Beef Jerky as the Ultimate Snack

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Gone are the days of beef jerky being a gas station snack. Thanks to the increased popularity of jerky as a protein-packed snack staple with the Paleo and Whole30 diets, you tin at present notice excellent jerky products, including organic, grass-fed options, at various stores and online retailers. The best hasty are made from loftier-quality ingredients and take a counterbalanced corporeality of sodium, sugar, and poly peptide per serving size.

"When choosing jerky—simply like with any creature protein—quality is key," says Lauren Bloch, MS, RD. "Many jerky brands can comprise harmful preservatives similar nitrates besides as added carbohydrate and excess sodium. Look for nitrate-free options with recognizable ingredients, ideally with depression sugar and sodium."

When shopping for hasty, make sure to pay attention to the protein used. You'll want to make sure that it'south high-quality and not packed with preservatives. We researched a variety of options, considering nutrition, ingredients, serving size, and cost to assist you lot find the right jerky for your needs.

Here are the best beef hasty, according to a dietitian.

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For an excellent overall jerky selection, try The New Primal's tasty snacks. The brand uses 100 per centum grass-fed beef that's raised without added hormones and antibiotics. The "100 percentage" is important hither because many beef products will say "grass-fed", but the cattle may take been grain-finished. Grain-finished ways that in the last four to six months of their lives, cattle are led back to feedlots and fed with grain, potato hulls, carbohydrate beets, hay, or forage. Grass-fed beef is an alternative method of preparing beef—close to nutrient content but a little bit lower in overall fat, protein, and cholesterol with increased moisture.

I package of The New Key's Bounding main Salt & Pepper hasty has 220 milligrams of sodium and 22 grams of protein, and a serving size is 1 oz (half of the handbag). It'due south also certified gluten-free and paleo. If you crave a sweeter hasty, The New Cardinal makes a variety of flavors, including Dear & Cayenne.

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Jerky doesn't automatically mean meat from a mammal. There are now a variety of other jerky options on the market, including vegetables and fish. These options are tasty snacks for pescatarians and vegetarians but tend to be high in sodium. EPIC's smoked salmon snack strip is one of the only salmon options out there that contain less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving. Plus, these salmon strips contain whole nutrient ingredients that y'all can pronounce such as wild salmon, coconut oil, and maple sugar.

Ballsy Smoked Salmon Strips are a Paleo-friendly jerky selection that is perfect for anyone looking to cut down their ruby-red meat consumption or for a nutritious, salty, and protein-packed snack. The Certified Gluten-Costless strips contain 7 grams of protein per serving and are also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are responsible for encephalon development and role.

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If you're not a fan of crimson meat just desire a protein-packed jerky snack, turkey is an excellent choice. Chomps uses free-range, antibiotic-free turkey from a family-endemic farm in Minnesota to brand delicious poly peptide snacks without any junk or filler. The turkey meat sticks are Whole30 Approved, meaning that there are no added sugars and the snacks are free of gluten, soy, grains, and dairy.

Each Original turkey stick contains 10 grams of protein, 290 milligrams of sodium, and zero grams of carbohydrate. This Non-GMO Project Verified snack is a groovy option for anyone on the go, especially those who prefer a carmine meat alternative. Plus, if long ingredient lists and questionable fillers take you stressed, you won't have to worry, as Chomps contain summit-quality, easy-to-read ingredients that you can identify.

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High-quality kosher hasty tin can be hard to notice. If you're looking for a protein-packed jerky snack, The Grub Company makes kosher biltong which is slightly different from jerky. Originating from South Africa, biltong is a dried, spiced steak that is sliced into pieces. Because it doesn't undergo the same procedure as typical hasty, information technology can be softer and contain slightly more than moisture than jerky. The meat-based snack as well doesn't store as long as regular hasty, and if you oasis't finished the package inside 10 minutes (it's so succulent, so this may be a challenge), The Grub Company recommends resealing and consuming the remainder within 2 to iii days. Information technology can also exist stored in the refrigerator.

