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Nutritional Benefits Of Eating Red Meat - Infographic
Did you know that red meat and other animal-based foods are excellent sources of not only protein and iron, but also key micronutrients such as calcium, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin B12? Without getting your daily intake of certain key micronutrients that are abundant in animal-based foods, you might end up with a nutrient deficiency! Let’s dive into how each nutrient benefits to your body.
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Benefits of Eating Red Meat
Yes, we know that a juicy piece of steak is delicious. And yes, we know that too much of a good thing can be… too much. But while we don’t advocate eating just red meat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, we do think that including red meat as part of a balanced diet and active lifestyle can be a healthy (and tasty) choice. In fact, if you’re going to snack at all, opting for some flavoursome air dried meat snacks like our 24 hour-marinated jerky and biltong are a way healthier choice than reaching for a bag of greasy chips or sugary lollies. Keep scrolling to find out more about the surprising health benefits of eating red meat. Nutritional Benefits of Eating Red Meat Did you know that red meat and other animal-based foods are excellent sources of not only protein and iron, but also key micronutrients such as calcium, zinc, omega 3 fatty acids, and vitamin B12? Without consuming certain key micronutrients that are abundant in animal-based foods, you might find yourself having a nutrient deficiency and having to supplement. Let’s talk about how each nutrient benefits your body. Protein: This macronutrient not only powers your body, but it also helps you feel fuller for longer, builds and repairs muscle, boosts your metabolism, helps fast track your weight loss, as well as protects your body from getting sick. One of the benefits of eating red meat is that it can easily help you meet your personal protein requirements. Iron: Red meat is one of the best sources of haem iron that your body can easily absorb. This mineral is essential for helping your blood efficiently transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. When your body receives enough iron through the food you eat, you have more energy and an improved ability to concentrate. Iron also aids in regulating the movements of your GI tract, your body temperature, as well as keeping your body’s immune system in check. Calcium: This is another key mineral that helps to prevent you from developing bone degradation issues like osteoporosis and rickets. If you don’t include enough calcium in your diet, your body may begin to draw this mineral from your bones. When this happens, not only do your bones get weaker, you may also feel more irritable, anxious, and down than usual. Zinc:Another one of the benefits of eating red meat is its high zinc content. Zinc is a micronutrient that helps your immune system fight off bacteria and illness. It also helps your body make protein and DNA, heal wounds, and regulate your senses of taste and smell. Omega 3 Fatty Acids: While fatty fish, nuts, and plant oils are the best sources of omega 3 fatty acids, you can also find them in red meat. These three acids (ALA, EPA, DHA) benefit not just your heart health, but also help regulate your cholesterol levels. blood pressure, and mood. Vitamin B12: One of the other nutritional benefits of eating red meat is the amount of vitamin B12 present. This vitamin gives your body a boost in energy while preventing you from developing a type of anemia. It also helps regulate your nervous system. Health Benefits of Eating Red Meat For a healthy heart, the Heart Foundation recommends eating lean meat about 1 to 3 times a week. Read more about that in their 2019 published statement “Meat & Heart Healthy Eating” if you’re keen. Current research also advises that each person should eat no more than 350 grams of unprocessed red meat in a week. However, this advice is not a one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. In fact, the Evidence Review published in the same statement above found that including up to 1 serve of unprocessed red meat a day can be a reasonable choice depending on your overall diet and lifestyle. Just as each person has different energy requirements and health goals based on factors such as your lifestyle, diet, gender, and age, so does the amount of red meat you should consume vary. Also, did you know that Australian red meat has a higher omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content than U.S. meat? This is mostly because of the different animal diets. Australian red meat tends to come from pasture-fed animals, while animals in the U.S. tend to be grain-fed. Thanks to the abundance of grazing pastures here down under, not only does our grass-fed beef have stronger flavours and textures, but they are also much leaner than if they were grain-fed. Munch in Moderation Snacking on some jerky or beef biltong is one of the best ways to enjoy your weekly intake of red meat. If you’re wondering “how is beef jerky made?”, head on over to our blog where we talk more about The Jerky Co’s methods of air drying marinated meat using a recipe that has been passed down for generations. We use only high-quality topside MSA beef that tastes as delicious as it is good for the Aussie meat and livestock industry. While it can be tempting to serve up a steak for every other dinner and snack on jerky every chance you get, red meat is best consumed in moderation and as part of a healthy, balanced diet to help meet your personal nutritional and energy needs. That being said, we do have tons of meal and snack ideas that include our 24 hour-marinated, air dried, topside MSA beef, so you can look forward to savouring your next serving of red meat.
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Is Beef Jerky Healthy?
