Is Beef Jerky Low Carb?
Yes, beef jerky makes amazing low-carb and keto snack. It easily fits in your work bag, purse, or gym bag, making it a convenient snack that you can take with you anywhere at any time. There are a variety of different types from different brands that range from low carb to higher carbs. When in doubt you should always check the nutrition label to ensure it matches the needs of your nutritional and weight loss goals. Here’s an easy guide to the best beef jerky low carb options out there.
Which Low Carb Diets Can You Eat Beef Jerky On?
Beef jerky can fit into any low-carb meal plan:
- Keto (Ketogenic Diet)
- Low Carb
- Low Carb, High Fat
- Atkins
- Low-Carb Paleo
- Carnivore Diet
Just ensure that you pick the low-carb options out there so you don’t get any unwanted and hidden sugars. They can be the ultimate keto-friendly snacks, just look for zero sugar options. They easily fit into other low-carb lifestyles, with most varieties having 6 grams of total carbs or less per serving. Many are made with lean cuts of beef. If you are on a diet that looks to add high-quality fat into your daily goals, then look for bacon jerky or other fattier cuts of meat. Jerky has a high protein content, so it is an excellent choice for a healthy snack.
When you are choosing your beef jerky make sure to carefully read the nutrition label and ingredient list. Depending on your dietary needs you will want to look out for artificial preservatives, artificial sweeteners and other items in addition to grams of carbs.
What is Beef Jerky
Beef Jerky is fully cooked meat, typically low in fat, that is dried. This process is done to keep the meat from spoiling and gives it a long shelf life. Over the years it has evolved into the perfect snack.
The Beef:
Combining simple ingredients it has developed into a culinary art form. Today you will find a wide variety of meats that are turned into jerky such as:
- Grass-fed beef
- Wagyu Beef
- Turkey
- Bison/Buffalo
- Elk
- Venison
Types of Beef Jerky:
You will also find different types of jerky products ranging from all kinds of shapes including traditional strips, beef sticks, jerky snack bites and more.
Jerky Flavors:
Then comes the flavors. In the past we’ve seen some companies add garlic powder or onion powder to spice things up. Today it seems that companies are competing for the most unique flavors. Some of the most widely found varieties include:
- Black pepper
- Brown Sugar
- Sea salt
- Traditional beef jerky
- Soy Sauce
- Habanero
But it doesn’t stop here. There’s a buffet of different meat and flavor combinations out there to satisfy almost anyone’s pallet.
What adds carbs in Beef Jerky?
Carbs in beef jerky comes from added sugars. Many different jerky brands have added sweeteners like sugar, honey, and molasses to develop a wide array of flavors.
But fear not, there are many different options that range from keto-friendly options, like sugar-free beef jerky, to other tasty flavors that fit any low-carb diet.
Nutritional Information for the Top Beef Jerky Brands
Let’s take a look a some of the most popular beef jerky brands. These companies offer a more choices than the ones below, but this will give you a good window into what to look for when keeping to a low-carb or keto lifestyle. Under each brand you will find the different jerkies listed from lowest to highest carbs.
To compare all of the brands equally, the serving size for each option below is 1 oz.
Best Beef Jerky Low Carb Options
Thrive
Thrive is a great choice for low carb and keto dieters. Not only do they have a great selection of flavors, but they also have a lot of zero sugar choices.
Turkey Original:
80 Calories, 1 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar. 1 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 14 g Protein,.
Beef Sea Salt:
60 Calories, 1 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 12 g Protein.
Beef Original:
60 Calories, 2 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 1 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 13 g Protein,.
Pork Sweet Spicy:
90 Calories, 2 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 1 g Fiber, 3 g Fat, 13 g Protein,.
Jack Links
Jack Links has a wide variety of Jerky types and flavors. They range from 0 carbs to around 9 g of carbs. They come in jerky, sticks, chew, bites, strips, sausages, and more. Their flavors include the typical offerings of original, barbecue, hickory, teriyaki, sweet & hot; to more unique options such as spicy dill pickle, smokin’ hot peach, and even Dorito flavored options. Make sure to look out for their zero sugar options which make the perfect keto snack.
