Biltong.
Not a word that trips off everyone’s tongue, right?
But it should. And here’s why.
Biltong is a delicious, high protein, low carb, gluten free, unprocessed foodstuff. Ideal for snacking on the go, or sharing with friends. Cured and air-dried, biltong is a spiced meat snack suitable for all ages and taste buds, with none of the processed nasties associated with fast-food chains and mass-produced meat products.
Of course - like everything else - biltong products should be eaten in moderation. But, here are seven good reasons to choose this tasty South African meat snack next time you’re feeling peckish...
Reason #1: Biltong is Nutritionally Rich
Biltong is nutritious because it’s cured and air-dried, not cooked. This means it retains most of the vitamins and minerals that can be lost through cooking, such as zinc, iron, magnesium and B vitamins.
Vitamin B12 is possibly the most notable of these. It is essential for maintaining healthy blood and nerve cells, as well as helping to make cell DNA and promoting cell replication. B12 also helps prevent the iron deficiency disease called megoblastic anaemia that causes muscle weakness and extreme fatigue.
Reason #2: Counting the Biltong Calories
Biltong contains fewer kilojoules than other snacks you’re likely to turn to when the “munchies” strike, such as biscuits, crisps or chocolate! And because biltong is high in protein and free of carbohydrates, when you do eat it, you will feel fuller for longer.
No more blood sugar spikes from over-processed high carb snacks = improved health benefits!
Biltong is ideal for a pre or post-workout snack and, being generally low in fat - lean and fresh is the best way for an average 3% fat - it can prove extremely useful as part of a balanced weight loss programme.
Reason #3: Biltong is a Good Source of Protein
Here are some good reasons to make sure you get enough protein in your diet:
Protein is essential for growth and repair of the body and maintenance of good health. You need it to make enzymes, hormones, and other body chemicals: it is a component of every cell in your body and no one can survive without it.
Protein is an important building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin, and blood. Of all the food groups, protein reduces the levels of the hunger hormone, ghrelin and boosts the levels of peptide YY, that makes you feel full.
A small amount of good quality, ethically reared meat is a perfect source of protein and lean, fresh biltong ticks all the right boxes to provide the ideal amount of protein to your diet.
Reason #4: Biltong Is Non-Processed and Gluten and Sugar Free
The traditional biltong spices used in the curing and air-drying process do not have names you’d expect to find in a chemistry set! The vast majority are natural ingredients, such as salt, pepper, vinegar, coriander, chillies, & garlic.
Obviously, the long-life biltong you get in a sealed packet has to have some preservative and O2 absorbers to keep it fresh and dry in storage. However, there’s nothing quite like fresh, lean, fine cut biltong as one of the most beneficial snacks around.
Biltong is suitable for coeliacs, diabetics and those who are gluten intolerant (Note: always check the ingredients list - some modern spice mixes have traces of gluten)
Reason #5: Biltong is Great Value for Money
“What?” I hear you cry!
"Have you seen the price of biltong? It’s anything up to £50 per kilo: that’s not cheap!”
Aah - but we didn’t say it’s cheap: we said it’s great value for money!👌
That’s because it takes 2kg of meat to produce 1kg of biltong. During the drying process, the meat loses around half of its moisture content, which is how the flavours become so full and intense. The meat itself is also important. Truly excellent biltong is made using only the best cuts, such as silverside and rump - ideally from grass fed, ethically raised animals.
Unashamed Self Promotion Alert! Sign up to The Biltong Merchant and create an account to get 15% off all our biltong products on your first order
What better place to regularly buy biltong online? Enough said. 😉
Reason #6: Biltong and the Ethics
There are other, more serious reasons for choosing biltong over other meat snacks, especially when times are tight and every purchase matters. Vegetarianism and Veganism are on the rise - quite rightly, given the impact on our environment of mass-farming and global over-consumption.
All the more important, then, to make your meat choice wisely and make it count!
Our producers are happy to tell customers where their meat comes from and how it’s raised - you can’t say that about a cheap fast food chain!
Reason #7: Biltong Is Bloody Delicious!
End of.
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