diets, such as vitamin A, zinc and iron. The author also states that eating a few ounces of beef a week can alleviate a lack of these nutrients in your diet.

Red meat also serves as a protein-dense food, according to the study. Steak offers more than half the daily needs for your recommended protein requirement.

Improves stamina. Red meat can help with the workouts and long days at the office. In a November 2014 study from Meat Science, red meat was found to provide a variety of essential nutrients that promotes healthy body weight and improves vitality and stamina.

Gets you eating protein. In the same 2014 study, the researchers found that red meat is versatile in an entree or ingredient in recipes, making people likely to eat and cook with the protein. Red meat is also relatively easy to cook.

However, you do need to eat red meat in moderation. In a 2015 review from the International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research, recent analyses from United States and European studies show that long-term red meat consumption in increasing amounts can elevate the risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer in both men and women. You're better off ordering smaller strip cuts and less often.

Read more: 6 Meaty Recipes You'll Never Guess Are Super Low in Saturated Fat