There are approximately two billion people who eat insects worldwide. It’s possible that it will only be a matter of time before more people in the west start counting how many crickets they eat.

Some of the most vocal supporters of insect-eating, including Nicole Kidman, Salma Hayek and Mark Cuban. These are just three reasons that more people are supporting eating inspects. 

1. They are nutritious

Vitamins and micronutrients are found in Orthoptera, the main source of cricket powder, such as B12, iron and manganese. B12 can’t be produced by the body on its own. It helps with energy and bone health. Iron is necessary for the production of red blood cells. Manganese is important for maintaining the nervous system. Calcium is needed for strong bones. Plus, the prebiotic fiber found in insects is good for digestion and gut health. Crickets are a powerhouse food.

2. It’s good for our environment

Orthoptera has many benefits beyond their nutritional value. The environmental benefits are profound. What may seem like a small difference right now could be the beginning of a global revolution.

Traditional livestock farming is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Compassion in World Farming says that we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries by at most 80% in order to meet the Paris Agreement goal of keeping the world’s average temperature below 2 degrees Celsius.

Climate change is already affecting food production. The increasing temperatures cause more stress in dry areas, making it difficult to raise crops or rear animals.

In contrast, insect farming produces about a hundred times less greenhouse gasses as beef, cattle, and pigs.

Insects also have a greater food conversion efficiency than traditional meats. Unlike warm-blooded vertebrates that need to consume a lot of energy to keep warm, cold-blooded insects don’t need to.

The female cricket can also reproduce very quickly, laying as many as 1,500 eggs in just three to four weeks. This is much faster than the rate of breeding cattle where the ratio between breeding and market animals is 4:1.

3. They don’t need to be whole.

If you don’t like the idea of eating them whole, they can be either blended up like in a smoothie, or you can get Orthoptera powder. It offers all the same nutritional benefits as protein powder. You can even add insect-fortified flour to use in your baking, such as making cricket chocolate cake. 

People are likely to be reluctant to allow insects into their lives due to their squeamishness. For this reason, Up Proteins is developing products that make it easy and even enjoyable to incorporate them into your diet. This will allow people to enjoy them, benefiting their health and also our planet.