Is Beef Jerky Healthy? The Truth is Finally Revealed

If you’ve ever wondered if beef jerky was a healthy snack or not, then look no further because after doing several hours of research I have finally found the answer.

But first let me explain a bit more about how beef jerky stated…

In case for some who are not sure, beef jerky is lean meat that has been trimmed from fat, then cut into stripes and finally dried to prevent spoilage. Normally to help the beef dry the addition of salt in included. Salt also prevents the bacteria from developing before the moisture had been removed.

But in this modern age of boutique jerky, this process is a little more extravagant. These days you find talented craft jerky makers who will first marinade and season the beef before dehydrating it. Some delicious versions will even smoke the beef on low heat (usually under 70 degrees).

The benefits of jerky is that it can be a sweet or savory snack that requires no refrigeration! As a result it becomes a very convenient snack for people who travel often, go on camping trips, or enjoy long walks.

And because of the sodium content found in beef jerky it can also be used as high-energy snack that can fuel you through vigorous workouts or intense exercises.

Considering on average 1 serving of beef jerky (30g) contains a whooping 15g serve of protein, this could be the perfect snack for anyone following a low carb diet.

So is beef jerky healthy or not?

According to Jeff Volek, Ph.D., R.D. writer of Men’s Health Magazine, the answer is yes. And below are the 5 Reasons why.

Beef Jerky Is High in Protein

As mentioned earlier beef jerky contains 15g of protein in one 30g serve. This makes it great for anyone following a low carb diet, or people who are interested in increasing their protein intake for muscle gaining purposes. Snack of jerky in between meals of a low calorie, high protein snack.

Beef Jerk Does Not Raise Insulin

Perfect of diabetes or people with insulin resistance, beef jerky doesn’t raise your level of insulin–a hormone that signals your body to store fat. Because of this it makes it an ideal snack between meals, especially when you’re trying to lose weight.

Beef Jerky Contains Healthy Omega 3 Fats

Just like fatty fish, grass-fed beef not grain-fed beef contains the same healthy omega 3 fats as fish do. Meaning this could be a way for people to consume their omega 3 fats, especially when they hate fish. Not only this, but omega 3’s help fight inflammation, which helps people with osteoporosis, high cholesterol, Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, asthma, and even ADHD.

Beef Jerky May Boost Your Immune System

Meats, including beef jerky contain excellent doses of iron and zinc, two essential minerals that help boost your immune system. A serving of beef jerky contains 1.54mg of iron which will help get you towards your goal of 8mg for me and 18mg for women. That same serving of beef jerky also contains 2.3mg of the 11 milligrams of zinc men require and 8 mg for women.

Beef Jerky Is Good For Weight Loss

Beef jerky contains very little calories and majority of them are from protein. Meaning only 70% of the total calories from jerky truly get digested as 30% of the calories are burnt during the digestion process. According to a 30g serve of beef jerky there’s traditionally less than 120 calories, making it a low calorie snack. For the carb conscience, there’s only 3g of carb per serving and 1g of that is fibre anyway.

Bottom Line: Is beef jerky healthy? When it comes to choosing a bag of chips versus a serving of Beef Jerky, I know I would choose Beef jerky for their mineral content, for being low in carb, high in protein, and simply for tasting so damn awesome!