Jerky meat is a popular snack among meat lovers. Jerky meat can be made from animal meats, including pork, beef, chicken, and duck. Over the past years, people have introduced fish jerky made from either tuna, salmon, or mackerel.
Yes, it may seem unconventional to have fish jerky considering how smelly dried fish can get, but when it’s marinated with spices, the smell is not as strong. And the fact that tuna jerky is white meat and offers consumers many health benefits makes it all the more appealing.
Read on and find out why tuna jerky should be your go-to snack.
7 Reasons Why You Should Make Tuna Jerky Your Go-To Snack
You may be used to animal types of jerky such that the sound of tuna jerky seems unconventional, but don’t knock it off before you try it. Tuna is a highly nutritious type of fish. And you can be sure that tuna jerky offers you all these benefits plus unique flavors.
1. High source of protein and other minerals
Most meat jerky is made of red meat except for chicken and tuna. So you can be sure you are eating the healthier option of jerky. And compared to beef jerky, tuna jerky has a higher protein content.
For instance, an ounce of tuna jerky contains about 9 grams of protein, which is 50% more than beef jerky.
2. Source of omega-3 fatty acids
Fish is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, so by eating tuna jerky, you are assured of getting your daily dose of healthy fats. Fatty acids are known to prevent inflammation and lower the risk of heart diseases. They also help improve your brain function and regulate blood pressure. So make tuna jerky a part of your snack diet.
And compared to beef jerky, tuna jerky does not have unsaturated fats. If you love tuna jerky and want to make some at home, you can also use oilier fish such as sardines, salmon, trout, and mackerel. Because of its nutrient content and health benefits, tuna is considered a superfood.
3. Vitamin D
Tuna jerky is rich in vitamin D, which helps calcium absorption by your bones, thus ensuring you have a strong and healthy bone structure. It also helps prevent muscle spasms and severe headaches.
4. Rich in minerals
Tuna jerky is also rich in minerals such as iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, and selenium, which contain antioxidants that help boost your immune system. The antioxidants also help your body fight free radicals, which can cause severe diseases like cancer.
The presence of iron and B vitamins helps strengthen your blood cells, which boosts blood circulation while improving the oxidation of body organs. Thus preventing the formation of blood clots and enhancing the performance of your artery walls, and this ultimately lowers the risk of experiencing a stroke by 30%.
The presence of potassium minerals helps your body maintain fluid balance and the regular functioning of your kidneys. Thus, you can be sure that having tuna jerky will help you lower your chances of having kidney disease.
5. Environmentally friendly
Beef jerky production is responsible for approximately 6% of all gas emissions contributing to the ozone layer’s destruction. And don’t forget that people have been continuously destroying forests and other natural habitats to make way for grazing pastures and farming facilities to raise more animals.
However, tuna jerky production has a low carbon footprint, but overfishing can still lead to declining or endangering tuna species. It can also endanger other fish species such as dolphins and predatory fishes that rely on tuna as their food, thereby causing an imbalance in the ecosystem.
And when they are fishing, they work on minimizing pollution by ensuring that the boats do not go more than 50 miles away from the shores.
For this reason, many companies specializing in tuna jerky production rely on sustainable fishing, ensuring that they do not fish more than necessary. This ensures that plenty of tuna remains in the ocean, thus maintaining the ecosystem.
Since fishing in the wild can’t provide enough fish for tuna jerky production, most companies prefer to rear their own fish in ponds organically.
When buying tuna jerky, you must ensure that they are safe and eco-friendly. So look for terms like “dolphin friendly” or “sustainably-caught” on the packaging.
6. White meat
When people hear of meat, most of them think of red meat. And most people tend to purchase hot dogs, beef jerky, and sausages as comfort or junk food. And according to WHO, processed red meats are carcinogenic. And there is a possibility that people will stop taking red meat in the next few years and switch to white meat. You can already see this trend among fitness enthusiasts.
In the 1970s, there was a surge in the consumption of red meat. But this has trickled down while consumption of seafood has doubled. So it’s not a wonder that more people prefer to eat tuna jerky and other fish products to beef jerky or other processed red meat.
7. A great source of energy
Fish is highly nutritious and helps enhance metabolism and increase energy levels due to B vitamins, high-protein content, and omega-3 fatty acids. That is why many athletes prefer tuna jerky to beef jerky, as it shortens their recovery time when training and provides them with the energy required for their high-intensity training.
Final Thoughts
Jerky makes an excellent snack for road trips, hiking, and during movie nights. It’s a great way to get your daily recommended protein intake.
While red meat is superb, white meat is better and healthier. The benefits listed in this article should leave you in no doubt regarding that.
So consider making tuna jerky your go-to snack as it has a load of health benefits, offers you a higher protein content, and has no saturated fats.
