The following vitamins and minerals are abundant in beef:

• Vitamin B12. Animal-derived foods, such as meat, are the only good dietary sources of vitamin B12, an essential nutrient that is important for blood formation and your brain and nervous system.
• Zinc. Beef is very rich in zinc, a mineral that is important for body growth and maintenance.
• Selenium. Meat is generally a rich source of selenium, an essential trace element that serves a variety of functions in your body (12Trusted Source).
• Iron. Found in high amounts in beef, meat iron is mostly in the heme form, which is absorbed very efficiently (13Trusted Source).
• Niacin. One of the B vitamins, niacin (vitamin B3) has various important functions in your body. Low niacin intake has been associated with an increased risk of heart disease (14Trusted Source).
• Vitamin B6. A family of B vitamins, vitamin B6 is important for blood formation and energy metabolism.
• Phosphorus. Widely found in foods, phosphorus intake is generally high in the Western diet. It’s essential for body growth and maintenance.

Beef contains many other vitamins and minerals in lower amounts.

Processed beef products, such as sausages, may be particularly high in sodium (salt).