7 Things You Didn't Know About Jerky
1. JERKY IS LOW IN FAT AND CALORIES
Jerky is made from the best lean cuts of beef; once marinated for a long time with the same natural ingredients you probably have in your kitchen, it's slowly cooked and smoked.
This also means there's no added fat in the recipe and the calorie count is really low: on average 124 calories per 40g of meat, compared to other snacks like crisps (on average 171 calories per 35g pack) and chocolate bars (on average 320 calories for a 60g bar).
2. MANY JERKY PRODUCTS ARE GLUTEN-FREE
No gluten means you can enjoy jerky as part of a balanced diet: that's exactly why gluten-free soy sauce is used in the recipes that call for it.
3. PACKED WITH PROTEIN
Jerky is rich in protein, which helps keep hunger at bay and supports proper recovery and rebuilding of muscle fibres after an intense workout.
Beef protein is high-quality protein: it contains all the essential amino acids the human body needs, and it's also highly digestible, at around 94%.
Essential proteins can also be found in plant sources like beans and wheat, but the protein in these foods is less "efficient", at 78% and 85% respectively.
4. NO REFRIGERATION NEEDED
Every pack is sealed in controlled-atmosphere packaging with an oxygen absorber inside (that little sachet you find in every pack).
This means you can carry it and keep it anywhere: in your desk drawer at work, in your gym bag or in your backpack.
In short, you can really take it anywhere.
5. THE SAME INGREDIENTS AS YOUR KITCHEN
Jerky's marinade is made with simple, natural ingredients — the same ones you might already have in your kitchen cupboard.
A few examples? Honey, soy sauce, vinegar, herbs like oregano and thyme, spices like black pepper and cumin.
This makes it a healthier snack than many others, ideal for specific diets and sports activity.
6. IT'S AN ANCIENT TECHNIQUE
Drying meat into thin slices and seasoning it is a "recipe" that has existed for hundreds of years, as it's truly the perfect way to preserve meat, especially among peoples who lived a nomadic lifestyle.
That's also why so much care goes into the preparation.
7. NO ARTIFICIAL COLOURS OR FLAVOURS
When you start making a snack from quality ingredients, there's no need to add any artificial flavouring or colouring — beef rump has an exceptional taste on its own, so why add anything else?
The entire production process is designed to preserve the meat, and in the end a natural marinade and smoking with birch or apple wood is more than enough.
7.5 . IT'S REALLY, REALLY GOOD.
I don't think we need to add anything else.