By Donwynne and Amy Bergh
Biltong can be a good snack. Ours is more than half protein by weight, has very little carbohydrate and no added sugars. It's also a cured, salted red meat, which the NHS counts as processed meat, so it's best enjoyed as a snack in sensible amounts rather than by the bagful every day. Below is what's in it, using the numbers from our own packs and UK guidance.
What is biltong made of?
Biltong is beef cured in vinegar, salt and spices, then air-dried. Ours is made from 100% pasture-fed British beef and these ingredients (Original):
British Beef, Apple Cider Vinegar, Spice Blend (Coriander, Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Preservative: Potassium Sorbate, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Smoked Umami Powder (Maltodextrin, Smoked Yeast Extract, Smoked Mushroom Powder)).
Our Original Beef Sticks use the same ingredients. Drying removes most of the water, so a lot of beef goes into a small pack: 230g of raw beef for every 100g of biltong, and 220g for every 100g of beef sticks. More on that in What's in our biltong and What is biltong?.
How much protein is in biltong?
A lot. Our biltong has 53.7g of protein per 100g, which is about 18.8g in a 35g pack. Our beef sticks have 38.3g per 100g, about 15.3g in a 40g pack.
| Typical values | Biltong per 100g | Biltong per 35g pack | Beef sticks per 100g | Beef sticks per 40g pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | 310kcal | 109kcal | 483kcal | 193kcal |
| Fat | 9.7g | 3.4g | 35.3g | 14.1g |
| of which saturates | 4.2g | 1.5g | 18g | 7.2g |
| Carbohydrate | 1.7g | 0.6g | 2.8g | 1.1g |
| of which sugars | 1.5g | 0.5g | 0.2g | 0.1g |
| Protein | 53.7g | 18.8g | 38.3g | 15.3g |
| Salt | 2.7g | 0.9g | 2.4g | 1.0g |
Per-pack figures are worked out from the per-100g values on our packs. Nutrition is the same across all four biltong flavours.
Is biltong high in salt?
Yes, by the usual UK measure. NHS guidance on food labels counts anything over 1.5g of salt per 100g as high, and our biltong has 2.7g per 100g. Salt is part of what cures and preserves biltong, so it's normal for cured meats. A 35g pack has about 0.9g of salt. The NHS says adults should have no more than 6g a day, so a pack uses up about a seventh of that.
If you've been advised to cut down on salt, it's worth counting.
Is biltong high in fat?
Our biltong isn't. At 9.7g of fat per 100g it's in the NHS label's medium band, and a 35g pack has 3.4g. Our beef sticks are a richer snack, with 35.3g of fat per 100g (18g saturates), so they count as high in fat and saturated fat. That fat is a big part of why they taste the way they do. Just know which one you're reaching for.
Does biltong have sugar in it?
We don't add any. Our biltong has 1.5g of sugars per 100g and our beef sticks 0.2g, and that sugar occurs naturally in the ingredients. Some dried meat snacks, especially sweet-marinated jerky, do have added sugar, so it's always worth reading the label.
Is biltong processed meat?
Yes. The NHS defines processed meat as meat preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding preservatives, and biltong is cured and salted. The NHS says eating a lot of red and processed meat probably increases your risk of bowel cancer. Its advice is that anyone eating more than 90g of red and processed meat a day should cut down to 70g.
That doesn't make biltong off-limits. It means biltong counts towards that total. A 35g pack of our biltong is made from about 80g of raw beef, so it's a proper portion of red meat in a small bag.
Is biltong good for a high-protein or low-carb diet?
It fits easily. A 35g pack of our biltong has 109kcal, 18.8g of protein and 0.6g of carbohydrate. That's why people pack it for the gym, long walks and busy days at work. As with any food, it's your diet as a whole that counts, not one snack.
How much biltong is sensible to eat?
A pack as a snack is a sensible amount for most people. Keep an eye on your total red and processed meat across the day, and on your salt. If you have high blood pressure or another health condition, or you've been given specific dietary advice, check with your GP or a dietitian.
Can you eat biltong when pregnant?
The NHS doesn't mention biltong by name. It does say cold cured meats such as salami and prosciutto should be cooked until steaming hot before eating in pregnancy, because of a small risk of toxoplasmosis and listeria. Biltong is a cold cured meat, so the safest thing is to speak to your midwife before eating it.
How should I store biltong?
Keep it in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. It stores at room temperature, so it doesn't need the fridge. Once you've opened a pack, eat it within 24 hours, though in our experience an open pack rarely lasts that long.
Does the beef matter?
It does to us. All our beef comes from Farm Wilder farms across South West England, where the cattle are 100% pasture-fed. Farm Wilder audits the farms every two years against standards developed with FWAG South West. Read more on Our Beef and on regenerative farming.
Want to try it?
Start with Original Biltong (6-pack £24.99, 12-pack £44.99), or try everything with The Whole Herd mixed 6-pack for £24.99. If it becomes a habit, Subscribe & Save on the 12-packs takes 15% off your first box, then 10% off every box after, delivered monthly, every 2 weeks or every 2 months. You can pause, skip or cancel anytime. Delivery is free from £65.
Sources
- NHS, Meat in your diet
- NHS, Salt in your diet
- NHS, How to read food labels
- NHS, Foods to avoid in pregnancy
- Inyama product data: nutrition and ingredients as printed on our packs