Category: Entomophagy

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Grow Your Own Food

Netherlands-based designer Kyran Knauf has created a tabletop device that allows users to breed and harvest crickets as an alternative protein source.

Called Crikorama, the machine can host a continuous cycle of approximately 3o crickets through their lifecycles before they are harvested and eaten as a “sustainable” replacement for meat.

Kyran Knauf creates tabletop cricket farm for household meat alternative — https://www.dezeen.com/2023/12/15/kyran-knauf-tabletop-cricket-farm-for-alternate-food-source/

Photo source: Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crikorama/

YUM!

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DO NOT EAT (crickets for iron)

Iron absorption from house crickets and fortified maize porridge with crickets is low, which may be explained by the presence of chitin and other inhibitors in the cricket biomass.

Absorption of iron from edible house crickets: a randomized crossover stable-isotope study in humans — The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Volume 116, Issue 4, October 2022, Pages 1146–1156, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac223

Always remember to eat a well balanced diet.

And find other dietary sources for iron besides crickets.

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Heart Healthy Small Bites

Beyond the novelty, insects can offer heart-healthy nutrition, too. A January 2021 study in Critical Reviews in Food Science Nutrition said edible insects may have “high superior health benefits” due to high levels of vitamin B12, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidants. Rao pointed to crickets as a source of protein through their muscle-bound hind legs used for jumping.

Eating the right insects can provide nutrition … and might be good for the planet — https://www.heart.org/en/news/2021/10/22/eating-the-right-insects-can-provide-nutrition-and-might-be-good-for-the-planet

The American Heart Association states not all views expressed in American Heart Association News stories reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. But they published this story and it sure looks like an endorsement.

Cricket pancakes anyone?

Cricket pancakes? HAHAHA.
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More on Entomophagy

Black soldier fly larvae contains more zinc and iron than lean meat and its calcium content is higher than milk. Less than half a hectare of black soldier fly larvae can produce more protein than cattle grazing on around 1200 hectares, or 52 hectares of soybeans. New research has identified the barriers for introducing fly protein into Western human diets as a sustainable, healthy alternative to both meat and plant proteins.

Black soldier fly larvae as protein alternative — https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/10/201029104951.htm

I’d rather eat crickets. See my earlier post This Giant Automated Cricket Farm Is Designed To Make Bugs A Mainstream Source Of Protein.

Neither product coming soon to a grocery store near you.

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Insect Butter

According to the researchers, consumers notice no difference when a quarter of the milk butter in a cake is replaced with larva fat. However, they report an unusual taste when it gets to fifty-fifty and say they would not want to buy the cake.

Read the Reuters article here.

Entomophagy is the word for eating bugs.

Not coming to the US anytime soon.