Porterhouse Steak Nutrition

Porterhouse steak is a cut of meat derived from the location where the top loin and tenderloin join together. The Porterhouse resembles a large T-bone steak, and is one of the largest and thickest cuts of meat you can order. Red meat, such as Porterhouse steak, can provide much nutritional value in the way of protein and total calories, but can be potentially harmful when consumed in excess.

Calories Per Serving

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires nutrition labels to report based on a 3-ounce serving of red meat, Porterhouse steaks usually range from 16 to 20 ounces when ordered at a restaurant. A 3-ounce serving of Porterhouse steak contains 250 calories, including 160 from fat. A 16-ounce Porterhouse steak would contain roughly 1,250 calories, and 800 from fat. Just one Porterhouse steak provides more than half the recommended 2,000 calories per day by the FDA.

Fat And Cholesterol

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A 3-ounce serving of Porterhouse steak contains 18 grams of fat, according to the Wegmans meat nutrition page. This amount represents 28 percent of the daily recommended value. Furthermore, each serving contains 7 grams of saturated fat -- a specific type of fat associated with high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease. Porterhouse steak is also high in cholesterol, totaling 70 milligrams, or 23 percent the daily recommended value per serving. These totals escalate to more than five times when consuming a 16-ounce serving.

Protein

A 3-ounce serving of Porterhouse steak contains 21 grams of protein, Wegmans reports. Therefore, a 16-ounce serving would contain more than 100 grams. While the Food and Drug Administration does not set daily requirements for protein, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests consuming between 50 and 175 grams each day. A 16-ounce Porterhouse steak provides nearly all the recommended protein for the entire day. Furthermore, red meat is a high-quality protein containing essential amino acids needed to regulate numerous bodily functions.

Micronutrients

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Micronutrients are substances that are not needed in the same quantities as fat, protein and carbohydrates, but still play an important role in the diet. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients that must be obtained by eating a wide variety of foods. Porterhouse steak offers the minerals sodium and iron. Each 3-ounce serving contains 2 percent and 15 percent the daily recommended values for sodium and iron, respectively. Furthermore, Porterhouse steak offers an abundance of vitamin B-12, niacin, vitamin B-6, riboflavin and traces of many other vitamins.

Recommendations

While a staple in the American diet for centuries, more people are wisely substituting steak with leaner forms of protein, such as fish and soy. Fish offers nearly the same amount of protein per serving with less fat, cholesterol and saturated fat as red meat. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are associated with a number of health benefits as well. If you have to consume red meat, limit it to 4 ounces per serving, trim off the fat and do not fry it.