Here's a fun fact about jerky: Though it's become a quintessentially American snack, its name derives from the Quechua language of Peru. The original word ch'arki means dried, salted meat. In the Andean region of South America, ch'arki was first made from the meat of alpacas and llamas.
Nowadays, of course, you can find jerky made with all sorts of meats (and even plants) in all kinds of formats, from shavings to sticks. In general, this dried snack is a healthy choice. It's typically packed with protein and doesn't require much besides meat and a few seasonings to make it savory and delicious. Individually packaged jerky sticks add an extra layer of convenience, making grab-and-go snacking a breeze.
Depending on the brand, though, it's not hard to find jerky sticks that overdo it on added sugars, sodium, and preservatives. Make a smart protein pick by choosing from among the best jerky sticks and avoiding the worst ones.
How We Chose the Healthiest Jerky Sticks
- Low added sugar: Save the sugar for actual sweets. We looked for jerky sticks with minimal added sweetener.
- Short ingredient list: When choosing a healthy jerky, remember to keep it simple. A long ingredient list of additives and flavorings isn't usually necessary—and may only add calories and higher levels of processing.
- Low sodium: Salt enhances meaty flavor, but that doesn't mean a jerky stick has to be loaded with sodium to taste good. Our picks lean on other seasonings to add flavor.
THE 8 HEALTHIEST JERKY STICKS
Best: Chomps Original Beef Snack Stick
Calories: 100
Fat: 7 g (Saturated Fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 380 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 10 g
Want 10 grams of protein in a 100-calorie snack pack? Check out the Chomps' Original Beef Stick. Its grass-fed and -finished beef provides less fat than conventionally raised beef, as well as more omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants like vitamin E.
Best: Country Archer Original Beef Stick
Calories: 90
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 3 g)
Sodium: 390 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 8 g
Another grass-fed option is Country Archer's Original Beef Stick. Flavored with garlic, red pepper, sea salt, and other natural seasonings, it's one of our top picks for a clean-label fix when a meaty craving strikes.
Best: Lorissa's Kitchen Herb-a-licious Savory Herb Turkey Stick
Calories: 70
Fat: 4 g (Saturated Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 260 mg
Carbs: <1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 8 g
If you've got food allergies, jerky is typically a safe choice—but not always. Some meat sticks have sneaky ingredients that could cause a reaction. Not so with Lorissa's Kitchen's Herb-a-Licious Savory Herb Turkey Stick. This turkey-based choice is free of all nine top food allergens. It's also a low-calorie choice with 70 calories.
Best: The New Primal Classic Beef Meat Stick
Calories: 90
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 380 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 8 g
Zero added sugars and no artificial ingredients are a winning combo in The New Primal's Classic Beef Meat Stick. This jerky's beef also boasts some sustainability bonuses. The grass-fed beef is raised without hormones or antibiotics.
Best: Anthem Original Beef Stick
Calories: 90
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 370 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 9 g
Veteran-owned Anthem snacks hails from Montana, where its premium beef is hand-crafted into tasty, portable sticks. Your purchase not only gets you a top-notch nutrition profile with no added sugars and plenty of protein, but it also supports a good cause. Ten percent of sales go to veteran and first responder nonprofits.
Best: Field Trip Original Meat Stick
Calories: 90
Fat: 6 g (Saturated Fat: 2.5 g)
Sodium: 220 mg
Carbs: 3 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 2 g)
Protein: 8 g
If you're looking for a lower-sodium jerky, don't miss Field Trip's Original Meat Stick. Compared to other jerkies, its sodium content is minimal at 220 milligrams per serving. And though it does contain some added sugar, it's on the lower side, too. Each stick contains 2 grams of sugar.
Best: Chomps Original Turkey Snack Stick
Calories: 80
Fat: 3.5 g (Saturated Fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 390 mg
Carbs: 0 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 12 g
Don't forget you can chomp on more than beef in your jerky. Chomps' Original Turkey Snack Sticks are an excellent option for those who prefer white meat over red. (Note that they do use a beef collagen casing.)
Since these poultry-based snacks contain an impressive 12 grams of protein—the equivalent of a two-egg omelet—they'll help fuel muscle growth and injury repair.
Best: Vermont Smoke & Cure Oven Roasted Seasoned Turkey Stick
Calories: 45
Fat: 2.5 g (Saturated Fat: 0.5 g)
Sodium: 400 mg
Carbs: <1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: <1 g)
Protein: 7 g
Vermont Smoke & Cure's Oven Roasted Seasoned Turkey Sticks may be a bit high in sodium, but they shine in every other nutrition category. Calories are seriously low at just 45 per stick, and there's merely a whiff of saturated fat and sugar here. These sticks are made from vegetarian-fed, no-hormone-added turkey, so you can feel good about snacking.
3 BEEF JERKY STICKS TO AVOID
Worst: Slim Jim Savage Spicy
Calories: 130
Fat: 10 g (Saturated Fat: 3.5 g)
Sodium: 420 mg
Carbs: 5 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g)
Protein: 6 g
Initially, the nutrition for the Slim Jim Savage Spicy jerky stick doesn't look too bad. But beware: One serving is one-third of this beef stick. If you eat the whole thing, you'll get a whopping 390 calories, 10.5 grams of saturated fat, and 1,260 milligrams of sodium.
Worst: Jack Link's Wild Mild Stick
Calories: 310
Fat: 26 g (Saturated Fat: 10 g)
Sodium: 950 mg
Carbs: 6 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 3 g)
Protein: 13 g
The neon blue packaging of Jack Link's Wild Mild Sticks is the first clue that these jerky sticks aren't exactly all-natural. They contain multiple added sweeteners and artificial colors. And since the calorie count is nearly enough for a meal, they're not very weight-loss-friendly, either.
Worst: Old Trapper Jalapeño Deli Style Beef Stick
Calories: 120
Fat: 10 g (Saturated Fat: 4.5 g)
Sodium: 770 mg
Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: <1 g, Sugar: 0 g)
Protein: 6 g
Old Trapper's Jalapeño Deli Style Beef Sticks come in a package of about 15 servings—and since the sticks are small, you might have trouble sticking to just one. In even a single serving, though, you'll get 32% of the daily value of sodium. A rather long ingredient list also means this jerky is highly processed. Keep your snacking to just one stick, or avoid these entirely.
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