Is It Safe To Eat Beef Tartare? (5 Tips For Weight Loss)

Beef Tartare is one of the most popular dishes you can find in French cuisine. However, nowadays Beef Tartare is also available in many upscale American restaurants. If you are a fan of Beef Tartare but aren’t sure if this dish is healthy or even safe to eat, this article is right for you. Find out what Beef Tartare is and see whether, or not you can lose weight and stay in shape, eating this popular French dish.

Beef Tartare - also known as “Steak Tartare” - is a meat dish traditionally made with raw minced beef but can also be made with minced horse meat, and is served with onions, raw egg yolk, and other ingredients. Although it became a staple in French Bistros, it is said that Beef Tartare was introduced in Europe around the 17th century by the Russians.

Although Beef Tartare is often described as delicious, is it actually healthy and safe to eat?

Beef Tartare should be eaten with caution, as it is raw meat. However, it does have some health benefits and is high in protein but is also high in calories and fat. Therefore we recommend eating Beef Tartare on rare occasions. 

Here are five steps that explain what Beef Tartare is, the calorie amount in one serving of Beef Tartare, as well as how to stay fit and healthy while eating this classic French dish. 

1. Understand What Beef Tartare is

2. Understand the Risks involved Consuming Uncooked Meat

3. Understand How Many Calories Are in One Serving of Beef Tartare

4. Understand How Many Calories You Need to Consume in a Day

5. Make Sure To Consistently Workout & Build Muscle

Now that we know our five steps, let’s get into the details that will help you stay in shape while enjoying some Beef Tartare.

Tip 1: Understand What Beef Tartare is

Beef Tartare is a dish, often served as an appetizer with some bread or French fries, and contains raw minced meat - usually beef - but some places might use horse meat. It is mixed with olive oil, raw onions, raw egg yolk - cornichons, capers, dijon mustard, Worcester sauce, tabasco, ketchup, and seasoned with salt and pepper. 

To make Beef Tartare at home, you’ll need a lean cut of beef. It’s best to get it directly from the butcher, to let him know you like to make Beef Tartare. It’s important that the meat is fresh. You then rinse the steak, dry it off and salt it. Store in the fridge for 2 hours, rinse off the salt, pat it dry, cut off any fat and then either put it in the grinder or mince it with a knife. Combine the meat with all ingredients, except the egg which comes on top of the Beef Tartare when it’s already placed. And serve it with toasted bread or French fries.

Aside from being high in protein, Beef Tartare also offers a wide range of vitamins, such as Vitamin B and minerals. 

Vitamin B is essential for all the cells in your body to work properly, as well as help the body convert food into energy, known as “metabolism.” It also contributes to healthy nails, skin, and hair. Beef Tartare is also full of vitamin C which is great for the immune system. 

This dish is also high in magnesium - which is great for bone growth, as well as muscle and nerve function. A hundred grams of Beef Tartare delivers 20 mg of magnesium, which already covers 6.5% of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for magnesium.

Zinc is also detectable in Beef Tartare. A whopping 4.2 mg of zinc - to be exact - is in 100 grams of Beef Tartare, which covers 42% of the RDA. 

In comparison to cooked meats, Beef Tartare is actually easier on the digestive system, which is good for people who suffer from digestive issues. 

Beef Tartare also contains myoglobin - which is a mix of protein and water - or the red juice you’d often see in the packaging or on a plate of raw beef. It is responsible for the red color of the meat. When consumed, it helps move oxygen to your muscles and store it.

Now that we know what Beef Tartare is, let’s take a look at the possible risks of consuming Beef Tartare.

Tip 2: Understand the Risks involved Consuming Uncooked Meat

Usually, Beef Tartare is available in upscale restaurants with a knowledgeable chef and kitchen staff and is usually safe to eat. 

However, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, raw beef should never be considered safe to eat due to harmful bacteria that can sit on the surface of the meat and potentially spread throughout the dish, which can cause foodborne illness and only be killed by cooking beef to 160 degrees F. 

Similar to Carpaccio or Sushi, it is recommended to consume raw meat and fish with precautions such as at places specialized in serving raw meat and fish, and should only be consumed by individuals who are not pregnant or suffer from an auto-immune disease. Elderly and children are also at risk. 

With that said, make sure you research the place you would like to eat Beef Tartare at and see if this place violated any regulations by the health department or if people reported any incidents of food-borne illness. If you are unsure about food safety you can check more detailed info here. 

You will have more control over the preparation of Beef Tartare if you decide to make it at home, however, in this case, make sure you have a trusted butcher. Keep in mind, however, that regardless of where the meat comes from, it is a risk to take, since you are consuming raw meat.

Now that we know the possible risks of consuming Beef Tartare, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts of one serving of Beef Tartare.

Tip 3: Understand How Many Calories Are in One Serving of Beef Tartare

Eating healthy in general means eating a balanced diet that controls the three macronutrients; carbs, protein, and fat.

