Gone are the days when the main way to satisfy a beef jerky craving was to walk into a gas station and eat one of those red, chewy sticks. Now, you can find a variety of tempting options—like peppercorn moose, maple-glazed salmon, and Andouille sausage-style kangaroo—at grocery stores, wineries, and online markets alike.

Wellness influencers have included meat sticks and beef jerky (also called beef jerky) among their favorite protein-rich snacks. And some products offer short ingredient lists with no unusual chemicals, fillers or additives.

Is beef jerky really good for you? We’ve asked experts to help us clarify.

It’s not that easy

Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said he was not aware of any studies that looked at the health value of beef jerky.

But nutrition labels offer clues, said Nicole Lund, a dietitian nutritionist at NYU Langone Health in New York.

One of the health-related selling points of many dried meat products is that they offer a decent amount of protein for relatively few calories, Lund said. Epic Provisions’ Sea Salt and Pepper Beef Jerky Bar, for example, has 12 grams of protein and 130 calories per serving; The “mini chicken burgers” version of Carnivore Snax offers almost twice the protein for the same amount of calories.

This may be helpful for anyone who has difficulty getting enough protein, such as older adults, or for anyone trying to build or maintain muscle mass, Lund said.

Dried meats made from beef or pork usually provide some iron, Lund added, a nutrient that many women under 50 and older adults could benefit from more.

And compared to other packaged foods, many have relatively short ingredient lists, often including a protein source, salt, sugar and seasonings.

That could be “a nice change” from snacks and smoothies made with long lists of stabilizers, texturizing agents and other unrecognizable ingredients, Lund said. The fewer ingredients packaged foods contain, the better.

Still, even the healthiest-sounding dried protein is a processed food, including fish-based and vegetarian versions. And if it is made from red meat, it is considered processed meat, a category that the World Health Organization has classified as carcinogenic to humans.

Eating just 1.8 ounces (about 51 grams) of processed meat a day increases the risk of colorectal cancer by 18 percent, according to the WHO. (A serving of beef jerky is usually one ounce.) And eating processed meat can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and dementia.

Stephen Devries, an associate professor of nutrition at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, said that because salt is often used to dry produce, they are often high in sodium. The high-end ones contain about 750 milligrams per serving, a third of the recommended daily maximum. Eating too much salt can cause hypertension, and increase the risk of heart attack or stroke.

Also of concern are nitrates and nitrites, Devries said, which are added to dried meats to prevent bacterial growth and enhance their flavor and color. In the body they can form compounds called nitrosamines, which can increase the risk of cancer. Even products advertised as “natural” or without added nitrates can contain them, in the form of celery powder or celery extract, which carry the same health risks, Devries said.

As with all meat products, saturated fats can be problematic; in excess they can raise cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. A Slim Jim Savage Stick, a larger version of the classic Slim Jim, has 10 grams of saturated fat, half the recommended daily amount. Fish-based options, such as those made with salmon or trout, may contain less saturated fat, Hu said. Plant-based products are also lower-fat options.

Many beef jerkies—especially those in sweet, teriyaki, and barbecue flavors—contain added sugars, which in excess can contribute to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. Jack Link’s “sweet and spicy” presentation, for example, contains eight grams of added sugars per serving, as much as a Snickers bar in its smallest size.

A snack from time to time

While it’s fine to eat beef jerky once in a while, Hu said, “it’s not a good idea” to eat it regularly.

Although Lund said it’s understandable why it may be attractive to those trying to get more protein or build muscle. But he cautioned that if you try to limit sodium, you should be careful about eating too much. The same applies to those who avoid saturated fats and sugar, he said.

There are many other high-protein foods that don’t carry the same health risks, such as Greek yogurt, Devries said. Roasted chickpeas, walnuts and toasted edamame are also high in protein and easy to carry with you, other experts said, plus they have gut-friendly fiber, which many beef jerky products lack.