Is Beef Hard to Digest? Why Fatty Meat Digests Easier

April 9, 2025

If you are having trouble digesting lean cuts of beef, you’re not alone.

The higher the fat content of meat, the easier it is to digest. Fatty foods slow down the digestive process, which allows more time to break down and absorb proteins.

Discover why eating high-fat meats is easier on your digestive system and learn how you can naturally speed up digestion and enhance nutrient absorption.

Is beef hard to digest?

How easy it is to digest beef depends on how it’s prepared and how much fat it contains.

“The big reason why it’s easier to digest fattier meats like hamburger steak is because of the fat,” explains Dr. Berg. “The more fat in the protein, the more delayed the digestion is. This means it sits in your small intestine longer, and the enzymes can do their work to help with fat and protein digestion.”

Eating lean cuts of beef can overwhelm the digestive system due to their high protein and low-fat content.

Because fat digestion takes time, high-fat meats remain longer in your digestive tract, which helps the body to digest protein-rich foods, particularly red meat.

When saturated fat and long-chain fatty acids enter the small intestines, they trigger the release of cholecystokinin (CCK). CCK is a digestive hormone that stimulates the gallbladder to release bile, which is crucial for breaking down and absorbing dietary fats.

CCK also stimulates the release of digestive enzymes from the pancreas, which are responsible for the chemical digestion of meat, and slow down the movement of food through the digestive tract, which allows more time for digestive processes.

Watch the video below to learn why fatty meat is easier to digest.

Lean beef vs. fatty beef

Lean beef such as tenderloin, sirloin, round, and flank steak typically contain less than 10 percent of fat.

In contrast, fatty beef such as ribeye, T-bone, and brisket have a fat content of more than 10 percent, making these cuts juicer and more flavorful than leaner cuts.

Fatty beef also contains more cholesterol, fat-soluble vitamins, and saturated fats, making it an excellent choice for a high-fat diet like Healthy Keto®.

Saturated fat has received some negative press, linking it to an increased risk of heart disease. However, it’s important to understand that this claim is inaccurate.

Outdated research included processed meat and fried foods in their analysis, which muddied the waters when assessing the impact of saturated fats on cardiovascular health.

In fact, an expert group of epidemiologists published a report in the Journal Of The American Heart Association stating, “There were no strong associations between dietary saturated fatty acids and coronary heart disease incidence.” ¹

Is beef harder to digest than chicken and pork?

Lean red meat can be the hardest meat to digest due to its high protein and low-fat content.

It’s important to note that the digestibility of meat products depends on several factors, such as cooking method, preparation, and the health of your digestive system.

Deep-fried meats may be more difficult to digest than grilled or baked dishes, and chicken with skin is higher in fat and, therefore, can be more easily digested than leaner cuts of chicken.

Additionally, some individuals may find red meat challenging to tolerate, possibly due to sensitivities or reactions to certain components such as alpha-galactose or histamine. These sensitivities may lead to discomfort or changes in how the body responds to certain foods.

Signs you have difficulty digesting beef

Feeling heavy and lethargic after you eat meat can indicate that you have difficulties digesting beef.

Difficulty digesting beef can also manifest in several other ways, including:

A feeling of fullness or bloating
Abdominal discomfort
Changes in bowel habits
Bad breath

It’s important to remember that sluggish digestion is just one possible cause of gastrointestinal symptoms. You should consult a healthcare provider to determine potential underlying causes and formulate a treatment plan if you experience persistent intestinal issues.

How to speed up digestion when you eat meat

Experiencing digestive issues after eating red meat doesn’t mean you have to stop eating meat altogether.

Fortunately, there are several steps that you can take to speed up red meat digestion.

1. Eat high-fat meats

To boost protein digestion, choose fatty meats with 20 to 30 percent fat content.

Fatty cuts remain longer in your small intestines, which promotes meat digestion as it allows plenty of time for digestive enzymes to break down protein into amino acids.

Ideally, choose grass-fed meats over grain-fed products. Grass-fed beef is typically raised without genetically modified feed and may contain higher levels of beneficial fats, vitamins, and antioxidants compared to conventionally raised meat.

