Filet Mignon: Calories, Nutrition and Health Benefits

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A 6 oz cooked filet mignon has about 464 calories, 44.9 g of protein, 0 g of carbs and 30.3 g of fat, from the USDA entry for broiled Choice tenderloin with a 1/8" fat trim. Per 100 g that is 273 calories, 26.4 g protein and 17.8 g fat. Menus and packages often list 250 to 310 calories because they weigh the steak raw.

Quick Nutrition Facts

Per 1 filet, 6 oz cooked (170 g)

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	464 kcal
Protein	44.9g
Carbohydrates	0g
Fiber	0g
Sugars	0g
Fat	30.3g
Sodium	88 mg

Macronutrient Breakdown

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NUTRITIONIST'S INSIGHT

Filet mignon is a lean-tasting but not especially lean cut once you cook and weigh it honestly. The tenderloin is a low-fat muscle, yet a 6 oz cooked filet still carries about 30 g of fat and about 12 g of saturated fat, and a trimmed, fat-free-edge steak drops that to roughly 21 g. The practical lever is the weigh-in. Weigh the steak cooked and log it at 170 g, or log the raw weight against a raw entry, but do not mix them: a "6 oz filet" on a menu is usually a raw weight and lands near 250 to 310 calories, while 6 oz of cooked meat is close to 460. Butter basting, a pat of herb butter or a creamy sauce can add 100 to 200 calories on top.

Myth Busters

MYTH #1: A 6 oz filet mignon is about 250 calories

TRUTH: That number usually belongs to a 6 oz raw steak. USDA data for broiled Choice tenderloin is 273 kcal per 100 g, so 6 oz (170 g) of cooked meat is about 464 calories. Cooking drives out water, so the cooked steak weighs about a quarter less than the raw cut. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts); Schwan's Filet Mignon, 6 oz (170 g) packaged serving (FatSecret)

MYTH #2: Filet mignon is a fat-free cut

TRUTH: Tenderloin is among the leaner beef steaks, but the USDA entry with a 1/8" fat trim is 17.8 g of fat per 100 g, about 7 g of it saturated. A closely trimmed steak is about 12.7 g per 100 g, and only the lean-only entry drops near 9 g. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts); Beef tenderloin steak, lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled (126 g steak, Recipal); Beef tenderloin steak, lean only, trimmed to 0" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled (Recipal)

MYTH #3: Red meat is always bad for your heart

TRUTH: Cleveland Clinic ties the saturated fat in fatty cuts to higher LDL cholesterol and heart disease risk, and notes that lean cuts have moderate amounts. Filet sits in between: lean for beef, but not low in saturated fat per steak. Portion and how often you eat it matter more than one dinner. Is red meat bad for your heart or not? (Cleveland Clinic); Is Red Meat Bad for You? (Scripps Health)

MYTH #4: A bigger restaurant filet is just the same steak with more of the same calories

TRUTH: Restaurant listings run from about 250 to 310 calories for a 6 oz center-cut filet, but that is before butter, oil, sauce and sides. A pan-seared steak basted in butter can pick up well over 100 extra calories that never show up in the base number. Schwan's Filet Mignon, 6 oz (170 g) packaged serving (FatSecret); Filet Mignon Center-Cut 6 oz restaurant listing (Fitbit)

NutriScore by Health Goals

Health Goal	NutriScore	Why This Score?
Muscle Gain		A 6 oz cooked filet gives about 45 g of protein for 464 calories, enough to cover a full meal's protein target in one piece. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts)
Weight Loss		About 464 calories and 30 g of fat per 6 oz cooked is a lot for the volume. A 4 oz portion or a trimmed steak fits a deficit better. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts); Beef tenderloin steak, lean and fat, trimmed to 0" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled (126 g steak, Recipal)
Low Carb / Keto		The steak has 0 g of carbs and 0 g of sugar, so it fits any low-carb plan. Watch the sauce and sides. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts)
Heart Health		Around 12 g of saturated fat per 6 oz cooked is nearly the 13 g daily limit Scripps cites for a 2,000-calorie diet. Smaller portions, trimming and eating it occasionally keep it workable. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts); Is red meat bad for your heart or not? (Cleveland Clinic); Is Red Meat Bad for You? (Scripps Health)
Blood Sugar Control		With 0 g of carbs it does not raise glucose directly. The sides decide the meal. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts)
Low Sodium		About 88 mg of sodium in the plain cooked steak is low. Salt, rubs and sauces are where sodium comes from. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts)

PERSONALIZED NUTRITION

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Blood Sugar Response to Filet Mignon

Filet mignon has 0 g of carbs and 0 g of sugar per the USDA entry, so the steak itself barely moves blood glucose. Expect a flat line within a few mg/dL of baseline; the protein can nudge insulin slightly but not glucose in people with typical glucose handling. These are illustrative values, not a measured curve. The meal curve comes from the sides: mashed potatoes, a bread basket, or a sweet red-wine sauce can lift glucose well above the steak's flat line. Beef, tenderloin, steak, separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/8" fat, Choice, cooked, broiled: USDA FDC 168722 (per 100 g, via getfoodfacts)

Typical Glucose Response Curve

Not medical advice

How to flatten the spike

Pair the steak with non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus, spinach or green beans instead of potatoes or rice.
If you want potatoes, keep the portion to a small baked one and eat the steak and vegetables first.
Skip sweet glazes and sugary sauces; choose pepper, herbs, garlic or a mustard sauce.
A walk after dinner helps with the carbs from sides; the steak itself needs no spike control.

Cultural Significance

Filet mignon is the tenderloin of beef, French for "dainty fillet", and is the classic steakhouse cut. It comes from the psoas muscle along the spine, which does little work and so stays tender and mild, and each cow yields only a small amount of it. That scarcity and tenderness are why it sits at the top of most steakhouse menus in the US, and why it is the usual choice for anniversaries and special dinners. Chefs often serve it with a pan sauce or wrap it in bacon to add the fat and flavor the lean cut lacks.

Compare & Substitute

Filet Mignon vs Similar Foods

Nutrient	Pork tenderloin, roasted, 6 oz cooked (170 g)	Chicken breast, skinless roasted, 6 oz cooked (170 g)	Trimmed beef tenderloin, lean only, 6 oz cooked (170 g)
Calories	243 kcal	281 kcal	350 kcal
Protein	44.5g	52.7g	49.3g
Carbohydrates	0g	0g	0g
Fat	6g	6.1g	15.3g

Frequently Asked Questions

How many calories are in a filet mignon?

A 6 oz (170 g) cooked filet has about 464 calories, 44.9 g of protein, 0 g of carbs and 30.3 g of fat, from USDA data for broiled Choice tenderloin with a 1/8" fat trim. That is 273 calories per 100 g. A closely trimmed filet is about 393 calories for the same 170 g.

Why do restaurants list a 6 oz filet at 250 to 310 calories?

Menu and package figures weigh the steak raw. Schwan's lists 250 calories for 6 oz (170 g) and a restaurant center-cut is listed at 310. A steak that weighs 6 oz after cooking started near 8 oz raw, which is why the cooked figure is higher.

Does filet mignon have carbs?

No. The USDA entry shows 0 g of carbs, 0 g of fiber and 0 g of sugar. Any carbs come from the sauce, glaze or sides.

Is filet mignon healthy?

It is a high-protein, zero-carb steak, but a 6 oz cooked portion has about 12 g of saturated fat. Cleveland Clinic links the saturated fat in fatty red meat to higher LDL cholesterol, so smaller portions and trimming the fat cap make it easier to fit in.