How Many Weight Watchers Points is Ground Beef? An In-Depth Guide

Ground beef is a kitchen staple for countless dishes from burgers to tacos to meatloaf. But with various fat percentages and constantly changing Weight Watchers programs over the years, a common question is – how many SmartPoints is ground beef? In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the SmartPoints values for different types of ground beef to help you stay on track.

A Brief History of Weight Watchers Ground Beef Points

Let’s start with a quick look back at how ground beef points have evolved on Weight Watchers over the past couple decades

Original Points (1997-2010)

• 90% lean: 5 points per 4oz raw
• 85% lean: 7 points per 4oz raw
• 80% lean: 8 points per 4oz raw

PointsPlus (2010-2015)

• 90% lean: 6 points per 4oz raw
• 85% lean: 8 points per 4oz raw
• 80% lean: 10 points per 4oz raw

SmartPoints (2015-present)

• 90% lean: 7 points per 4oz raw
• 85% lean: 9 points per 4oz raw
• 80% lean: 11 points per 4oz raw

So you can see with each iteration, leaner ground beef earned fewer points while fattier formulations saw their values increase. This trend continues today.

SmartPoints for Different Fat Percentages

The most important factor determining ground beef points is the lean-to-fat ratio. Here are today’s standard SmartPoints values:

• 90-96% lean: 7 points per 4oz raw
• 85-89% lean: 9 points per 4oz raw
• 80-84% lean: 11 points per 4oz raw
• 75-79% lean: 12 points per 4oz raw
• 70-74% lean: 13 points per 4oz raw
• 65-69% lean: 14 points per 4oz raw

So if you see “90% lean” on a label, you’d calculate 7 SmartPoints per 4oz raw serving. Always check the percentages as “lean ground beef” alone can’t tell you the points value.

Cooked vs. Raw Weight

The SmartPoints values above are for raw ground beef weights. Since beef reduces by about 25% when cooked, 4oz raw becomes around 3oz cooked.

So if crumbling 4oz raw into a skillet, it would yield about 3oz cooked equivalent to 7 points on Blue and Purple plans (6 points on Green).

For tracking purposes, using raw weights is easiest since the label and smart points align. No math conversions needed.

Why Leaner is Lower in Points

The reason leaner ground beef is lower SmartPoints is due to having less saturated fat and calories per serving. For example:

• 90% lean: 7g sat fat, 155 calories per 4oz raw
• 80% lean: 9g sat fat, 195 calories per 4oz raw

With less saturated fat and calories, the leaner beef earns fewer SmartPoints. Choosing 90% or above can really trim points.

Ground Turkey as Lower Point Alternative

While lean beef cuts points, many WW members opt for extra lean ground turkey breast as an even lower SmartPoints choice:

• 99% fat free ground turkey: 4 points per 4oz raw

Going with ground turkey breast skips the saturated fat and drops points versus 90%+ lean beef. Just be sure to get ground breast meat specifically since dark turkey meat is higher in fat and points.

Tips for Managing Ground Beef SmartPoints

Here are some tips to keep ground beef fitting into your daily SmartPoints budget:

• Buy 90% or leaner and track raw 4oz serving sizes
• Extend with veggies like mushrooms, peppers, onions
• Compare costs of 90% beef versus 99% turkey
• Limit portion sizes to around 3-4oz cooked weight
• Skip cheese, bacon and high-point toppings
• Use lean cooking methods like grilling or skillet without oil
• Enjoy on salad instead of heavy bun for lower point foundation

While fattier ground beef packs more points, even 80% lean can work in moderation when balanced with non-starchy veggies and other zero SmartPoints foods in your meal.

The Takeaway

Hopefully this clears up how many points are in different types of ground beef so you can enjoy it deliciously and guilt-free on Weight Watchers. Just be sure to accurately calculate the points based on fat percentage, raw weights and your specific SmartPoints plan.

So fire up that skillet and sizzle some smart ground beef choices to create amazingly tasty and WW-friendly dishes the whole family will love!