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Nutrition of Crickets: Which Nutrients do they Have?
Would you like to know more about the nutrition of crickets? If yes, you are at the right place. Think eating crickets is gross and uncivilized? Think again. The current generation of adventure eaters, sustainability experts, farmers and chefs are embracing cricket eating. According to the current trend, fitness enthusiasts are likely to be the next ones to jump on the cricket wagon.
Why the change in the way people think about the cricket? Nutrition of crickets. Per 100 grams of cricket, you can get 0.05% fat, 3.10 mg of niacin, 1.09 mg of riboflavin, 0.36 mg of thiamin, 9.5 mg of iron, 185.3 mg of phosphorous, 75.8 mg of calcium, 5.1 g of carbohydrates, 5.5 g of fat, 12.9 g of protein and 121 calories. The statistics looks a little flattering when compared to those of animals per 100 grams.
According to Arnold Van Huis who is a Ph.D entomology researcher from the University of Wageningn in Netherlands, crickets are naturally excellent source of nutrients even surpassing the normal sources that we take. When you compare the amount of protein present in cricket per ounce and that present in beef per ounce, then don’t be surprised to find that cricket has more than twice the amount contained in animal meat. Also, the cricket protein has all the essential amino acids.
Crickets have almost five times magnesium than beef. Recent studies underscores the importance of magnesium in reducing the heart disease by around 22% and lowering the risk of getting a type 2 diabetes by around 33.33%. Iron which is used by muscles, is three times more in cricket than in beef. Crickets’ nutritional value can no longer be ignored by humans.
One of the prime reasons why nutrition of crickets is higher compared to that of animals is the fact that it is eaten in whole. According to the author of "edible", Daniella Martin, you eat not only organs and bones but also muscles of the insect if consume it. Those insects’ parts are the ones that deliver zinc, vitamin B12, iron and calcium. Eating a whole cricket can be likened to eating a full cow.
To put matter to rest, nutrition of crickets has environmental benefits because crickets produce less greenhouse gases. It is good to know that the reason why they are eaten in the western countries is primarily because of their calcium and protein content. According to May Berenbaum from the University of Illinois, crickets has additional economic and ecological benefits apart from the nutritional ones. Crickets can be raised in areas that are of no use to humans and also consume what humans are not using.