# Beef jerky caloric content **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 7, 2013, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367 "2013-06-07T10:04:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 10:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/1 "2013-06-07T10:04:07Z")
I just bought some beef jerky and happened to glance at the ingredients/calorie panel on the package. It said the 1-oz serving was 45 calories. That is, the 1lb bag I have is only 720 calories. I was very surprised to see that. AFAIU, it takes 4lb of meat to make 1lb of jerky (and this particular jerky I bought is very dry), and I am sure 4lb of beef is not 720 calories. Do calories just evaporate when drying? So - did they misprint their packaging or did I discover a particularly low-cal jerky and should just be happy about it? ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/2 "2013-06-07T11:15:37Z")
It’s the water–which has no calories–that evaporates. There is a lot of water in most foods. That is still low, though. Protein and carbs have 4 cal/gram. Fat has 8 cal/gram. What is the nutritional count of each serving? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/3 "2013-06-07T11:30:10Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > It’s the water–which has no calories–that evaporates. There is a lot of water in most foods. > > That is still low, though. Protein and carbs have 4 cal/gram. Fat has 8 cal/gram. What is the nutritional count of each serving? Here is the nutritional content from the label: 1 serving (1 oz) Total Fat - 1g Sodium - 330mg Total Carbohydrate - 1g Protein - 8g Since 1oz is ~28g, and the nutritional content is 10g, I wonder what the other 18g of this jerky consist of… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/4 "2013-06-07T12:14:56Z")
Jerky is not totally dry, some moisture remains. ---
**Author:** ![Nitrate\_Silver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7993a0/32.png) [@Nitrate\_Silver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nitrate_Silver)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/5 "2013-06-07T12:18:06Z")
Not just water leaves when the meat dehydrates. Certain other chemicals, nutrients, etc evaporate as well. Also the jerky oxidises, further reducing the caloric content. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/6 "2013-06-07T12:32:14Z")
The fat content is very low compared to fresh meat. The process of making jerky melts the fat off. Still it’s not diet food; check all of that salt. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/7 "2013-06-07T13:04:42Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > The fat content is very low compared to fresh meat. The process of making jerky melts the fat off. Still it’s not diet food; check all of that salt. what exactly is “diet food?” ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/8 "2013-06-07T14:40:16Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > Jerky is not totally dry, some moisture remains. But 18 g of water in a 28 g serving? Over 64% of the weight of the product? Seems improbable. Nonnutritive filler? Also seems unlikely in jerky, added sugars maybe but that would show up on the carb number and calorie count. I think it is just wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/9 "2013-06-07T15:12:14Z")
> [@jz78817](#): > > what exactly is “diet food?” Stuff that taste bad but is supposed to be healthy for you. 😉 Like veggie burgers. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/10 "2013-06-07T15:18:04Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > But 18 g of water in a 28 g serving? Over 64% of the weight of the product? Seems improbable. Nonnutritive filler? Also seems unlikely in jerky, added sugars maybe but that would show up on the carb number and calorie count. I think it is just wrong. Jerky is about [23% water.](http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/foodsafety/processor/cfs02s156.html#content_common) Probably some of the weight is cell walls/connective tissue. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/11 "2013-06-07T16:22:31Z")
Connective tissue is protein. Animal cells have no cell walls, just cell membranes, which are phopholipid bilayers. To the degree they would add up at all they would mostly come in as fat with a teeny bit of protein. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-jerky-caloric-content/660367/12 "2013-06-07T20:39:27Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > But 18 g of water in a 28 g serving? Over 64% of the weight of the product? Seems improbable. Nonnutritive filler? Also seems unlikely in jerky, added sugars maybe but that would show up on the carb number and calorie count. I think it is just wrong. I tend to agree, because it’s also lower than the other beef jerky counts I see on-line. And I can’t see how or why one would be that much lower.