A recent study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Nelson Institute has begun to explore a new frontier in the use of crickets as a source of food. The study, the first of its kind according to researchers, used cricket powder baked into breakfast foods and shakes to determine the affects of the powder on people and, more specifically their gastrointestinal system.

 The thought of insects as food, however may cause many to gag. The image alone of many insects is known to startle people, but the idea of putting them in one’s mouth is almost intolerable. Yet, approximately 2 billion people around the world consume insects as a source of food with no ill affects. Experts say there are also potential benefits to using bugs as meat which go beyond the human body.         For example, the global pressures on food security and production are causing researchers to examine alternative sources of food. These pressures are caused by global warming, population growth and shifting dietary preferences. Livestock processing alone is responsible for approximately 14.5% of all greenhouse gasses according to researchers. They say insect production would cause far less greenhouse gasses and require less food, water and land to produce.

Crickets could do wonder for digestive function!

In the case of this study, one of the biggest benefactor of the study was the human gut. The gastrointestinal system has a major impact on a person’s life and well being and not just in the most obvious ways. The gastrointestinal system contains millions of bacteria cells of various different kinds. They are said to outnumber human cells by a factor of three and encode DNA a hundred more times than any other cell in the body. This makes them extremely influential in how we feel, how our metabolism functions and how our genes express themselves. They also effect how energy in the body is made, our immune system, the progression of diseases and even our very moods.

In dysbiosis there is an imbalance of gut microbiota which can result in a number of problems. These include metobolic issues, diseases which are not communicable, bad gastrointestinal problems, allergies and even neuropsychiatric disorders.

Small shifts in diet can cause great negative changes, but they can also cause positive changes. Diversity in the diet can create healthier microbiota which can improve a person’s health greatly. The gastrointestinal system is already home to countless beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. A way to generate more of these probiotics is to consume fiber.

In the case of crickets, they contain fibers such as chitin which are different from the fibers found in vegetables and fruit. Generally, fiber intake has been linked to several benefits. These benefits include a decreased risk of breast cancer, divertical disease, coronary disease and metabolic syndrome.

The study used dried, roasted cricket powder combined into various breakfast foods like muffins and milk shakes. For two weeks 20 healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 48 were studied eating one of two breakfasts. One breakfast had the cricket powder and the other, the control, did not have the cricket powder. Each of the breakfasts containing the cricket powder contained 25 grams of the powder.

For two weeks, both groups ate their breakfasts. Immediately afterwards, researchers collected blood and stool samples and had the participants fill out questionnaires asking how they felt with regards to their gastrointestinal system. Then, they switched back to a normal diet for two weeks, the researchers calling this a “washout period”. The researchers returned to the cricket powder containing food, though this time the control group who had no cricket powder in their food now consumed food containing cricket powder.

            The results of this experiment were summed up as follows:

• An increase in beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacterium animalis.
• A decrease in inflammatory protein in the blood called TNF-alpha which is linked to depression and cancer.
• No changes in gastrointestinal function or any other side effects, showing consuming large quantities of cricket powder is non-toxic.

The researchers were encouraged by these results. As far as they know, no one else has studied cricket powder and its benefits and effects on the human body. They are recommending more studies be done to research the benefits.