Jerky is no doubt a delicious snack to grab as you’re running out the door or as a post-workout protein hit. However, there are quite a few concerns some people have about consuming cured meats. People often think of beef jerky as another “junk food” that has no nutritional benefits. But guess what? We believe jerky brings more to the table than just a burst of flavour. So if you’re wondering “is beef jerky healthy?”, keep scrolling to learn why you don’t really have to feel guilty about snacking on this good stuff. What makes a food “healthy”? What kind of food do you think of when you see the word “healthy”? Fruits? Vegetables? Most people will agree that a healthy diet consists of whole, unprocessed foods which provide your body with essential nutrients that it needs to keep your health, mood, and energy levels in check. So it’s really all about balance: making sure that your body gets enough nutrition from a variety of whole food sources. And nutritious snacks are part of the equation. That’s why we think that asking “is beef jerky healthy?” is too simple a question. Because while jerky is a snack food, it can be a great source of some key nutrients. Does beef jerky have health benefits? When it comes to beef jerky, some people might think that it’s all fat and salt. But did you know that depending on the cut and source of jerky, they can be really low in fat? Plus, they are really low in carbs and can be a great source of protein, zinc, iron, and other essential minerals. Check out the Nutrition Information Panel labels on the back of our cured meat snack packs or head to our About Us page to see for yourself! Okay, but it’s still full of salt. Isn’t salt bad? While too much sodium can be harmful to your health and body, you can also become sodium deficient if you cut it out completely. Again, it’s about balancing what you eat with what your body needs. Unless you’re eating jerky for every meal, every day, tossing a handful of this good stuff into your gym bag or kid’s lunch box can have more benefits than downsides. Being a rich source of protein, zinc, and iron, a bit of jerky can keep you going for longer while giving your body a nutrient boost. Cultures all over the world and throughout history have used salt to keep meat from going bad and breeding bacteria. As jerky is a type of preserved meat, it can be quite high in sodium. But like most things, jerky is best enjoyed in moderation and as part of a varied diet - even though it’s tempting to just keep chomping away on them! Should you snack on jerky? If you already have a diet containing the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, water, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs - great work! But we know that in our often busy modern lifestyles today, it can be tricky to eat and snack right. So that’s why we think that cured meats can be a great way to give you a protein and iron boost on the go, helping to keep you staying focused and fuller for longer, while curbing your appetite for a bag of chips or lollies. When should you eat jerky? Jerky, as well as our other choices of cured cuts, is such a versatile snack that just works with many types of lifestyles and schedules. If you’re a busy parent, grab some jerky to toss into your kids’ lunchboxes as one of their snack options. If you’re looking for a protein and iron boost to complement your workout, toss a pack of jerky into your bag on the way out. Jerky is also a great snack idea whether you’re going on a road trip, to the beach, or to the movies. We’ve got a deliciously great range of cured meats to suit different lifestyles, make sure to check them out! Pick your protein We use only topside MSA beef to create our premium, air dried cuts. Good for your tastebuds and the Aussie beef industry. Win-win! And if you find yourself tossing up between biltong vs jerky, it really comes down to what food textures you prefer and what your body needs as these are both great iron and protein sources. So go on, grab yourself a handful of our sweet bbq biltong, droewors, or chilli beef jerky as you head out for a run. But just a word of caution: you might find yourself running straight to one of our stores for more!
