Old Trapper beef jerky is a solid high-protein, low-fat snack, but it comes with trade-offs that matter: high sodium, added preservatives, and the health considerations that apply to all processed meats. Whether it fits your diet depends on how much you eat and how often.
Protein and Calorie Breakdown
The flagship Old Fashioned flavor delivers an impressive nutritional ratio. A one-ounce serving contains 60 calories, 11 grams of protein, and zero grams of total fat or saturated fat. That’s 22% of your daily protein value in a small, portable package with very few calories. For a post-workout snack or something to keep you full between meals, those numbers are hard to beat in the snack aisle.
By comparison, most protein bars pack 200 or more calories to deliver similar protein, often alongside 10+ grams of sugar. Old Trapper’s calorie-to-protein ratio is genuinely one of its strongest selling points.
Sodium Is the Main Concern
A single one-ounce serving of Old Trapper Old Fashioned contains 600 milligrams of sodium. That’s 25% of the FDA’s recommended daily limit of 2,300 milligrams. According to the Environmental Working Group, it represents roughly 40% of the Institute of Medicine’s adequate intake recommendation.
One ounce of jerky is not much food. It’s about a small handful. If you eat two or three servings in a sitting (easy to do from a larger bag), you’re looking at 1,200 to 1,800 milligrams of sodium from one snack alone. That leaves very little room for the rest of your day’s meals, especially if you’re eating any other packaged or restaurant food. Over time, consistently high sodium intake raises blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
If you’re already watching your sodium for blood pressure or kidney health, jerky in general requires careful portion control.
What’s in the Ingredients List
The Old Fashioned variety contains beef, brown sugar, water, salt, beef stock, hydrolyzed corn protein, vinegar, flavorings, and sodium nitrite. A few of those are worth noting.
Sodium nitrite is a preservative commonly used in cured and smoked meats to prevent bacterial growth and maintain color. It’s the same compound found in bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats. When nitrites interact with high heat or stomach acid, they can form compounds called nitrosamines, which have been linked to increased cancer risk in animal and human studies. Hydrolyzed corn protein is a flavor enhancer that functions similarly to MSG, producing a savory, umami taste. It’s not harmful for most people, but it’s worth knowing it’s there if you’re sensitive to glutamate-based additives.
Brown sugar appears second on the list, which means the Old Fashioned flavor does contain some added sugar, though the amount per serving is relatively small compared to sweeter varieties.
Sugar Varies by Flavor
If you reach for the Teriyaki variety, the sugar content jumps noticeably. Teriyaki contains 5 grams of added sugar per serving. That’s not extreme on its own, but it adds up quickly across multiple servings and starts to undercut the “clean protein snack” appeal.
Old Trapper also makes a Zero Sugar line, which contains 14 grams of protein per serving with only 2 grams of naturally occurring carbohydrates and no added sugar at all. If you’re following a keto or low-carb diet, or you simply want to minimize sugar, the Zero Sugar version is the better pick. The Old Fashioned variety, with its modest brown sugar content, still fits comfortably within most low-carb frameworks.
The Processed Meat Question
This is where the conversation shifts from “nutritional label looks good” to a broader health picture. Beef jerky, including Old Trapper’s, is classified as processed meat by the World Health Organization. The WHO defines processed meat as any meat transformed through salting, curing, smoking, or similar preservation methods, and specifically names beef jerky as an example.
The WHO classifies processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen, meaning there is sufficient evidence that it causes cancer in humans. Specifically, the data links regular processed meat consumption to colorectal cancer, with a possible association with stomach cancer as well. An analysis of 10 studies estimated that eating 50 grams of processed meat daily (roughly two servings of jerky) increases colorectal cancer risk by about 18%.
That doesn’t mean eating jerky once will harm you. Group 1 refers to the strength of the evidence that a link exists, not the magnitude of the risk. Processed meat is in the same evidence category as tobacco, but the actual risk level is far lower. The concern is about regular, long-term consumption. Having jerky as an occasional snack is a very different pattern than eating it every day.
How It Compares to Other Snacks
Stacked against chips, candy bars, or most vending machine options, Old Trapper comes out ahead on almost every measure. It’s high in protein, low in fat, and low in calories. It keeps you fuller longer than carb-heavy snacks because protein takes more time to digest.
Compared to other whole-food protein sources like a hard-boiled egg, a handful of almonds, or plain Greek yogurt, jerky falls short primarily on sodium and processing. Those alternatives deliver protein without the preservatives, nitrites, or the concentrated salt. They’re also harder to overeat, since you’re unlikely to absentmindedly consume three hard-boiled eggs the way you might work through a bag of jerky.
- Best for: Travel, hiking, gym bags, or any situation where you need shelf-stable protein that doesn’t require refrigeration.
- Less ideal for: Daily snacking if you’re managing blood pressure, watching sodium, or trying to limit processed food intake.
Making It Work in Your Diet
If you enjoy Old Trapper jerky, a few practical adjustments can minimize the downsides. Stick to one serving (one ounce) and pair it with a low-sodium food like fresh fruit or raw vegetables to round out the snack. On days you eat jerky, compensate by choosing lower-sodium options for your other meals: fresh-cooked proteins, unsalted nuts, whole grains.
Choosing the Old Fashioned or Zero Sugar varieties over Teriyaki keeps added sugar lower. And treating jerky as an occasional convenience food rather than an everyday habit sidesteps most of the long-term concerns associated with processed meat consumption. A few times a week is a very different risk profile than daily intake over years.