2. Improve stomach acidity

Stomach acid is essential for digestive processes, provides a first line of immune defense, and is crucial for the breakdown and absorption of nutrients.

Low stomach acid levels may affect how efficiently proteins and certain nutrients are broken down during digestion.

Taking betaine hydrochloride supplements with food, particularly protein-rich meals, can support the stomach’s natural digestive environment.

Betaine hydrochloride is a compound that promotes healthy stomach acidity, potentially helping the body process certain foods more comfortably.

Alternatively, you can take an apple cider vinegar drink with meals to enhance meat digestion.

Apple cider vinegar is a rich source of acetic acid, a natural organic acid that amplifies stomach acid’s digestive-promoting properties by stimulating bile flow and speeding up the digestion of fats and proteins.

3. Promote bile flow

Bile is secreted by the gallbladder in response to eating fatty foods. Bile is a vitally important digestive fluid needed for fat digestion and triggers the release of protein-digesting enzymes.

To promote healthy bile flow, increase your intake of choline, an essential nutrient that helps regulate gallbladder function and stimulates bile secretion into the small intestine.

Choline-rich foods, including cruciferous vegetables, beet tops, artichokes, ginger, and egg yolks, can help speed up digestive function and improve meat digestion.

In addition, bile salt supplements are often paired with betaine hydrochloride as part of a digestive support routine. When taken with meals, this combination can support healthy bile flow and enhance digestive processes, particularly when meals include protein and fat.

4. Incorporate digestive enzymes

Proteases are protein-digesting enzymes secreted by the pancreas that break down proteins into smaller molecules that the body can absorb and use.

For those seeking to enhance digestive processes, a digestive enzyme complex may offer support. A comprehensive enzyme supplement typically includes protease to assist with proteins, lipase for fats, and amylase for carbohydrates.

5. Support intestinal health

Maintaining a balanced gut environment may influence how efficiently the body processes certain foods, including protein.

An imbalance in the composition of gut microorganisms can affect digestion and the way food is broken down in the digestive tract.

In some cases, slower meat digestion may coincide with increased microbial fermentation, which is associated with shifts in the gut’s natural microbial makeup.

Research published in Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology found that protein fermentation releases metabolites that can negatively affect intestinal health and microbial gut diversity.²

You can support your intestinal health by consuming plenty of fiber-rich foods such as onion, leeks, asparagus, and garlic, which help beneficial bacteria in your gut to thrive.

Key takeaways

Leaner cuts can be harder to digest than fattier meats. Fat digestion is slow, which allows more time for digestive enzymes to break down and digest protein.

If you have trouble digesting meat or experience digestive discomfort, supporting healthy bile flow and promoting optimal stomach acidity may help improve digestion and reduce discomfort.

Additionally, maintaining a balanced intestinal microflora with fiber-rich foods can promote digestive health and aid in the efficient digestion of meat.

FAQ

1. Can beef cause digestive system problems?

It can be difficult to digest meat that’s lean, especially lean cuts of beef, due to the high protein and low fat content. Lean meat contains too much protein and can overwhelm your digestive tract.
In contrast, fatty beef is typically easier to digest, as fat slows down digestive processes, which gives digestive enzymes more opportunity to break down and digest protein.

2. What is the easiest meat to digest?

Fatty meats such as hamburger meat, chicken with skin, and pork belly tend to be easier to digest than lean cuts.

3. Is red meat more difficult to digest than chicken?

Which meat is harder to digest depends on the amount of fat in the protein. A fatty cut of beef can be more easily digested than lean chicken, and chicken with skin can be easier digested than lean beef.

4. What meat takes the longest for the digestive tract to break down?

Lean meat, especially beef, can take the longest to digest due to its high protein and low fat content.

5. What is the hardest food to digest?

Specific foods that are hard to digest include legumes, whole grains, seeds, certain high-fiber foods, and lean meat. Furthermore, some individuals also have issues digesting other foods, including citrus fruits, spicy foods, and leafy greens.