Do meat snacks have a chance to beat the crisp market? This is unlikely to happen soon, but the meat snack market is growing at a very fast pace and at the expense of the ones mentioned earlier. For some time there has been a trend of moving away from carbohydrates towards protein. This phenomenon is most visible across the ocean, where the number of Americans trying to eat more protein as part of a healthy diet is increasing. This is where the fashion for dried meat snacks came from, which everyone likes, from busy to athletes.
What's the ticket with dried meat?
This is not surprising, because dried beef, as well as pork, brings many nutritional benefits to our diet. The meat prepared in this way is full of nutritional values that our body needs to power the muscles for the best sports performance.
Probably many of you wonder if dried beef is a suitable product that is worth placing in dietary everyday life. So let's try to bring the pros and cons of consuming this extremely tasty snack.
Once the reason for the disputes were additives and preservatives with the help of which this rarity was prepared. The main concerns concerned MSG, i.e. monosodium glutamate. Currently, however, we do not have to worry about the content of this compound in dried meat products, because none of the reputable companies uses this supplement.
Sodium content - it is true that dried products have a certain salt content, but currently it is not as large as it was in the 1980s. It is also worth reminding that active people who are on the move and do heavy physical work certainly do not belong to the group of people who should beware of salt. First, sodium is essential for health. Secondly, the need for sodium increases significantly inactive people.
Protein
Undoubtedly, the greatest advantage of dried beef and pork is the extremely high content of protein. As we know, protein is a macro-component necessary for many vital functions.
A high-protein diet provides a number of health benefits, including:
- reduces appetite and hunger
- increases strength and muscle mass
- it's beneficial for bones
- accelerates metabolism and fat burning
- good for blood pressure
- helps maintain a healthy body weight
- promotes regenerative action post-workout and post-traumatic
Carbohydrates
Beef Jerky contains a certain amount of carbohydrates, derived from spices and sauces, which are rubbed into them along with other flavour additives, thanks to which they increase their durability and acquire excellent taste. However, the amount of these carbohydrates should not frighten anyone in any way, even people on a ketogenic diet. Carbohydrates are important for the brain to work properly, but as with everything, it's not worth crossing certain limits. In the snack category, it is definitely symbolic.
What about calories?
100g of dried product contains 250-300 kcal. This is really not much, whereas almost half the calories come from protein. Fat is only 5-10%, carbohydrates are usually 5-10% - depending on the rubbed spices and sauces. Due to the fact that this dish is really filling and 50 g is enough to satisfy hunger, this snack can be considered rather low-calorie. (Potato chips contain a minimum of twice as many calories)
Zinc
Dried beef also contains zinc, which in addition to iron is an extremely important mineral derived from meat. Why is zinc so important? Because it improves the functioning of our immune system, prevents illness and supports the process of cell regeneration. Zinc also accelerates the healing of wounds. Zinc-rich food has many benefits that should not be ignored.
How do you choose the right snacks?
- avoid beef and pork with a lot of fat,
- avoid products containing MSG (monosodium glutamate),
- choose products from local producers,
- pay attention to sugar content,
- pay attention to additions.
It is fair to say that dried meats are undoubtedly a healthy snack. However, it's a good idea to check the label before purchasing and consider the issue in this article. We can be sure that Jerky is an excellent source of nutrients that primarily offer the highest quality protein. It can be assumed that this is an extremely convenient option for a healthy snack between meals or the main source of protein in a standard meal. The high nutritional content in this type of products is unquestionable.
It is worth following the example of many athletes and using the advantages of a portion of dried beef or pork. It's a good idea to include such a snack in your diet or always have it on hand to improve your performance in your daily activities.