So whether you live a sedentary lifestyle or an active lifestyle, it’s important to understand how many calories you need to consume daily. As weight loss is really the concept of calories in vs. calories out. 

Let’s take a look at the nutrition facts. As you can see, one serving of Beef Tartare has 550 calories with a macronutrient ratio of 6 grams of carbs, 33 grams of protein, and 44 grams of fat. 

Macronutrients are the measures of foods that we need to consume and the three macronutrients are carbohydrates, protein, and fats. 

It’s very typical to eat carbs and fats while neglecting protein so this is something that you definitely need to watch out for in your everyday lives.  

As you can see, this dish doesn’t offer a balanced range of macronutrients and is high in fat and calories. However, the calories can still easily be incorporated into your daily calorie intake, as long as you don’t overeat and work out. 

A good rule of thumb for dieting is keeping a nice balance of macronutrients. A great ratio is sticking to 30% carbs, 40% protein, and 30% fats. 

The great part about Beef Tartare is that the protein amount in one cup is 30 grams, which is great as protein is the building block of muscle and helps you grow or maintain your current muscle mass. 

So, “why is muscle important you ask?” As mentioned above, muscle allows us to eat more as it burns calories at rest.

When we start to build muscle in our bodies we increase our metabolism and we can eat more delicious foods while staying relatively lean.

Now that we know a little bit more about the nutrition facts of Beef Tartare, let’s take a look at how many calories you need to consume daily to stay in shape.

Tip 4: Understand How Many Calories You Need to Consume in a Day

A calorie is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water through 1 degree Celsius. 

It is a unit of energy and our body needs a certain amount of energy to function daily. 

If you burn more calories than you consume, then you will find yourself in a “caloric deficit” which is the only way fat loss can occur.  

The standard rule for how many calories a person should be consuming is 2,000 calories for a moderately active female and 2,500 calories for a moderately active male. 

However, this standardized protocol does not fit everyone’s needs.  

How many calories a person needs in a day is unique to the individual because the caloric daily intake will depend on gender, age, height, weight, and daily activity levels.

So, how do you know how many calories you should be eating in a day?

The answer is through trial and error and finding a calorie range that allows you to lose 1-2 pounds of fat per week. 

The calories that you need to maintain your current weight are called your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This is calculated by figuring out your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) first and then multiplying the value by your activity measurement.

BMR is how many calories you need to keep your body functioning.

Your TDEE relies heavily on how active you are and how much movement you see in your day.

Within your TDEE lies a subsection, which is called TEPA (Thermic Effect of Physical Activity) which accounts for 15-30% of your entire day’s worth of calories.

This means, you are in control of 15-30% of how much you can eat, which is a huge portion of calories.

If you’re someone who loves to eat a lot while staying fit, then being active is the key to a balanced lifestyle that allows you to eat whatever you like, such as Beef Tartare, and stay in shape. 

Once you know your calorie intake based on your weight and height, you can then decide how much you want to decrease it. If you want to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week, we suggest you start with 100 calories less than what you are currently consuming and see if you notice a difference within a week. 

It is suggested, however, to not decrease the calorie intake below 1,200 per day for women, or below 1,500 calories per day for men.

If you don’t see any changes in your weight, decrease your calorie intake by another 100 calories and see how that works. 

The key here is to find foods that keep you full longer and still deliver a balanced amount of macronutrients. 

You don’t want all of your calories simply coming from carbs or fats, you want there to be a balance coming from carbs, protein, and fats.

Calories are direct sources of energy that fuel your everyday life, so you need to make sure that you utilize them efficiently throughout your day. 

60-75% of energy expenditure comes from your basal metabolic rate (BMR) which is how much your body burns if it did nothing all day. (NASM)

10% of energy expenditure comes from the thermic effect of feeding (TEF) which is the calories you burn from digesting different foods. (NASM)

15-30% of energy expenditure comes from the Thermic Effect of Activity (TEA) which is movement such as working out and aerobics. Source (NASM) 

To sum it up, up to 30% of our energy expenditure can come from movement and activity so this is a huge portion of our weight loss journey that you can actively control.

The importance of diet and workout is crucial, so you can enjoy foods like Beef Tartare.

The more movement the better and, to utilize and burn those calories, you should be moving all you can

That’s why it’s important to increase your activity level at least 3 - 4 times a week if your goal is to get lean. 

So, just calculate whatever calorie range you find, and split up your calories by following those macro guidelines. 

Now that we discussed how many calories you should consume daily, let’s take a look at how you can lose weight and stay in shape by eating Beef Tartare.

Tip 5: Make Sure To Consistently Workout & Build Muscle

After you’ve figured out how many calories you need to consume daily, you need to make sure that you exercise regularly and increase your activity level.

The best way to do that is by building muscle throughout every week. 

Building muscle allows you to burn calories at rest, which means you can eat more and still lose fat.

This is really the goal of working out and is what keeps you healthy as your metabolism increases.

