Edible Insects: Just Say No To THIS Source of Protein

Imagine a high protein, paleo banana bread with coconut icing.  Mmmmm.  Just like this mouth-watering photo.

Looks good enough to eat, right?

Think again.

I love protein treats.  If I’m going to indulge in a sweet treat, I prefer it be on the healthier side.  Like my Quest Bar Coconut Bark, or my famous No Bake Protein Peanut Butter Balls.

So when I saw an email with a delicious-sounding protein banana bread recipe from Precision Nutrition in my inbox, I immediately clicked the link.

Precision Nutrition let me down.

I love Precision Nutrition, and they are my go-to source for diet info.  They take actual, science-based data and dumb it down so that a 5th grader can understand.  Or me.  So I trust PN and refer to them often.

I will rethink my diet-girl crush on Precision Nutrition.

The delectable banana bread?

Made with CRICKET FLOUR.  That’s right, ground up crickets.  Little disgusting bugs with legs and wings and insect parts.

Edible Insects: Better than Protein Powder?

In fact, cricket banana bread was only the tip of the insect iceberg.  The Precision Nutrition article mentioned all sorts of protein abominations:

• Toasted hornworms that taste like pork rinds?  No thanks.
• Chocolate covered crickets?
• Freeze-dried mealworms reminiscent of  Rice Krispies?
• And, of course, good ‘ol cricket or mealworm flour.  I kid you not.

I really don’t care that the average insect is almost half protein by dry weight, with some insects (such as locusts) up to about 75% protein.  I’ll take a bland chicken breast any day.

Learn more about eating bugs!

If you can stomach eating bugs, here are some interesting facts from the PN article:

• Bugs are nutritious
• Insects are paleo
• Insect farming is a sustainable food source
• You can get your bugs ground into flour for use in protein shakes and cooking – yum!
• Bugs are similar in nutritional content to other animal protein sources, without the problems of factory-farmed livestock like antibiotic use, hormones and grain feed.

Hell, if you’re hungry just go rummaging through your shrubs for an insect protein feast.

Get the full scoop on edible insects from Precision Nutrition

Be sure to check out the Precision Nutrition article for the banana bread recipe, as well as for Spiced Cricket Flour Cookies:  Edible Bugs and Insects:  Are These High Protein Critters the Future of Food? 

I think I just hurled.

Precision Nutrition also lists helpful hints for adding insects to your diet – hooray!

Will you add insects to your diet to get a protein boost?  If you try Cricket Banana Bread and survive, please let me know.  I will be waiting anxiously…