6 health benefits of cricket flour!

Cricket flour also known as cricket protein  powder has almost triple the amount of protein present in sirloin and chicken.  That’s right! You might be tempted to immediately discard this excellent protein food, but cricket flour actually has a mild, nutty flavor that many people seem to like. In fact, there are thousands of insects that are eaten all over the world, but crickets continue to gain traction because they are easy to grow and come with a host of nutritional benefits.

Cricket flour is made from dried or roasted crickets that are raised on home farms. They are then ground into a fine flour that can be used in protein bars , smoothies, and baked goods. Manufacturers are using the product’s protein and amount of nutrients as their marketing strategies promoting it as a healthier, more sustainable means of protein than beef.

Nutritional values ​​of cricket flour :

One serving is two tablespoons (12 grams) and contains approximately:

• 55 calories;
• 0.8 grams of carbohydrates;
• 7 grams of protein ;
• 2 grams of fat;
• Iron (4% of DV);
• Calcium (2% of DV);
• vitamina B12 (17% do VD);
• Vitamina B2 (23% do VD).

It is prized because it is gluten-free and high in protein . The benefits of consuming more protein -rich foods include greater muscle mass, weight management, stabilized blood sugar levels , improved mood, healthy brain and heart function, and slower aging.

Cricket flour  is also a good source of iron and calcium . Iron -rich foods provide energy, increase muscle function and promote brain function. Getting enough iron is also very important for pregnant women. Calcium -rich foods  help lower blood pressure, promote bone health, help with weight management, and may even lower your risk of colon and rectal cancer.

How cricket flour came about :

Insects have served as a food source for tens of thousands or years across the planet. In the Middle East, as early as the 8th century BC, servants carried locusts arranged on sticks for royal banquets. In Greece, eating cicadas was considered a delicacy. In the 21st century, two billion people were already eating a wide variety of insects on a regular basis, and in 2013, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reminded citizens that there are more than 1,900 species of edible insects on Earth, teeming with protein , fiber , healthy fats and essential vitamins and minerals.

According to FAO, the acceptance of entomophagy is a matter of culture. Native Americans were very used to eating grasshoppers and crickets. Today, insects are considered delicacies in many parts of the world. Particularly in the tropics, where a variety of edible insect species can be found throughout the year.

Health benefits of cricket flour:

1. Help with bodybuilding:

Protein -rich foods such as  cricket flour are essential for building muscle, burning fat and supporting metabolism. Adequate protein consumption is necessary to support the maintenance of lean body mass. Athletes need higher protein intake to support increased activity and to increase strength.

While athletes and bodybuilders need adequate carbohydrate consumption to improve their performance, satiety and fat loss are generally improved with low- carb diets , specifically with higher protein – to-carbohydrate ratios . , is a great tool for bodybuilders or athletes looking to increase their strength and performance.

2. Helps in weight loss:

If you are aiming to burn fat quickly, you need to consume a substantial amount of protein . You should replace the extra carbs in your diet with more protein . For every pound of body weight, try eating 0.75 grams of protein . For example, if you weigh 72 kg, multiply 72 by 0.75 – that means you should consume about 54 grams of protein a day to burn fat . Cricket flour  is a great way to do this without consuming extra carbs because it is packed with protein and contains only 0.8 grams of carbs per serving.

3. It’s gluten free:

Another benefit of  cricket flour  is that it is a gluten -free flour . Also, most people today use white flour or all-purpose flour , but neither is good for health. Most white and wheat flours are bleached, contain gluten  and are difficult to digest.

For some people, it is important not to have gluten  because gluten  can be very difficult to digest. One in 133 people have celiac disease, which means they cannot digest gluten , and 1 in 7 is severely gluten intolerant , so eating gluten products can lead to a serious reaction. In addition, people who decide not to consume gluten generally have easier weight loss. It improves your digestion, helps your thyroid function at a higher level and boosts energy levels.

4. Good source of vitamin B12:

Just one serving of cricket flour contains around 17% of your daily value of vitamin B12 . Additionally, vitamin B12 is believed to be one of the world’s leading nutritional deficiencies, with a 2004 study showing that it is a major health concern in many parts of the world, especially people of European and African descent.

Daily consumption of vitamin B12 helps with key energy levels, prevents memory loss, helps the nervous system function properly, plays a role in maintaining heart health, and promotes healthy skin and hair. These vitamin B12 benefits are easy to achieve by consuming cricket flour and cricket protein products .

5. Provides essential amino acids:

Cricket flour is a complete protein , so it contains essential amino acids that the body needs for muscle development. In addition, proteins are considered long chains of amino acids, which are the important molecules that we must get in our diet.

Without sufficient sources of protein in our diet, you run the risk of becoming deficient in certain amino acids, which can lead to problems building muscle mass, poor concentration and memory, unstable blood sugar levels, and problems maintaining or losing weight. Weight.

Cricket flour sustainability :

It is estimated that crickets are 20 times more efficient as a source of protein than cattle. Crickets require about six times less feed than cattle. Four times less than sheep and twice less than pigs to produce the same amount of protein. Crickets also require much less water than cattle; in fact, to get a pound of dry protein from a cow, it takes between 1,700 and 2,500 gallons of water . To get the same amount of protein as a cricket, you only need a gallon of water – that’s a huge difference.

Growing insects require little infrastructure or resources either. To live and grow happily, crickets need a home that is between 26 and 32 degrees Celsius with 90% humidity. They also like cardboard or egg cartons to climb. Many large cricket farms feed their crickets a diet of grain and filtered water . Chicken and cattle, on the other hand, require expensive amenities, including special fencing (whereas crickets only need fiberglass gutters  ).

Cricket flour precautions :

It’s not safe to use any old crickets found in your backyard to do this. That’s because crickets can be infected with pesticides, which can be poisonous to humans. It’s important to buy cricket flour from a reputable source to make sure it’s free of dangerous chemicals.

Start with a small amount of protein.  Your body needs time to get used to this new source of protein , and you need to make sure you don’t get allergic reactions.