Beef jerky macros: what you're actually getting per 100g

Beef jerky is one of the most protein-dense snacks you can carry, but the numbers on the label vary wildly depending on how the product is made and what goes into the marinade. A standard commercial jerky delivers roughly 33-43g of protein per 100g.

A grass-fed jerky made from lean, fully dehydrated beef can reach 70g or higher. This article walks through what beef jerky macros actually look like per 100g, how each macro behaves in your body, how to match those numbers to your fitness goals, and what to look for when reading a label.

TL;DR

Most commercial beef jerky contains 33-43g protein, 25-26g fat, 10-11g carbs, and around 410 kcal per 100g
Grass-fed, minimally processed jerky can exceed 70g of protein per 100g when made from lean cuts and fully dehydrated
All carbohydrates in beef jerky come from the marinade, not the meat; a clean jerky can sit at under 5g per 100g
Sodium is the one figure to watch for daily snackers; pair jerky with potassium-rich foods if you eat it regularly
Grass-fed sourcing, air-drying without oil, and no added sugar are the three things that separate a genuinely nutritious jerky from a processed one

What "macros" actually mean for a dried meat snack

Macronutrients, or macros, are the three categories your body uses for energy and tissue repair: protein, fat, and carbohydrates. When people talk about tracking macros, they mean logging these figures daily to hit targets for weight loss, muscle building, or general health.

Beef jerky behaves differently to most foods on a macro tracker, and it is worth knowing why. Fresh beef is roughly 60-70% water by weight. During dehydration, that water is removed almost entirely, which means every gram of protein, fat, and mineral that remains gets compressed into a much smaller, denser package. To make 100g of finished jerky, you typically start with 300-400g of raw beef. That concentration is why the numbers on a quality jerky label look impressive compared to, say, a chicken breast.

The quality of the starting material matters enormously here. A lean, grass-fed cut will produce a very different nutritional result from a lower-grade, grain-fed trim. You can read more about how sourcing shapes the final product in Bali Forages' behind-the-curtain look at their local farming partnerships, which gives a clear picture of why these decisions matter before the jerky is even made.

Beef jerky macros per 100g: the numbers

Here is how a standard commercial beef jerky compares to Bali Forages' grass-fed options per 100g:

Macro	Market average (per 100g)	Bali Forages Original (per 100g)	Bali Forages Chili (per 100g)
Protein	33-43g	70g	66g
Fat	25-26g	4g	8g
Carbohydrates	10-11g	10g	8g
Calories	~410 kcal	~380 kcal	~400 kcal

The protein figure is the one that stands out. At 70g per 100g, the Bali Forages Beef Jerky Original delivers roughly double the protein of most commercial options, with considerably less fat. The fat figure at 4g per 100g is particularly low for a beef product, which is a direct result of the leanness of the grass-fed cattle sourced from Balinese smallholder farms combined with air-drying without added oil.

The Chili variant uses grass-fed flank steak, which has slightly more natural marbling, pushing fat to 8g per 100g. Still well below the market average. Protein sits at 66g, carbs at 8g, making it the lower-carb option of the two.

Ingredients for the Original: grass-fed beef, soy sauce, citrus vinegar, garlic, onion, yeast extract. No added sugar. No preservatives. That short list is part of why the macros look the way they do.

Breaking down each macro

Protein: the reason most people reach for jerky

Beef jerky provides complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids your body needs for muscle repair and general tissue maintenance. Dehydration does not damage the amino acid profile. The protein quality remains comparable to fresh beef throughout the process.

At 70g per 100g, a 50g serving of Bali Forages Original delivers 35g of protein. The NHS recommends roughly 55g of protein daily for an average adult man and 45g for an average adult woman. A single pack covers well over half that target without refrigeration, cooking, or preparation.

If you want to explore other whole-food protein sources alongside jerky, Bali Forages also produces grass-fed beef organs, which offer a broader nutrient profile for those interested in going beyond muscle meat alone.

Fat: not the enemy, but worth understanding

The fat in beef jerky comes from the meat itself, not from added oils. Grass-fed beef has a different fat composition to grain-fed alternatives, with a more favourable omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. That matters if you are eating jerky regularly rather than as an occasional snack.

