Nutrition labels base their macronutrient data on raw states unless explicitly marked "cooked" or "as prepared." Tracking cooked meat using raw USDA reference entries skews your numbers down, while using cooked metrics for raw cuts inflates them.
The following data outlines standard yield variations across common proteins cooked to food-safe internal standards:
| Protein Source | Raw Weight | Average Cooked Yield | Average Mass Reduction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boneless Chicken Breast | 4.0 oz (113.4g) | 3.0 oz (85.1g) | 24%, 26% |
| 93/7 Lean Ground Turkey | 4.0 oz (113.4g) | 3.1 oz (87.9g) | 22%, 24% |
| 80/20 Ground Beef | 4.0 oz (113.4g) | 2.7 oz (76.5g) | 30%, 33% |
| Atlantic Salmon Fillet | 4.0 oz (113.4g) | 3.3 oz (93.5g) | 17%, 19% |
| Sirloin Steak (Medium) | 4.0 oz (113.4g) | 3.1 oz (87.9g) | 22%, 24% |
When batch-cooking chicken tenders or beef patties, measure the raw collective mass before it hits the heat. If you cook 500 grams of raw chicken breasts and end up with 375 grams cooked, dividing that cooked batch into four equal portions yields roughly 94 grams per meal, each matching the raw nutritional baseline of 125 grams.
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