Native American descendants of the Incas may have invented beef jerky. They used the preparation method to preserve meats for the winter and other times when hunting could not provide enough meat. Today, beef jerky producers cure it with salt and heat and often use spices to accentuate the flavor. The nutritional composition of beef jerky provides several dietary benefits.
Read more here: http://www.livestrong.com/article/416578-is-beef-jerky-healthy/
