Wednesday, 27 July 2016

Get To Know The Freaking Delicious Meat Protein Bars?

Proteins can be obtained from nuts, dairy, beans, legumes and grains but lean meat is loaded with proteins. Marathon runners need 50% more proteins than an average person. Therefore biting animal sourced meat protein bars makes sense.

What is a meat protein bar?

Meat- based protein bar is generally made from grass-fed beef including dried fruits and spices. You get a clean unprocessed protein in a soft, chewy form and real meat flavour.

Why meat protein from grass fed animals?

Grass-fed animal meat is lean. It contains high level of good fats, beneficial antioxidants, and other such nutrients such as minerals and vitamins. Your body does not produce Omega 3, which can be obtained from other sources. Grass fed animals meat has five times more Omega 3 than grain-fed.

Protein from animal source contribute necessary amino acids to the body, which helps to -

  • Build & maintain muscle mass
  • Manufacture hormones & enzymes
  • Synthesize immune system & red blood corpuscles
  • Repair damaged or wounded tissues
  • Supplies energy

Why meat protein bar is getting popular?

Clean intake

Meat bars are usually organic because they are cooked from grass fed beef, blended with flavoured spices, fruits and veggies. You get a clean and unprocessed bar to consume.

No processed ingredients

Real meat is used to make these bars. It means the bars do not include processed whey protein or chalky soy protein or additives or sugar alcohols (causes stomach upset).

Taste

Jerky is adored because of its flavour. Meat bars are hybrid jerky sticks that include real meat flavour along with raw fruit/veggie sweetness. These bars are soft and chewy.

Ideal for snacking

Meat bars are low in calories and extremely nutritional, so ideal for snacking, anywhere. They fill and satisfy you.

Easy to carry

Sometime ago carrying turkey leg or grilled chicken was not feasible, so people ate processed protein bar. However, powerful meat bars are easy to carry in your pockets and you can enjoy real animal protein, anywhere. You can keep them in your desk drawer or throw one in your handbag, so as to gain energy and sustain till the next meal.

Why Is Biltong A Popular Snack?

Biltong is four centuries old, beef snack of South Africa. It is cured in highly nutritious manner. It is very different than jerky in preparation, taste and overall nutritional value.

History

Many stories originate about its start off, but one fact is consistent that it has been around for years. Its purpose was to preserve the large quantity of meat, which were hunted for future use. Using vinegar, salt and available spices as curing solution they hung strips of meat on tree branches. After some days in the sun, the meat was ready to be preserved and to be carried on their journey.

How is Bil Tong prepared today?

Today, Bil Tong rings a bell about primitive days but with few modern twists. Before air-drying the meat is marinated in a solution of spices, salt and vinegar. Instead of branches, drying cabinets are used. The Bil Tong gets dried slowly in a consistent temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Beef is the common variety of meat used to prepare Bil Tong. The most used cut is the silverside. However, you can prepare it from variety of meats ranging from Ostrich to Kudu. It is trimmed and cut into strips of 1” or 2” thickness. It is placed in a solution of salt and vinegar first to cure before it gets bathed in special spices and herb mixture.

The Bil Tong is then left to relax and get rid of some moisture in the dryer. Once it reaches correct dryness, you can eat it straightaway or store it.

Bil Tong is popular snack?

Bil Tong is very popular snack among athletes or for those looking for energy boost because it is rich in protein but relatively low in fats. It is a healthy option in comparison to chips, chocolate and biscuits. Therefore it has become popular at home and among those who travel or are at work.

Why is Bil Tong a great snack?

Bil Tong is prepared from twice the weight of meat, therefore is a great source of concentrated nutrients. For example, 100 gm of Bil Tong means you need 200 gm beef in the start. It includes 57.2 gm protein and is gluten free.

Bil Tong is convenient to buy because of its popularity. It does not need refrigeration and a resealed packet can keep up for three days.

Thursday, 23 June 2016

The Role of High Protein Snacks in Staying Healthy and Fit

Protein in required by our bodies on a daily basis, whether we take these from animal or green sources. It's their quality that matters, which is why you must check their source, the methods employed, as well as the other ingredients that go along with the protein.

Replacing common treats like pastries or ice cream with high protein snacks has the potential to create spectacular changes in your energy levels, mood and exercise stamina. It will soon shape your body in ways you've never hoped.

Common snacks are loaded with trans fats, additives, fattening carbohydrates and more. When you are replacing these with protein, you're basically saying no to a thicker adipose layer and welcoming a leaner figure. The extra protein will even help with your muscle building efforts. The leaner you get, the easier it becomes to maintain that healthy weight and toned aspect.


