Is Biltong Good For Weight Loss?

South Africa’s most popular dried meat snack is making strides in so many ways – particularly when it comes to including it in your weight loss plan. With fans worldwide boasting about its benefits, perhaps we should take a further look at what the fuss is all about.

Firstly, Lets Clarify What Biltong Actually Is?

There’s a lot of talk going around about the beloved South African biltong snack. But what exactly is it? Well, it’s not jerky. it’s way better than that. Biltong is widely recognised as a traditional form of South African cured meat, typically made from beef. Unlike beef jerky, it is air-dried slowly over several days at low temperatures rather than heat-treated, and is often seasoned with vinegar, coriander, salt and pepper. Sounds amazing, right? If you haven’t yet tried it, you are missing out on one of life’s greatest pleasures. The result is a dense, chewy, protein-rich snack - with very little processing– making it the perfect dieting and weight loss snack.

Show Me the Nutritional Importance of Biltong

Let’s start with the basics. If you’re looking for a weight loss snack that ticks all the boxes, biltong stands out as a winner in the dried meat snack category. Protea Foods biltong delivers a strong protein hit with 27.1 grams per 50 grams serving. It also contains very little carbohydrates (as little as 1.7 grams per 50 grams – making it an ideal choice for a keto or low carb diet – and has only 1.8 grams of fatAs we already know, protein is the building block of muscles. It helps to preserve muscle mass throughout the day, digests slowly, reduces hunger and is the perfect for option for shedding weight.

Let’s talk micronutrients: because biltong is slowing air dried at low temperatures , you’re absorbing all the necessary micronutrients that are mostly lost during the cooking process.

Your body benefits from all the B vitamins, zinc and iron – all essential for maximising energy levels during your busy workday, and as well as managing nutrient retention while on calorie restriction programs.

Ok, Let’s Talk Sodium

Biltong is widely recognised as a flexible, convenient and filling meat snack. Given there’s no need for refrigeration, meal prep or no extra energy required to make it palatable, reaching for a bag of biltong is quick and easy. That’s the great news. However, it’s also important to watch out for the sodium content of biltong, as it may be an issue for some people on a strict dieting plan.

Some biltong can be high in salt, which is something to consider when consuming this yummy meat snack on a daily basis. Everything in moderation. Although, not a deal breaker by any stretch of the imagination, it’s still very important to be aware of if you suffer from high blood pressure or fluid retention conditions. If this is relevant to your situation, always check the label, as biltong salt content can vary significantly between brands.

The recommended daily limit for most adults is 2,000-2,300 mg per day. In the case of Protea Foods, many of our biltong snacks contain anywhere between 800 mg per 50 grams serving, while our droewors (a fattier snack) comes in at 1,000 mg per 50 grams serving. So, our range of biltong products fall well within the recommended range, making it a safe and reliable choice. If you’re consuming a typical 30 gram snack, you can expect around 420-600 mg of sodium per portion.

What To Look for When Buying Biltong on a Weight Loss Plan

·        Choose lean cuts such as beef over fattier options such as droewors

·        Check for excessive use ofsugars which can increase your carb intake

·        Choose lower sodium options if your sensitive to salt or have existing medical conditions that do not permit you to eat salty foods

·        Don’t over indulge, stick to one or two portions (yes, we know this will be very hard to do)

·        Combine biltong with other high fibre snacks such as fruit, vegetables & nuts for best weight loss results

How Is Biltong Good for Weight Loss?

Weight loss ultimately comes down to consuming less calories than you can burn through in day. As a dense, high protein meat snack, a small amount of biltong is enough to satiate and keep you satisfied. This not only helps stabilise blood sugar levels, it also reduces those energy crashes and cravings that is most common with fast foods such as muffins, muesli bars and chocolate/lolly snacks.

Remember, no single food on its own can make you lose weight, but making good choices on a daily basis and sticking to it can reap amazing weight loss results. With very little carbohydrates, low sugar content and portion-controlled bites, biltong deserves its reputation as a good quality weight loss snack.

For more information on our high-quality biltong range of products, shop our range of biltong today.