What’s the latest and the greatest source of protein in the Western world? Insects!
If that thought makes you cringe, you just MIGHT want to hear me out.
Insects are a highly sustainable and amazing “whole animal insect” source of protein containing many therapeutic vitamins and minerals (especially to those eating the standard American diet). They are loaded with protein, calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, and fat.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, “Insects are a highly nutritious and healthy food source with high fat, protein, vitamin, fibre and mineral content. The nutritional value of edible insects is highly variable because of the wide range of edible insect species. Even within the same group of species, nutritional value may differ depending on the metamorphic stage of the insect, the habitat in which it lives, and its diet. For example, the composition of unsaturated omega-3 and six fatty acids in mealworms is comparable with that in fish (and higher than in cattle and pigs), and the protein, vitamin and mineral content of mealworms is similar to that in fish and meat.”
If eating insects STILL creeps you out, you might want to start out with crickets. You can buy cricket flour (like this) or buy protein bars (like this or this) and try them out yourself at home!
Photo Credit: Depositphotos.com/tangducminh