You picked up a bag of jerky, flipped it over, and there it was: 6 grams of sugar. In a meat snack. Brown sugar, cane syrup, teriyaki glaze — most jerky is closer to candy with protein than to actual food. If you're keto, carnivore, diabetic, doing Whole30, or just done with hidden sugar, you've probably given up on the jerky aisle entirely.

Good news: South Africa solved this 400 years ago.

Why jerky can't quit sugar

Jerky is cooked fast at high heat, which strips flavor — so manufacturers add it back with sugar, corn syrup, soy sauce, and "natural flavors." Check any major brand: 5–10g of sugar per serving is normal, even in flavors labeled "original." For anyone counting carbs, that's a third of a keto day's budget spent on a snack.

Biltong never needed sugar

Biltong is air-dried, never cooked. The meat hangs for days — ours for a full seven — while natural enzymes build deep, savory flavor the slow way. Nothing to mask, nothing to sweeten.

Every Brave product is:

• 0g sugar, 0g carbs — not low-carb. Zero.
• 32g complete protein per 2oz serving — more than four eggs, with all nine essential amino acids
• Keto, paleo, carnivore, and Whole30 friendly — no asterisks, no fine print
• No preservatives, no nitrates, no soy — and naturally gluten-free
• Grass-fed beef, air-dried 7 days, made fresh weekly

The label test

Here's our entire ingredient list: grass-fed beef, Baja Gold sea salt, Bragg's organic apple cider vinegar, organic coriander, organic black pepper, organic tomato powder.

Now go read a jerky label. We'll wait.

Steady fuel, no crash

Zero sugar means zero insulin spike. Biltong digests slowly — protein and healthy fats that keep you full for hours instead of hungry in thirty minutes. That's why it lives in cyclists' jersey pockets, climbers' summit packs, and a lot of desk drawers that used to hold candy bars. It needs no refrigeration, so it goes wherever the day does.

Pick your starting point

Brave Purist – 2oz · $10 — the traditional cut. Sea salt, vinegar, coriander, pepper. Sliced and ready.

Brave Bold – 2oz · $10 — same zero-carb credentials, plus campfire chipotle smoke.

The Purist Slab – 8oz · $35 — the whole muscle, uncut. Slice it yourself, thick or thin.

The Brave Bundle · $100 — stock up once, save up to $30, free shipping included.

Keto questions, straight answers

Is biltong keto?

Yes. Brave biltong has 0g sugar and 0g carbs — it's protein and naturally occurring fat, nothing else. It fits keto, carnivore, and any low-carb approach.

How many carbs are in biltong?

Zero. Every Brave product — pouches, slabs, and bundles — contains 0g carbohydrates per serving.

Is biltong Whole30 compliant?

Yes. No sugar, no sweeteners of any kind, no soy, no preservatives — just beef, vinegar, salt, and whole spices.

Is biltong better than jerky for keto?

Almost always. Most jerky contains 5–10g of sugar per serving from its marinade. Biltong is air-dried without sugar — and delivers roughly 30% more protein per ounce. Full comparison here.

New to biltong? Start with What is Biltong? or browse the FAQ.