Is Biltong Actually Healthy? Here's the Honest Answer
Biltong gets marketed as a health food. Most of the time that's justified — but there are caveats worth knowing. Here's an honest breakdown of the nutrition.
Biltong gets a lot of health halo. High protein, low carb, minimal ingredients — it sounds almost too good. And mostly, it is what it claims to be. But there are a few things worth understanding before you start eating it by the bag.
What’s actually in it (nutritionally)
A 25g serving of quality biltong typically gives you:
- 15–17g protein — roughly the same as two eggs
- 0–1g carbs — effectively zero
- 0g sugar — none added, none naturally present
- 3–5g fat — mostly from natural beef fat, varies by cut
- Around 80–90 calories
For a snack that size, that’s an exceptional protein-to-calorie ratio. It’s one of the densest natural protein sources you can buy ready to eat.
Why the protein numbers are so high
Biltong loses around 40–50% of its original weight during drying — almost entirely water. What’s left is concentrated. You’re essentially getting the nutritional value of a much larger piece of raw beef in a small, shelf-stable package. No fillers, no bulking agents — the density is real.
The sodium caveat
This is the honest part. Biltong uses salt as a core part of the curing process, and the finished product has a meaningful sodium content — typically 600–900mg per 100g depending on the maker.
That’s not alarming in context. A slice of bread has around 200mg. A bowl of canned soup can hit 800mg. But if you’re eating biltong in volume — say, 100g as a snack — you’re taking on a significant chunk of your daily sodium allowance. Worth knowing, not a reason to avoid it.
What it doesn’t have
This is where quality biltong genuinely stands apart from most snacks:
- No nitrates or nitrites (unlike most cured meats)
- No artificial preservatives
- No added sugar
- No flavour enhancers
- Short, readable ingredient list
The vinegar, salt, and drying process do the preservation work. That’s how it’s always been done.
What to watch for on labels
Not all biltong is made the same way. Some commercial versions — particularly the supermarket own-brands — add sugar to the marinade, use flavour enhancers, or shorten the drying time and compensate with preservatives. If the ingredient list has more than six or seven items, it’s worth a closer look.
Real biltong: beef, salt, vinegar, coriander, pepper. That’s the standard. Anything significantly beyond that is a variation you should be able to explain.
The verdict
For most people, quality biltong is genuinely one of the better snack options available — especially if you’re trying to hit a protein target without loading up on sugar or ultra-processed ingredients. The sodium is the main thing to be aware of if you’re eating it daily in large quantities.
Eat it because it tastes good and the numbers work for your diet. Not because someone put “clean protein” on the packaging.
Kured biltong uses beef, malt vinegar, coriander, black pepper, and salt. Nothing else. Join the waitlist to be first to know when we launch.