What does "lean" mean?

According to the USDA, a 3-ounce cooked serving of beef designated as “lean” contains:

• 4.5 grams or less of saturated fat
• Less than 10 grams of total fat
• Less than 95 mg of cholesterol

Based on this definition, there are more than 29 cuts of beef that are considered lean, including 7 of the 8 Beef Alternative Merchandising (BAM) cuts. More great news is that a 3-ounce serving of lean beef has only 179 calories, contributing less than 10 percent of calories to a 2,000-calorie diet while contributing more than 10 percent of the USDA Daily Value (DV) for essential vitamins and minerals needed for optimal health and weight.
 
Source: USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 20