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Is beef broth low fat and low calorie?

By Shereen Jegtvig, About.com

Updated February 13, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Beef broth is low in fat and calories.

Beef broth is low in fat and calories.

Photo © Karen Winton
Question: Is beef broth low fat and low calorie?
I normally make my vegetable soup by first boiling some beef till tender, removing it (for a tasty meal), then refrigerating the broth. The next day, I remove the congealed fat from the top, reboil the jellied broth, and add veggies. What's in the broth? Does it have any nutritional value? Does it contain bad things (like calories & hidden fats) along with the great taste? It looks and tastes lo-cal & lo-fat, but am I kidding myself?

Ray - About.com User
Answer: After you remove the fat, beef broth is a nice source of selenium, very low in fat, low in calories and is mostly water. Canned beef broth is similar but has additional sodium, which may be a problem if you are on a sodium-restricted diet. By adding the vegetables you add lots of vitamins and minerals and the calorie count still stays low.

Source: USDA Food Nutrient Database.

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