Uncategorized February 23, 2017
It’s three o’clock on a Friday afternoon, and you’re counting down the hours until you can ditch the office for a night out with the girls. At this point, your eyes are blurring and your stomach won’t stop growling. You need a snack – and the key to a chipper workday may be adding crickets to your diet … at least in terms of a chocolate protein bar made with cricket flour.
Can eating bugs really satisfy your chocolate craving and get a hit of nutrition? As crazy as it sounds, bugs come with plenty of health benefits and, if you cook (or buy) them right, delicious flavor. Whether you’re an adventurous eater or just curious how 80 percent of the world lives (and eats), here are five bugs that are way more delicious than they sound … plus some of the tastiest bug recipes and products available today.
You may know crickets as the annoying bugs that chirp when you’re trying to fall asleep at night. However, these insects are actually nutritional powerhouses who are as loud as they are edible. In fact, “A six-ounce serving of crickets has 60 percent less saturated fat and twice as much vitamin B-12 than the same amount of ground beef,” according to PBS reporter Spencer Michels.
In fact, crickets are a good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B-12, zinc, iodine, iron, calcium and omega-3. Now the hard part: how to eat them. Depending on where you shop, you might have already stumbled upon the cricket trend. You can buy cricket flour – or all purpose baking flour that includes this buggy ingredient – to use for all of your baking needs. Or if you’re a protein bar lover, you can dive into the Exo Protein Bar. Made with cricket flour, dates, nuts and spices, these bars are also free of most allergens and come in a variety of flavors like Cacao, PB&J and Blueberry. Who knew that bugs could be your secret weapon to a healthy diet?
If you’re feeling like cooking from scratch, you can also eat cricket as chips, croutons for a salad or even use crickets for your main course with a recipe for Spicy Critter Fritters. Though if you’re cooking for a dinner party, you might want to explain the menu after your guests have already taken a bite!
The next time you notice a few ants trying to escape with your sandwich, you may want to consider eating them along with your lunch. Ants are similar to crickets in that they are high in protein and low in fat, offering around 14 grams of protein for a 3.5 ounce serving. Ants are also packed with iron (that 3.5 oz serving can provide 33 percent of women’s daily needs) and calcium.
Because of the acid they contain, ants taste “pleasantly sour,” according to Miles Olson at Mother Earth News. If you’re addicted to salt and vinegar chips, ants might be right up your edible alley. In Columbia, queen ants are especially prized for their juicy bodies (which offer more fat) and are said to increase libido. (Who needs oysters when you have ants lying around?)
If you want a less adventurous bite, you can also enjoy chocolate-covered giant ants. Bathed in Belgian chocolate, these Giant Queen Leafcutter ants have a nutty flavor and could boost your immune system and energy.
If you’ve ever had a pet lizard for a pet, you’ve bought them mealworms to eat. You may not have known, however, that mealworms can be delicious food for humans too. Their nutrition various depending on whether you eat them alive or dried; while they are composed mostly of water while alive, they actually consist of 53 percent protein, 28 percent fat and six percent fiber when dried.
eating bugs isnt even inherently gross. its just the culture i grew up in that says it is such
— Sith Face – 9494 (@anakincore) December 25, 2016
Mealworms are eaten around the world as a substitute for protein-rich meat. You can roast your mealworms, dehydrate them or even add them to a salad. If you’re feeling really crazy, you can follow Chef Monica Martinez’s advice and use mealworms instead of pecans when making a pecan pie! Now that would be one dessert everyone would remember.
If you’re really wanting to pack in the protein, beetles are your best bet. While the amount differs between species – a giant water beetle offers around 20 grams per 3.5 ounces while a June beetle only gives 13.4 – this bug is king of the protein jungle. Like other insects, you can also get a good dose of iron and calcium from these creepy crawlers.
If you’re visiting Thailand soon, you may want to try their local delicacy of giant water beetles. These are usually de-shelled and then fried or roasted. The end result apparently tastes something like a scallop, though you’ll have to decide that for yourself. For those craving a healthier version of chips and dip, you can also create a “Rootworm Beetle dip” that combines cottage cheese, lemon juice, roasted beetles and a few other ingredients to create a vitamin-packed dip.
Love shrimp? Then you might fall for cicadas, also known as “shrimp of the land.” Like the other insects mentioned, cicadas are high in protein, low in fat and low in carbs. According to entomologist and cookbook author Jenna Jadin, cicadas taste “nutty” when roasted. Newly hatched cicadas – called ternals – and adult females also offer the best buck for your bite (respectively thanks to a softer shell and a belly full of nutritious eggs).
As for how to cook cicadas, you’d be surprised with how many options you have to choose from. If you’re feeling like a treat, experiment with chocolate covered cicadas or chocolate cookies with a buggy twist. For savory options, try out “crispy wok tossed cicadas” or even use them as toppings for your favorite homemade pizza!
Sure, not every bug will taste like chocolate – or like PB&J – thanks to the magic of cricket flour and Exo Protein bars. However, these five bugs can still play a delicious role in a healthy (adventurous) diet.
Avoid eating insects with bright colors and patterns. Just as with frogs, bright colors indicate the insect could be poisonous. But if you’re brave, or if you’ve been dared, give some of these edible insects a try.
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