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Why MSA Grade Beef Matters
We love meat. And we want to make sure you can taste our passion for a quality chunk of meat in every bite. That’s why we choose only topside MSA beef to create every delicious piece of air dried meat that you know and love. But it's not just about the quality and flavours - choosing MSA beef means directly contributing to improving the Australian beef industry. Below, we’ve summed up what you need to know about MSA beef into bite-sized chunks. What is MSA? Meat Standards Australia (MSA) is an industry description system that helps the consumer by taking the guesswork out of buying beef. They do this by labelling each cut with an eating quality grade and recommended cooking method. Before hitting supermarket shelves, MSA graded meats must meet the standards set by consumers at one of three quality levels: MSA 3, MSA 4 or MSA 5. Basically, MSA beef helps make the quality and price of beef reliable and consistent. Hold up - who’s calling the shots? Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) have put in place the MSA grading system for beef that puts the customer’s needs first, values accountability through transparency, and outcomes that have a positive impact on the Australian red meat and livestock industry. What is the impact of MSA grading? The MSA labels advise consumers of the correct cooking method for every piece of beef to assure a standard eating quality result. At the retail level, these labels can help determine the price of meats, which replaces the complex and misleading system of cut names and quality descriptions that may be unregulated. Who determines the MSA grade? The MSA grade is decided by you, the consumer. All MSA beef is graded on the basis of the consumer test score predicted for a particular beef muscle cooked by the nominated method. It’s a big topic but you can find out more about it on the MLA website or MSA Tips & Tools: How MSA grades are determined. How does MSA grading work? The MSA grades are established by taking into account the effects of all factors that can affect the final eating quality. These grades are set from the analysis of consumer test results. To date, a huge database of over 86,000 consumers across 8 countries have participated in MSA consumer testing providing scores on the eating quality of over 603,000 beef samples. That’s a whole lotta opinion on beef to cover! The MSA-trained graders also collect information from cattle suppliers, abattoirs, and chillers. This info is then put into a computer that takes into account each of these factors and estimates their effect on eating quality. The MSA grade score is then produced, which takes into account tenderness, juiciness, flavour, and overall liking scores. What makes MSA grading reliable? MSA accredited graders grade on behalf of the industry. Graders are frequently monitored, assessed, and analysed to maintain the accuracy of their work. Every bit of unsatisfied consumer feedback is heard and traced back to the source. Who gets to use the MSA grading system? Anyone that chooses to participate in the MSA system is licensed and on the basis of providing detailed audits and total product integrity. MSA training is available to all sectors of the beef supply chain to ensure participants have a solid understanding of the MSA system fundamentals. Help yourself to another bite Now that you’ve read up on these cool facts, you’re probably wondering “how is beef jerky made?” or already reaching for another handful of chewy, protein-packed goodness. Either way, make sure to check out our delicious range of handcrafted air-dried meats. The Jerky Co uses the finest grade of MSA beef in our jerky, biltong, and snack sticks so you get the best culinary experience in every bite. And while you help yourself to another piece, just tell your mates you’re also helping out the Aussie beef industry!
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Is Protein After a Workout Necessary? - Here's What You Should Eat
No matter where you are in your fitness journey, or what your fitness goal is, protein is your friend.
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How is Beef Jerky Made?
Thanks to modern technology, there are now many ways you can get your hands messy making some jerky right in your kitchen.
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DEVILISH MARTINI & CHILLI JERKY – COCKTAIL PAIRING
Cocktail Pairings: Chilli Jerky X Devilish Martini The Devilish Martini is the perfect weekend starter! Difficulty 4/10 | Spice Level 10/10 | Serves 1 Ingredients:100ml Cranberry Juice Juice of ½ a Lime 30ml Cointreau 30ml Vodka ½ Teaspoon Chilli Powder Pinch of Himalayan Salt Sliced Jalapeño (To Taste) Himalayan Salt (To Rim Glass) 2 Red Chillies (To Garnish) Instructions: Add cranberry juice, lime juice, Cointreau, vodka, chilli powder and salt to a cocktail shaker filled with ice Shake until cold Rim a martini glass with salt & garnish with chillies Strain into the martini glass & enjoy! Purchase your Chilli Jerky online & have it express shipped to your door.
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TIPSY TEXAN & TEXAN JERKY – COCKTAIL PAIRING
Cocktail Pairings: Texan Jerky X Tipsy Texan Getting tipsy with some Texan Jerky to match! Difficulty 2/10 | Spice Level 1/10 | Serves 1 Ingredients: Juice of ½ a Grapefruit Juice of ½ a Lime 80ml Orange Juice 60ml Tequila 30ml Cointreau Sea Salt Wedge of Grapefruit Instructions: Squeeze ½ a Grapefruit and ½ a Lime into a cocktail shaker Rim a glass with Sea Salt Add 80ml Orange Juice, 60ml Tequila & 30ml Cointreau Fill with ice & shake Strain over ice into glass Garnish with a wedge of Grapefruit Purchase your Texan Jerky online & have it express shipped to your door.
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GINGER JACK & SMOKEY JERKY – COCKTAIL PAIRING
Cocktail Pairings: Smokey Jerky X Ginger Jack A little bit of ginger beer, a little bit of jacks! Difficulty 3/10 | Spice Level 1/10 | Serves 1 Ingredients: 60ml Jack Daniels Juice of ½ a Lemon 120ml Ginger Beer Orange Peel to garnish Instructions: Squeeze ½ a lemon into a cocktail shaker Add 60ml Jack Daniels Add 120ml Ginger Beer Fill with ice & shake Strain over ice into a whiskey glass Garnish with an orange peel twist Purchase your Smokey Jerky online & have it express shipped to your door.
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Customer Favourites
Type:
Beef Jerky - Traditional
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Beef Biltong - Exotic Truffle Fatty
Type:
Beef Biltong - Chilli Fatty