Zero Sugar Original Beef Jerky:
70 Calories, 0g Carbs, 0g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 2 g Fat, 13g Protein
Hickory Smoked Bacon Jerky
120 Calories, 1g Carbs, 1g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 8 g Fat, 11g Protein
Original Beef Jerky:
80 Calories, 6g Carbs, 6g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 10g Protein
Slim Jim
Best known for their jerky sticks, Slim Jim is one of the OG brands. They’ve expanded past sticks and also offer traditional jerky as well as other products. For those on a high-fat diet, take a look a their Bacon Jerky.
Hickory Smoked Bacon Jerky
120 Calories, <1 g Carbs, <1 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 8 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Slim Jim Steakhouse Strips, Smokin’ Mesquite
90 Calories, 4 g Carbs, 4 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 3.5 g Fat, 8 g Protein
Slim Jim Original Sticks
131 Calories, 5.25 g Carbs, 0.8 g Sugar, 0.8 g Fiber, 9.6 g Fat, 5.23 g Protein
Country Archer
Country Archer offers a zero sugar line of beef jerky that are high in grams of protein and come in a variety of tasty flavors.
Zero Sugar Line
Grass-Fed Beef Jerky Classic
70 Calories, 2 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 12 g Protein
Grass-Fed Beef Jerky Mustard BBQ
70 Calories, 2 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 12 g Protein
Grass-Fed Beef Jerky Spicy Sesame Garlic
70 Calories, 2 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 2.5 g Fat, 11 g Protein
Additional Jerky Options
Mango Habanero Beef Jerky
70 Calories, 5 g Carbs, 4 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Original Beef Jerky
70 Calories, 6 g Carbs, 4 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 9 g Protein
Teriyaki Beef Jerky
70 Calories, 6 g Carbs, 5 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Tillamook
Tillamook also offers zero sugar beef jerky options. They have also expanded beyond the typical jerky line. For those looking for a higher-fat snack check out their smoked sausages. Make sure you read the labels before you enjoy these meat snacks, as some of their options do have more sugars in their ingredient list.
Country Smoker Zero Sugar Smoked Sausages
120 Calories, 0 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 9 g Fat, 9 g Protein
Country Smoker Zero Sugar Beef Jerky, Teriyaki
70 Calories, 0 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 14 g Protein
Country Smoker Told Fashioned Beef Jerky
80 Calories, 7 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Country Smoker Teriyaki Beef Jerky
90 Calories, 7 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 2.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Country Smoker Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper Beef Jerky
80 Calories, 7 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Country Smoker Honey Glazed Beef Jerky
90 Calories, 7 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 2.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Perky Jerky
Going beyond just beef, Perky Jerky has some more unique offerings. The Chimichurri Wagyu Beef Jerky is the lowest carb option.
Chimichurri Wagyu Beef Jerky
80 Calories, 3 g Carbs, 1 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 12 g Protein
Original Turkey Jerky
80 Calories, 8 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Original Beef Jerky
90 Calories, 9 g Carbs, 8 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Sweet and Snappy Turkey Jerky
80 Calories, 8 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
People’s Choice Beef Jerky
For the lower carb jerky snacks look to People’s Choice’s zero carb options. They are full of flavor and packed with protein.
Original Beef Jerky, Zero Carbs
90 Calories, 0 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 2.5 g Fat, 16 g Protein
Teriyaki Beef Jerky
80 Calories, 8 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 10 g Protein
Hot & Spicy Beef Jerky
90 Calories, 8 g Carbs, 7 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 1.5 g Fat, 9 g Protein
Old Trapper
Old Trapper also offers zero sugar options to fit into your diet goals.
Zero Sugar Beef Jerky
70 Calories, 2 g Carbs, 0 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0.5 g Fat, 14 g Protein
Old Fashioned Beef Jerky
70 Calories, 6 g Carbs, 5 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0 g Fat, 11 g Protein
Peppered Beef Jerky
70 Calories, 6 g Carbs, 5 g Sugar, 0 g Fiber, 0 g Fat, 11 g Protein
The good news is that all of the top brands offer low-carb or no carb beef jerky options. So get out there and start tasting them to find out which one is your favorite.