Isn't it strange how we are oblivious to things in our surroundings until we are suddenly made aware of them? A perfect example I can think of is noticing something in a store that has always been there but seems to have not been there before. Take for instance beef jerky. It has always been available in virtually any store ranging from the mom and pop grocery store to the big chain convenience stores.

There is quite a competative nature about something that usually winds up on an end cap of grocery items or at the checkout for those last second spur of the moment purchases. The real question is are we conscious enough of a buyer to pick the right type of jerky? Of course there are big name brands that are hard to fend off if you have a very small share of the market. If we dig further into looking at the ingredients (with most anything) we find that our choices may not always be the best. Convenience is the biggest factor here and we are ready to pick something that is at hand and ripe for the taking.

Let's talk about being more informed as consumers and choose better alternatives. Beef jerky is very low in fat in most cases and high in protein. That's if you just minimally processed it and didn't add other hard to pronounce ingredients to the mix. I understand that those "extra" ingredients are needed to preserve the taste and make the product last longer but they really don't need it. If something tastes really good and is good for you, don't you think it wouldn't last long enough for time take away it's wholesome goodness? Now that's what I am talking about is all natural, high protein, low fat jerky. Minimally processed without all the additives or preservatives.

Now how about organic? That term seems to be brought up quite a bit in our society today. In all reality having your own garden or raising your animals on grass has many more benefits than injecting them with steriods and other growth hormones. These animals are put through an excelerated growth pattern that would cause the average person to think twice about eating such a product. Why not be more selective and look at the labeling to see if first our beef comes from the U.S. and what ingredients are on the back of the package. I happen to think there are places to get such great tasting jerky and finding them are an internet search away. Now the question really is, "Beef or Not Beef"?