Leaner cuts and grass-fed sourcing reduce the total fat significantly, as the Bali Forages numbers above show. The Balinese smallholder cattle that supply Bali Forages graze on natural pasture year-round, which keeps the fat profile cleaner than feedlot-raised alternatives.

Carbohydrates and sugar: where brands differ most

Beef itself contains virtually no carbohydrates. Every gram of carbs on a jerky label comes from the marinade: sugar, brown sugar, honey, fruit juice concentrate, starch-based thickeners. A well-made jerky with a short ingredient list can sit at 0-5g of carbs per 100g. Many commercial options hit 10-11g or higher because sweet marinades broaden appeal and extend perceived flavour.

If you are tracking carefully for keto or managing blood sugar, the ingredients list is more informative than the carb total alone. Watch for dextrose, maltodextrin, and syrup solids. These all count as added sugar regardless of how they appear on the label.

Beef jerky macros by fitness goal

For fat loss and cutting

Jerky works well during a calorie deficit because the protein-to-calorie ratio keeps you full without requiring a large volume of food. A 30-40g portion provides substantial protein with a manageable calorie load, making it a practical option when hunger hits between meals.

What to look for: protein above 35g per 100g, added sugar below 5g, sodium you can account for within your daily intake. Pair with potassium-rich foods like sweet potato, banana, or leafy greens if you are eating jerky frequently, to keep your electrolyte balance in check.

For muscle building

Jerky is a useful addition to a high-protein diet during a building phase, particularly for anyone who finds it difficult to hit protein targets across a busy day. The complete amino acid profile supports muscle protein synthesis, and the portability makes it easy to eat between training sessions.

During a bulk, protein density matters more than calorie count. Bali Forages' 70g per 100g means you are getting substantially more protein per gram of food than from a standard commercial option, which adds up meaningfully if you are eating multiple servings daily.

For keto and low-carb eating

Beef jerky is naturally compatible with a ketogenic diet when the marinade is clean. The meat itself contributes essentially no carbohydrates. Problems arise when manufacturers add sugars to enhance flavour. The practical rule: check the ingredients list before the carb total. If the list includes only beef, salt, and spices, you are unlikely to have a carb problem. If sugar appears in the first three ingredients, look elsewhere.

The sodium question

Sodium is the one figure worth watching on a jerky label. The market average runs between 1,500-2,200mg per 100g, which is a substantial portion of the NHS-recommended daily limit of 2,300mg for adults. Eating 100g of jerky in one sitting is unusual, but regular daily snacking on high-sodium varieties does accumulate.

The practical balance: if you eat jerky most days, make sure the rest of your diet includes potassium-rich foods to offset sodium's effect on blood pressure. Bananas, sweet potatoes, and leafy greens all help. Artisanal, small-batch producers tend to use salt more intentionally than mass-market brands, where sodium often functions as both preservative and flavour amplifier.

How to read a beef jerky nutrition label

Most jerky labels use a 28g (1 oz) serving size. This is fine for single-snack reference, but when comparing products for macro tracking, multiply everything to per-100g figures so you are working on a level footing.

The five numbers worth checking, in this order: protein (the headline figure), carbohydrates (mainly reflecting added sugars), total fat (lower is better for high-protein cutting goals), sodium (see above), and the ingredients list, which tells you where the carbs and sodium actually come from. Marketing claims like "high in protein" mean nothing without the per-100g context to back them up.

Bali Forages' FAQ page covers product-specific questions if you want to dig into the detail on their range.

Why sourcing changes the numbers

A grass-fed jerky and a grain-fed jerky are not the same product nutritionally, even when the label shows similar protein figures. Grass-fed beef starts leaner, which means more of the final weight after dehydration comes from protein rather than fat. The cattle's diet also affects fat composition, with grass-finished animals producing beef with a better omega fatty acid profile.

Bali Forages sources directly from regenerative smallholder cattle farms in Bali. You can read about that sourcing model in detail in their whole food snacks guide. The cattle graze on natural pasture without hormones, antibiotics, or GMO feed. That starting material is a significant part of why the finished jerky's protein density sits where it does.