The original Kosher biltong is made using premium grass-fed beef and is free of dairy, egg, gluten, fish, soy, and nuts. It'southward costless of MSG, preservatives, bogus ingredients, and nitrates. Each i-ounce serving contains 80 calories, 12 grams of protein, 200 milligrams of sodium, and less than 1 gram of sugar.

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Salty and sweet teriyaki-flavored jerky is a fan favorite when it comes to hasty flavors. While teriyaki jerkies are delicious, they may not always be the almost nutritious options, equally they can exist loaded with added sugars. The Country Archer uses organic cane sugar and pineapple juice to sweeten their 100% grass-fed hasty. Unlike many flavored hasty products out there, this product has only 8 grams of sugar. Each serving also boasts x grams of protein, 80 calories, and 6% of the recommended daily intake of fe.

The Country Archer does not use added preservatives and is nitrite and gluten gratis. It'southward perfect for those looking for a sweet and savory hasty made in small batches with existent ingredients.

Concluding Verdict

For a acme-quality jerky fabricated from grass-fed meat and superior ingredients, cull The New Primal (view at Amazon).

What to Look for in Jerky

Ingredient Quality:

Many jerky products use low-quality meats and use salt or sugar to increase palatability and taste. Selecting a higher-quality hasty results in a more nutritious, meliorate-tasting snack.

Serving Size:

Note that there are usually a few servings in one small bag of jerky. For this reason, it'south piece of cake to eat a total day's worth of salt in one sitting. Consider your sodium, calorie, and protein needs when choosing how many servings are advisable for you.

Sodium:

Aim for jerky that has less than 300 milligrams of sodium per serving. Some jerky can have over 600 milligrams per serving, which is about a quarter of the recommended daily intake for sodium in a few pieces of meat.

Sugar:

In addition to sodium levels, information technology's essential to consider how much sugar is in your jerky. Sugar is used in tandem with table salt to create savory, require-able snacks that you'll go dorsum to time and over again. Always take a expect at the ingredient list to see what kind of sweetener is used.

If yous're watching your blood glucose, then you may want to choose a hasty that uses artificial sweeteners. Too, review the nutrition facts, and select a product with less than 5 grams of saccharide per serving.

Protein:

Choose a jerky that is packed with high-quality protein. Vegan jerky is naturally low in protein; however, turkey, fish, or beef jerky is usually loftier in protein. Depending on the serving size, most meat-based hasty will have at least x grams of protein per serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the all-time meat for hasty?

  Jerky is available in a variety of types of meats, such as beef, pork, and lamb. The type of meat you choose depends on your preference, but in full general, avert products that use depression-quality meats every bit they typically employ salt or sugar to increment palatability and taste.

• Why do some people say beef jerky is bad for you?

  Although beef jerky is generally a high protein snack, it does comprise a large amount of sodium. One serving of beef jerky can business relationship for nigh xv to 25 percent of the recommended daily value of sodium, which is two,300 milligrams for adults.
  

What Experts Say

"Hasty makes for a cracking afternoon snack, and I oft recommend it to clients as an selection on days when they accept a longer window in between meals and want something especially filling, savory, and satisfying. When choosing jerky—just similar with any animal protein—quality is key. Many hasty brands can contain harmful preservatives like nitrates besides as added sugar and excess sodium. Expect for nitrate-free options with recognizable ingredients, ideally with depression saccharide and sodium." —Lauren Bloch, MS, RD

Why Trust Verywell Fit?

A personal annotation on my recommendations written to a higher place. I believe the jerky products in the round-up are made by trusted brands that I would feel comfortable recommending to my clients, friends, and family. I have tried all of the jerky products and frequently recommend them equally a protein-packed snack.—Eliza Savage, MS, RD, CDN

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Source: https://www.verywellfit.com/best-beef-jerky-4165440

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