4 reasons why you should be eating biltong this year

Move over protein bars - there’s a new high-energy snack that foodies should be carrying in their gym bags

South Africa's biltong: dried strips of cured meat

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Liz Connor15 February 2016

Meat snacks are having a moment. Last Christmas the UK’s first jerky advent calendar went on sale, packaged dried meats gained unprecedented shelf space at London’s specialist foods shops and at Selfridges, sales of artisan dehydrated meats are up nine per cent on last year.

No longer a fatty road trip item, ‘health-conscious’ pre-packaged meats are being praised for their many benefits - South African biltong in particular.

Here are just four reasons why you should be eating it this year.

It's better for you than jerky

Unlike traditional jerky, beef biltong is cut into larger strips and specifically air dried, anywhere from 3-7 days to retain the meat's core nutrients. It's also specifically doused (not marinated) in vinegar, and rubbed with salt to eliminate the chewy texture often associated with other dried meats.

It’s low in fat

Not only does it taste delicious, but biltong is ideal for healthy snacking, paleo diets and fitness fanatics alike. Unlike other cured meats, it's extremely low in fat - there's just 3% fat in a 25 gram serving.

It's packed with protein

The nutritional values stack up impressively: biltong is so powerful a 25 gram serving gives you 50 per cent of your daily protein requirement, which can help to grow and maintain muscle mass.

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It’s an ideal post-workout snack

Biltong is high in natural protein making it a fantastic healthy choice for those on a gym kick this year. It’s also a good source of vital minerals like zinc, iron, magnesium and vitamin B-12, that can help replenish the body after a particularly tough training session.