With many low-carbohydrate diets like Keto and Paleo are taking the world by storm, so is the demand for convenient, nutritious, high-protein snacks like Biltong.
What is Biltong?
If you’re into health and fitness, it’s likely you’ve already heard of Biltong, but if you’re new to the world of Biltong, let us give you an insight into what it is below.
Biltong is a high-protein snack originating from South Africa. Typically made from premium grass-fed beef, Biltong stems from a 400-year-old recipe that utilizes natural flavors and air drying only.
Although Biltong can be made from meats other than beef, such as a game, poultry, and even mushrooms, you’ll most commonly find it in beef form. Find out more about biltong nutrition here.
Is Biltong the same as beef jerky?
Biltong may look visually similar to beef jerky, but trust us, these cured meat snacks are worlds apart. When it comes down to how these snacks are made, Biltong and jerky couldn’t be any more different.
Biltong can be made with a variety of cuts of meat which allows for a range of flavors and textures. It’s usually much thicker than beef jerky and is cured by taking strips of beef, coating it in a marinade made from vinegar and spices, and is then hanged up to naturally air dry, whereas jerky is made by slicing thin strips of beef and marinating them in a non-vinegar solution which is then cooked and dehydrated.
The result? Biltong melts in your mouth and retains all the great flavors from the curing process; it also retains all the key nutrients such as protein, zinc, and Vitamin B-12. Find out more about biltong vs jerky here.
What are the nutritional benefits of Biltong?
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Biltong is a great snack for gym-goers or for anyone looking to get more protein into their diet as It’s jam-packed with all the essential vitamins and minerals the body needs to function and repair muscle tears that often happen with exercise. Below we look at some of Biltong’s benefits:
- Rich source of natural protein – during the drying process, beef loses weight as it loses moisture. This enriches its nutritional values, doubling the amount of protein per serving. A single-eat bag is enough to give you 50% of your daily protein requirements!
- Incredible source of Vitamin B12 – Biltong is a fantastic source of vitamin B12, which is vital for healthy blood and nerve cells as well as cell production.
Can Biltong replace my post-gym protein shake?
100% – in fact, we recommend you try replacing your protein shake with Biltong a few times per week. Biltong is high in natural protein, making it the perfect post-gym snack.
It’s also available in a variety of flavors too so, like protein powder, you don’t have to stick with the same flavor if you don’t want to.
Although protein powders are much sweeter than cured meat snacks like Biltong, they’re also incredibly processed, meaning many of the essential nutrients are left behind. Biltong is natural beef sourced from prime grass-fed cows, so it retains a lot of the essential nutrients.
As Biltong is still red meat, we would suggest consuming it a maximum of 3 times per week alongside a healthy and balanced diet.
Read also: The Best Meats You Can Eat to Boost Your Health |
Is Biltong tastier than Protein powder?
Although we think Biltong is much tastier than many protein powders out there, it completely depends on your individual tastes. If you love the taste of a sweet protein shake or bar after your workout, Biltong may not be the snack for you. But if you enjoy cured meat snacks, then Biltong makes for a great addition to your gym bag.
Is Biltong healthy?
The number one question we get asked about Biltong is whether it’s healthy. We can confirm Biltong is healthy when eaten alongside a nutritious and balanced diet.
Not only is it incredibly tasty, but Biltong is the perfect snack for a variety of diets such as high protein and keto.
One of the best things about Biltong is that it’s completely natural, using a blend of herbs and spices to cure the beef and enhance its natural flavors.
The final verdict
Protein is one of the most important macronutrients we consume. It helps to build muscle mass, improve cell function, and keeps your appetite suppressed much better than a bag of crisps or a chocolate bar does.
Biltong contains an impressive amount of protein per serving, and as it has been cured, means it can be kept in gym bags or lockers without the worry that it will go off.
Biltong is more natural than many protein alternatives out on the market and can be purchased in a variety of tasty flavors.
What are you waiting for? Try Biltong today.
About The Author:
Moses Alausa is a content writer supporting brands truly capturing the essence of their product and services. Creating content for like-minded communities that have relevance to the product or service.