The fastest and most efficient way to build muscle is to learn how to do some resistance training.

As stated in Tip #4, you need to be able to burn calories throughout your day in order to put yourself at a caloric deficit. 

You can also do a combination of resistance training and LISS (Low-Intensity Steady State) cardio or HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) cardio, to improve your heart health and maximize fat burn. 

LISS is cardio that comes from walking or a brisk walk, you should be able to have a conversation while still building up a sweat.

HIIT cardio is intervals of a very high-intensity movement, such as sprints, battle ropes, or kickboxing movements aiming to quickly raise the heart rate.

The benefit of HIIT is allowing yourself to burn calories in a shorter amount of time. 

We recommend having 80% of cardio coming from LISS while 20% comes from HIIT for optimal fat loss throughout the week. 

LISS is a much more reliable source of consistent movement and does not require rest as it does not shock the Central Nervous System the way HIIT can.

Although working out and building muscle takes priority, having a consistent cardio schedule can help with expediting the fat loss process as it raises the energy expended throughout your week.

The fastest and most efficient way to build muscle is to learn how to do some resistance training.

All you need are a set of dumbbells, such as these adjustable dumbbells, and a reliable treadmill such as the Bluefin Fitness Treadmill that tracks your calories and you’re on your way to controlling the number of calories you burn. 

Regarding working out with dumbbells, it’s important not to add too much weight too soon because that could result in injury if you are unfamiliar with the correct body positions. It is better to start small and then increase the weight level. 

Here is a workout plan we’ve created for men and women, where you can get started if you are someone who hasn’t ever done a resistance training regimen.

MEN:

Day One: Chest, Shoulders, Triceps, Abs (Push Day) : 

• Cable Crunches: 4 sets 15 reps 

• Triceps Rope Push Down: 3 sets 15 reps

• Lateral Raises: 3 sets 15 reps

• Shoulder Press: 3 sets 10 reps

• Dumbbell Press: 4 sets 12 reps

• Bench Press: 3 sets 10 reps

Day Two (Legs & Abs):

• Weighted Toe Touches: 4 sets 25 reps

• Weighted Sit-Ups: 4 sets 25 reps

• Jumping Squats With Resistance Bands: 5 sets 20 reps

• Glute Bridges With Weight: 4 sets 20 reps

• Stiff Leg Deadlift (Romanian Deadlift): 4 sets 15 reps

• Weighted Walking Lunges: 2 sets 20 steps

• Goblet Squats: 4 sets 20 reps

Day Three: Back & Biceps (Pull Day):

• Hammer Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Bicep Curls: 3 sets 10 reps

• Seated Cable Rows: 4 sets 15 reps

• Dumbbell Rows: 4 sets 10 reps (Each Side)

• Lat Pulldowns: 4 sets 12 reps

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3 sets 10 reps

WOMEN

Day One (Full Upper):

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Lateral Raises: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Knee Push-Ups: 4x20

• Seated Shoulder Press: 4x20 

• Dumbbell Row: 3x10

• Dumbbell Fly: 3x10

Day Two (Back/Hamstrings/Biceps):

• Hammer Curls: 3x10

• Bicep Curls: 3x10

• Hamstring Curl: 4x15

• Stiff Leg Deadlift: 4x15

• Cable Row: 4x15

• Lat Pulldowns: 4x12

• Assisted Pull-Ups: 3x10

Day Three (Legs/Butt/Abs): 

• Leg Lifts: 3x35

• Weighted Crunches: 3x35 

• Jump Squats: 4x20

• Glute Kickbacks: 4x20 each leg

• Glute Bridge: 4x20

• Goblet Squats: 4x20

• Squats: 5x5

We recommend working out at least three times per week in the beginning, since the resting days in between are important to build muscle. 

Building muscle will happen relatively fast if you are new to working out, so this is great news for anyone looking to get in shape.

If you put calorie tracking, muscle building, and actively moving more altogether, things such as Beef Tartare won’t get you off track because the formula provides so much leniency for you to shed some fat.

Make sure to stick with it for a long time and understand that fitness is a lifelong journey that takes time to cultivate.

Working out allows you to be more flexible in your diet and lifestyle, which is so important if you want to sustain a lean body and stay healthy. 

So, next time you’re wondering how you can lose some weight, remember that you need to build some muscle and track your calories to your specified amount. 

THERE IT IS!

If you like to lose weight by eating Beef Tartare, you have to do portion control, watch your caloric intake for the day, and have a consistent workout routine, for a long period of time.

The key to healthy eating is balance and moderation. Our five tips will help you stay fit while eating Beef Tartare. 

As long as you understand how many calories you need to consume in a day and fill your body with whole foods that will keep you satiated and satisfied, then you will see results if you put in the time and consistency. 

If you like this article and are looking for more articles on healthy foods, then make sure to check out our other posts where we discuss fitness tips and healthy habits that will get you to your fitness goals.

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