Beef jerky is the perfect snack or meal enhancer for a busy and active person. It is shelf stable so you can keep it in your desk, purse or car and it is great for a post-workout snack or when you are too busy to cook a protein at a meal.

But unfortunately the problem with conventional beef jerky are so numerous that I will break them down one by one, as well as give you a healthier option. Read the review and enter the giveaway below to win some of my new favorite beef jerky that is way healthier and more flavorful than regular store brands.

Here are ingredients on a popular beef jerky: INGREDIENTS: BEEF, SUGAR, WATER, SALT, LESS THAN 2% FLAVORINGS, SOY SAUCE [(WHEAT, SOYBEANS, SALT), MALTODEXTRIN], YEAST EXTRACT, HYDROLYZED CORN PROTEIN, CITRIC ACID.

Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients one by one:

Beef usually coming from cows that are from a feedlot where they are overcrowded, fed genetically modified feed and given antibiotics to keep from getting sick, as well as hormones that fatten them up.

Most conventional sugar comes from genetically modified sugar beets not cane sugar which actually has some nutritional value. Sugar can cause diabetes over time and it drives down the immune system in real time.

Soy Sauce is a big source of gluten contamination that many people are unaware of and it can create real problems for those that are sensitive.

Maltodextrin is food additive that is made from corn (or even wheat) and usually contains MSG but is not required to be labeled. Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a common food additive that many people react to right away with headaches or bloating and has many long term risks. According to Dr. Russel Blaylock, MSG is an excitotoxin, which means that it overexcites our cellular function to the point of damage and is a poison to our bodies. The scary part is that MSG can be literally hidden in food labels, under names like broth, casein, hydrolyzed, autolyzed, and more which makes it hard to avoid. Read more in Dr. Russel Blaylock’s landmark book Excitotoxins: the taste that kills (order here).

Yeast extract is a flavor enhancer that can be a source of gluten. Yeast extract sounds innocent but it has excitatory effects on the brain and body contributing to excessive cravings, similar to MSG.

Hydrolyzed corn protein is made from genetically modified corn and is code for MSG. It is made from boiling corn in hydrochloric acid, sounds tasty, right? When you know what is in jerky you are bound to look for a healthier alternative that tastes great and fills you up. That is why I am so glad I found NZ beef jerky!  I tried this awesome beef jerky and was so impressed that I wanted to host a giveaway and do a product review. I ate it several times when I was on the go and one bag filled me up for hours. It was great when I didn’t have time to cook a full meal. I also took it on a road trip and it was a great snack between all the long miles.

Why is NZ Beef jerky so different from conventional? First of all, I noticed the taste which is so delicious. Then I noticed the texture which was very moist and easy to chew unlike some of the dry jerky I had tried in the past that was impossible to bite off. Then I looked at the back of the package and noticed there were no mystery ingredients that I could not pronounce.

INGREDIENTS IN NZ JERKY: BEEF, WATER, SUGAR, APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, SALT, POWDERED ONION, GROUND SPICES, POWDERED GARLIC, POWDERED CELERY, POWDERED ACEROLA. TRADITIONALLY WOOD SMOKED.

Doesn’t that sound better than the conventional listed above?

This jerky really is the gold standard when it comes to protein rich snacks! I feel so good about eating this jerky and ordering it for my family. I have a 2-year-old nephew who loves it too. order here The meat sourced for New Zealand Jerky comes from New Zealand farms where all cattle range free in grass fields. The cattle are free to wander year round, munching on fresh grass and nutrient rich clover. This completely eliminates the need for grain feed or nutritional supplements…the cattle is happy and grass fed. Cattle raised in these conditions produce meat that is less fatty & higher in omega 3 fatty acids and perfect for making Jerky, both for the taste and a healthier product.

This completely eliminates the need for grain feed or nutritional supplements…the cattle is happy and grass fed. Cattle raised in these conditions produce meat that is less fatty & higher in omega 3 fatty acids and perfect for making Jerky, both for the taste and a healthier product. order here New Zealand has a small human population of around 4.5 million people in an area a little smaller than California. There is LOTS of room for more natural, less intensive farming methods.

 

HERE ARE SOME OF MY FAVORITE THINGS ABOUT NZ JERKY:

• 100% grass fed New Zealand beef
• all natural carefully sourced ingredients
• non GMO – NGP Verification (first jerky brand is the US)
• Gluten Free Certified
• Made in New Zealand in a state of the art USDA certified facility
• Three flavors: original, teriyaki and peppered
• no MSG or nitrites in New Zealand Jerky
• 9 month shelf life

order here …more facts about New Zealand raised cattle: New Zealand is Completely Non GMO, from commercially grown animals to fruit and vegetables  – it’s all free of genetically modified organisms! The cattle are raised according to strict European Standards of Animal Husbandry.  This places special focus on animal welfare conditions including humane handling, humane transport and humane slaughter. New Zealand beef does not contain hormonal growth promotants, the cattle is never fed hormones.

I have been to New Zealand and seen first hand the greenery and the wide open spaces.Food there is mostly organic and local which is just the way food should be. I am so happy that food manufacturers are bringing healthy products like this to consumers as we continue to change the industry by voting with our pocketbooks! Order the jerky here or go to their site here and search for stores by location. Ener the giveaway below to win a package to enjoy!

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY BELOW! a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

*giveaway only valid in the US*

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