Bali Forages beef jerky: macros that actually stack up

If you have read this far, you want to know what you are actually eating. Here is the bottom line.

The Bali Forages beef jerky range delivers 66-70g of protein per 100g, with 4-8g of fat and 8-10g of carbohydrates depending on the variant. No added sugar. No preservatives. No oil in the drying process. Made in small batches from grass-fed, grass-finished Balinese cattle, third-party tested for heavy metals and pathogens, and certified Halal (MUI) and BPOM approved. The range won the Snack Food Innovation Award at Food and Hotel Asia in Singapore.

Four flavours are available:

Beef Jerky Original: 70g protein, 4g fat, 10g carbs per 100g. Ingredients: grass-fed beef, soy sauce, citrus vinegar, garlic, onion, yeast extract.
Beef Jerky Classic Pepper: grass-fed beef with soy sauce, citrus vinegar, garlic, onion, black and white pepper.
Beef Jerky Chili: 66g protein, 8g fat, 8g carbs per 100g. Made from grass-fed flank steak for a slightly richer bite.
Beef Jerky Teriyaki: the sweeter option in the range; check the label if you are tracking sugar tightly.

Browse the full beef jerky collection if you want to compare all four side by side. Real food, real numbers.

Written by

Dandy Hakim

Content Strategist & Nutrition Writer

Dandy writes about nutrition, protein quality, and the food choices that actually move the needle. He has spent years helping brands communicate clearly and honestly, and at Bali Forages that same standard applies to every article. If the science says grass-fed beef is leaner, he shows you the numbers. No hype, no filler. Just what you need to know.

Most commercial beef jerkies contain 33–43g of protein per 100g. Grass-fed, minimally processed options made from lean cuts can go considerably higher. Bali Forages Beef Jerky Original delivers 70g of protein per 100g — roughly double the market average. That difference comes from the leanness of the source cattle and a full air-drying process with no added oil.
Yes, particularly for protein tracking. The protein-to-calorie ratio in a quality jerky is among the highest of any portable snack. The main considerations are sodium (which can be high in commercial brands) and added sugars (which vary considerably). Reading the label rather than relying on front-of-pack claims will tell you more in five seconds than any marketing copy.
A standard commercial jerky averages around 410 kcal per 100g. Grass-fed, lower-fat options tend to sit slightly below that. <strong>Bali Forages Original</strong> comes in at approximately 380 kcal per 100g, with the Chili variant at around 400 kcal.
Commercial beef jerky typically contains 25–26g of fat per 100g. Leaner cuts and grass-fed sourcing can reduce this substantially. Bali Forages Original sits at just 4g of fat per 100g — well below the category average, reflecting the leanness of the grass-fed beef used.
It can be. The high protein content increases satiety, which helps manage appetite during a calorie deficit. A 30–40g portion provides meaningful protein with a contained calorie load. The main thing to watch is added sugar, which adds calories without nutritional benefit, and sodium, which can cause water retention if you're monitoring scale weight closely.
No. Beef itself contains no carbohydrates. Any carbs on a jerky label come entirely from the marinade. A clean jerky made with just beef, salt, and spices can sit at under 5g of carbs per 100g. Commercial brands with sweet marinades often reach 10–11g or more. Always check the ingredients list for sugar, dextrose, maltodextrin, or fruit juice concentrate.
Yes, provided the marinade is clean. A jerky with only beef, salt, and spices in the ingredients list is keto-compatible. Flavoured varieties — teriyaki, honey, barbecue — often contain enough added sugar to affect ketosis if eaten in large quantities. Check the label before buying.
Grass-fed beef starts leaner, which means the finished jerky typically has more protein and less fat per 100g compared to grain-fed alternatives. The fat that does remain tends to have a better omega-3 to omega-6 ratio. For macro tracking purposes, protein density is the clearest indicator. Grass-fed options with 40g or more of protein per 100g are a reasonable baseline quality marker — though the best fully dehydrated products can exceed 60–70g.