When you consume snacks that are quick to give you energy (a chocolate bar, a muffin etc.), you're getting a sudden spike in blood sugar levels. Soon it crashes and it leaves you grumpy and drained. This is obviously no good solution. Protein, on the other hand, sustains many bodily processes and you get strength and energy for the tasks ahead.

If you are exercising regularly and intensely, your muscles are stressed and need adequate nutrition to be rebuilt. This is why gym goers try their best to supplement with protein before and after each workout. Thus they provide what their muscles require in order to be repaired and grow in volume. If you simply go for the easy, sugary snack options, you will soon be drained and your body will have almost nothing to use but empty calories.

Besides the common protein supplements, you can also try the tasty meat snacks available on the market. Meat doesn't only come with the main meals of the day. You can have dried and spicy meat shreds in a bag, as a convenient on-the-go snack. Specialised manufacturers use natural ingredients and traditional drying and marinating methods to obtain one of the healthiest protein snacks you could imagine.

Try a bag of beef jerky or the African biltong and you can even sample some amazingly exotic flavours. There's now such an easy way to consume protein wherever you may be, even if it's from meat.

Protein Snacks Are the Secret to Staying Fit

Even when people make an effort to have healthy meals with all the required macro nutrients, they tend to miss one very important aspect: snacking. You may have had a balanced meal with high quality protein, healthy fats, fiber and some carbs, but you ruin it by indulging in treats like candies and jellies, fizzy drinks, chocolate, ice cream, waffles and so on. These have plenty of refined sugar, additives and especially carbs, making you sluggish in the long run, irritable and eventually fat.

There is a better way of snacking. If you want to lose weight, get fit or stay lean, you must pay attention to all that you eat or drink between meals. Wrong choices will derail you from your fitness goal. More and more people have turned to alternatives like protein bars – because these are packed with all the good nutrients and their flavor and texture are only getting better. Besides protein bars, however, you have the incredible meat snacks. We are talking about actual lean meat, with no additives and without the fat.

The ultimate meaty snack comes in the form of jerky. This is not only made of beef, but also of turkey or pork. The best results are obtained when jerky is prepared the traditional way: drying meat using salt and softening it with a tasty marinade, made of natural ingredients (spices, lemon juice etc.). Therefore, not only that you're not loading your body with unhealthy additives that increase the toxicity levels, but you're also getting a good quantity of protein to support your fitness ambitions.

In the same category with jerky is biltong, an African dried meat specialty. This looks like shredded meat once it's prepared. The method does not involve the use of salt. The fresh meat is simply air dried in optimal conditions and spiced with various mixtures to achieve the desired taste. It can be eaten as it is, on the go, or combined with other healthy ingredients like homemade dips, nut butters etc.

Consuming such high protein snacks is a way to control one's weight and avoid loading on fat (or fattening substances). It means adequate nutrition for the muscles, which is going to support those gym efforts.

The Advantages of Eating Dried Meat like Jerky as a Source of Protein

Most frequently, people who welcome meat in their diet tend to believe that any kind of meat is good for them. Besides the medical concerns, there are fitness-related reasons as to why certain types are beneficial while others are not recommended. 

When we are talking about gym goers, athletes, weight lifters or simply people who want to lose weight, not all meat protein is the same. First of all, you want a good quality meat, from animals grown on pastures. Secondly, you want to get a good quantity of protein from what's in your plate. A piece containing fat will not have the same effects on your body as a lean steak. Ingested fat thickens one's adipose tissue so they will have to work harder at the gym. 


If you want meat without all the unnecessary grease or fat, then you must always make sure you're choosing lean varieties and cooking them in a healthy way (preferably grilled and with vegetables on the side, not sauce). If you require protein snacks to supplement your protein intake, then you have one handy and very tasty option. It's called dried meat, it's marinated and enriched with many incredible flavors, from spices to sweet mixes. 

In this category you have the popular beef jerky, its pork and turkey alternatives and the biltong, representing southern African tradition. This is still very little known to the average consumer. However, one should know that biltong is so much more than a delicacy. It is indeed similar to beef jerky, but there are important differences. 

Biltong is the name for dried cured meat – usually beef, but also ostrich or various game. It is cut in narrow strips and has a strong flavor from the spices used. Compared to beef jerky, it is produced in a different way. The method is rooted in ancient African meat preservation techniques. Vinegar is often used here to kill dangerous bacteria in the meat. There is no smoking or salt drying. As for the condiments, black pepper, coriander, brown sugar and salt are traditionally used. This is the standard recipe, but modern cuisine has come up with new additions. 

Dried meat products are packed with protein, without the carbs or the fat, nor the noxious additives. These get to support your fitness goals and provide the body with excellent nutrition. Have dried meat on the go whenever you need that extra protein to keep you going.