The Top 10 Healthiest Beef Jerky Brands Available Today

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When you’re hungry and craving protein, beef jerky delivers the energy boost you need. Sinking your teeth into savory, salty meat when you’re running from one errand to the next can liven up your day. Staying active and on the move calls for high-quality beef jerky, but who wants to spend time scouring ingredient lists, deciphering cryptic certification marks that resemble another language while comparing brands, when you really just want to grab a bag and go? With options like sticks, jerky, biltong, and other cured meats … well, it’s a meaty abundance of options.

Beef jerky stands apart from smoky, sausage-like sticks or cured, air-dried biltong, both of which are softer and have a tender chew. Jerky is thinly sliced beef that’s dehydrated and seasoned and is typically tough and chewy in texture. Not all beef jerky is created equal, so I reached out to Judy Cho, board-certified holistic nutrition and functional medicine practitioner, to get her take on the best jerky to fuel on-the-go energy needs. Cho, a best-selling author and podcast host of Nutrition with Judy, shared her insights.

“Life is … about balance,” says Judy Cho, founder of Empower Functional Health. “Eating less-than-ideal beef jerky occasionally probably won’t hurt, just don’t make it a staple in your diet,” she says. Even if you can’t find jerky that meets the gold standard, she notes that it’s still a better choice than most processed snacks. “Ideally, you want to look for beef jerky with zero added sugar, no alcohol, no MSG, no natural flavors, and natural preservatives like salt, celery juice powder, rosemary, or vinegar,” Cho advises. It should also be soy-, gluten-, and GMO-free.

A top pick and customer favorite, People’s Choice Beef Jerky is one of the few brands Judy Cho recommends. She prefers grass-finished beef as the optimal protein, but People’s Choice Original Jerky keeps it simple with minimal ingredients that include beef, water, sea salt, spices, and garlic. 

“It’s made with conventional grain-finished beef,” she notes, “but you can purchase larger bags of this at a discounted price and store it in the fridge to last longer.” She adds that it’s not as soft as beef sticks or bars, which could make it more difficult to chew for those with sensitive teeth.

People’s Choice Beef Jerky boasts 16 grams of protein per serving, giving you the equivalent of a couple ounces of fresh beef, but with the convenience of portability and a long shelf life. Compared to other brands on the list, this beef jerky has a slightly higher sodium content. Regarding the concern about added salt in jerky, Cho explains, “Salt isn’t inherently bad for you. In fact, it’s essential for fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle function.” Furthermore, Cho adds, studies have found moderate salt intake supports health and electrolyte balance.

Mojave Jerky Co. Signature Southwestern comes pretty close to being a top-tier jerky option, checking off most of Judy Cho’s ideal jerky traits with no alcohol, MSG, natural flavors, soy, gluten, or GMOs. “Looks like a good option because of the minimal ingredients, no added sugar, and lemon concentrate used as the preservative,” Cho says. 

The short ingredient list includes guajillo chili powder and cracked red pepper, which are usually fine for many people. However, Cho cautions that those managing autoimmunity or deeper root causes would do best to avoid it due to the nightshade ingredients.

Mojave Jerky Co. Signature Southwestern-style beef jerky packs 17 grams of protein into a 1-ounce serving, which is on the higher end compared to other beef jerky brands on our list. “The target protein range is about 10 to 15 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving for high-quality beef jerky,” Cho explains. “Lower protein amounts may indicate fillers or added fat,” she says, “[and] fillers aren’t ideal, but animal fats can be, so checking the ingredients is always key.”

Traditional jerky is dehydrated and seasoned, but Carnivore Snax, while not be marketed as jerky, is air-dried and salted. But unlike jerky’s tough chew, these air-dried beef slices are crispy, like chips. A top recommendation from Judy Cho, Carnivore Snax consists of just two ingredients: beef and salt. What makes them really stand out is the quality of those ingredients. 

“The beef is grass-finished from regenerative farms,” Cho explains, “and they use Redmond’s unrefined mineral salt.” Regenerative farms are all located in the U.S. and the company prides itself on its close relationships with the farmers who supply its beef.

Though jerky, sticks, and biltong offer variations of convenient beef snacks, Cho informs us that, “In terms of health, the only thing that can differ is the ingredients used during processing, but that’s more brand specific.” All of the different meat snack categories, she says, can be made with high-quality ingredients or marred by undesirable additives and less-than-ideal ingredients. 

“What matters in the bigger picture,” Cho emphasizes, “is understanding that beef jerky is a better snack or meal replacement. From there, understanding the nuances between different types can help you choose the option that best fits your personal needs.”

Sporting a minimal ingredient list and promises of being gluten free, soy free, and made without preservatives, Rogue Jerky Co. Signature Hickory beef jerky contains beef, water, sea salt, garlic, onion, spices, and natural hickory smoke flavor. 

Though this artisanal beef jerky brand is not personally recommended by Judy Cho, its hickory variety has no sugar or MSG, making it suitable for those who can enjoy seasonings without an adverse reaction. Rogue Jerky Co. jerky is hand-made in small batches to ensure consistently fresh, high-quality flavor.

Cho advises caution with Rogue Jerky Co.’s other three flavors — maple and brown sugar, bonfire bourbon, and cherry chipotle — due to added sugar. These flavor varieties also contain citric acid, she explains, and while most folks can tolerate it without issues, a small number of people with CIRS, SIFO, or mold toxicity may experience a negative reaction.

Lorissa’s Kitchen offers a seasoned and smoked beef jerky that comes close to ideal. With multiple certifications to ensure an allergen-friendly product, Lorissa’s Kitchen jerky is free of sugar, nitrates, gluten, MSG, GMOs, wheat, soy, and preservatives. Though not explicitly endorsed by Judy Cho, Lorissa’s Kitchen meets most of her criteria for a healthy jerky. 

She considers it a solid choice for those who tolerate seasonings well, especially for those seeking grass-fed and finished beef. “Some people need to avoid seasonings,” Cho says, “but even if you eat less-than-ideal beef jerky with seasonings that aren’t the cleanest once in a while, then it shouldn’t be an issue.”

Added ingredients like garlic, onion, and black pepper could cause upset in individuals with a compromised system. But for those who don’t have specific issues, these seasonings lend complementary spice and umami to beef. Lorissa’s Kitchen uses natural preservatives like vinegar, rosemary, and celery. The ingredient list includes yeast extract, which boosts flavor and enhances the jerky’s overall taste. However, Cho advises avoiding “natural flavors,” as they often indicate lab-processed chemicals. “Vague guidelines allow companies to list natural and artificial flavors as a catch-all loophole,” she explains, “so you never know what you’re really getting.”

Cattaneo Bros. offers a range of various beef jerky products, including different cut styles and specialty flavors. When you’re about to drop a good chunk of change on store-bought beef jerky, you want it to match or surpass the quality of homemade beef jerky. Otherwise, why spend the money? To find the best option, Judy Cho advises looking for 100% beef, sea salt, mineral salt, and natural preservatives like vinegar, rosemary, or celery. The fewer ingredients, the better, she says. Avoid ingredients like wheat, soy, MSG, sugar, high fructose corn syrup, nitrates, and artificial sweeteners.

Following Cho’s guidance, we found Cattaneo Bros. offers one option to suit your jerky needs: Range beef jerky with 100% grass-fed beef. Additional ingredients include seasonings and natural preservatives. Three other options (original in various cuts) come close but include sodium nitrite. Cho notes this isn’t an issue if it’s consumed only occasionally.

Minimal Snacks makes air-dried beef jerky that’s enhanced with shiitake mushroom powder — a popular method for adding depth, richness, and extra umami to a variety of dishes and recipes. Whether it’s to deepen a hearty stew or complement the flavor of risotto, mushroom powder is popping up in more and more food products, even coffee. In this case, mushroom powder contributes a little oomph to some dried beef.

Judy Cho doesn’t specifically recommend Minimal Snacks, but the company is aptly named because the ingredients are minimal. Made with 100% beef muscle meat, seasoned with shiitake extract and salt, and preserved with red wine vinegar and rosemary, this beef jerky is free of sugar, soy, MSG, and nitrates. One package is packed with 24 grams of protein but unlike many of the other brands on this list, Minimal Snacks considers 1.5 ounces a serving, instead of 1 ounce. Compared with the other brands, this jerky has 16 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving.

Lucky Jerky Original Beef Jerky is crafted from beef raised in Nebraska without antibiotics, growth hormones, or other drug treatments. The beef is hanger-aged, then wet-aged for at least 35 days before being cut. Nebraska Star Beef, the main ingredient in Lucky Jerky, comes from a family-owned producer that also grows its own corn to feed the cattle. The jerky is made from premium rounds, which are then sliced thick, seasoned, and dehydrated using a heat-based process that removes moisture to create tender strips of meat.

Though Lucky Jerky beef jerky contains more than just a few ingredients, it is free from MSG and nitrates and is crafted in small batches. Lucky Jerky does include two types of sugar, which Judy Cho notes is less than optimal. “But if you don’t have sugar addiction issues, eating beef jerky with added sugar now and then probably won’t hurt,” she says. With 8 grams of protein per 1-ounce serving, Lucky Jerky’s protein content is lower than most of the other brands on this list.

Think Jerky Classic Beef Jerky offers meat lovers 100% grass-fed beef jerky that’s seasoned, sweetened, and contains no nitrates. Founded with the goal of creating healthier, great-tasting jerky, the company partnered with celebrity chefs to craft distinctive recipes to give jerky fans a variety of flavorful options. While not recommended by Judy Cho due to the added sugar, restaurateur and chef Doug Sohn’s recipe for Think Jerky Classic has a short ingredient list that includes brown cane sugar, sea salt, orange concentrate, garlic, onion, and black pepper.

Jerky fans have mixed commentary when it comes to Think Jerky and its variety of options, but many appreciated the fresh, high-quality product. Overall, the jerky has received positive reviews, but the sugar content had some customers raising their eyebrows. Others enjoyed the softer nature of Think Jerky pieces, while some felt it was hard to chew.

Field Trip Jerky has a slightly longer ingredient list than some brands on this list, but it is made from 100% grass-fed beef. It’s also free from nitrates, MSG, preservatives, and artificial sweeteners. Field Trip Jerky earns a spot despite including soy, brown sugar, alcohol, and a variety of seasonings, since the term healthy can vary by individual. Judy Cho emphasizes that moderation is key to overall health and balance when choosing beef jerky.

If you’re looking for a solid choice of beef jerky and are flexible with added ingredients, then Field Trip Jerky fits the bill. It doesn’t get treated with chemical preservatives, which Cho advises against due to the chemical additives being exposed to heat, and instead the jerky is treated with natural preservatives like vinegar, pineapple juice, apple juice, and ginger. 

“It’s best to make this decision [re: choosing beef jerky] based on any personal sensitivities to the different processing methods,” Cho advises, adding, “If you eat a dehydrated product, make sure to hydrate as the water is all removed.”