Benefit of Eating Ants; A Detailed Health Benefit of Eating Ants

Benefits of Eating Ants; Here are the health benefits of eating ants…

How would you feel if your doctor actually told you that you can eat bugs to stay healthy?

That’s why;

Naturally, we usually think of Ants as nuisance pests we want to eliminate, and purposefully eating them as part of a meal is, well, a definite turn off to most U.S. sensibilities.

But gastronomically, insects can be very beneficial to us in many ways.

About eighty percent of the world’s population eats insects on purpose.

They are regarded as healthy, nutritious and tasty food. Around most areas of the world, insects are a valuable and integral part of the diet.  In over 113 countries across the globe, people eat insects as a portion of their regular food source.

In fact, Western Exterminator is hosting a pop-up “Pestaruant” this weekend, October 8th, in Santa Monica, CA where we will be serving up edible insect dishes like Deep South BBQ Beetle Tacos and Thai Mai Mealworm Salad. The free event will be celebrating Western Exterminator’s 95th anniversary and educating the public about the benefits of eating insects.

U.S. consumers might be interested to know that they eat insects without knowing. Our government has established maximum levels of natural or unavoidable defects in foods for human use that present no health hazard. Our food contains a certain amount of insects per gram.

It’s estimated that each of us unknowingly eats probably about 500 grams per year!

Any processed foods you eat contain insects, because insects are here all around us, in nature and our crops. Fruits have insect damage and those fruits, such as tomato, may go into tomato soup, as long as they meet the requirements for the FDA allowance.

Other processed foods like peanut butter, cereals, and chocolate all have a certain amount of allowable insects in them that present no health hazard. So we’re eating them without even noticing.

But back to insects as an intentional food source. Insects are extremely sustainable to raise, requiring far fewer resources than other forms of livestock, and they produce fewer greenhouse gases. Insects reproduce at a far faster rate than livestock, and require much less space meaning of course, much less money to produce.

Nutritional insects are low in calories, low in fat and high in protein, so they’re good for your waistline. Some of the insects usually eaten are grasshoppers, meal worms, wasps, termites, stink bugs, scorpions, spiders, beetles, and ants.

Although insects are edible, there are some risks to eating them. If you are allergic to shrimp, shellfish, dust or chocolate, never eat an insect for you might have the same allergic reactions. Even the non- allergic should never eat raw insects. Certain insects store compounds that make people sick; some are poisonous; others may be carcinogenic. Be cautious – don’t go out in the backyard and look for dinner just yet!

 

Food Safety and Commercial Food Establishments ( Benefits of Eating Ants )

Western Exterminator Company offers a variety of programs to service commercial food handling facilities to help keep these facilities pest free.

Pest management is a critical part of food safety because pests can contaminate foods with pathogenic microorganisms and make people sick.

Our Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs exclude and prevent pests from entering the facility thus protecting the safety and integrity of the foods produced. Some of the programs we provide include Drain Line Services, Bird Exclusion, Commodity-Railcar-Trailer and Structural Fumigation, Flying Insect Management, Food Safety Inspections, Pest Proofing, and Stored Product Pest Monitoring, as well as complete general pest solutions.

Protect Your Family From Food-Borne Diseases ( Benefits of Eating Ants )

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that each year roughly 1 in 6 Americans (or 48 million people) gets sick, 128,000 are hospitalized, and 3,000 die of foodborne diseases.

The CDC has identified reducing foodborne diseases as a winnable battle. You can’t see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. However, there are some simple and safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage that are the keys to preventing food borne illness.

In every step of food preparation in your home, follow the four Fight BAC!™ guidelines to keep food safe:

  • Clean — Wash hands and surfaces often.
  • Separate — Don’t cross-contaminate.
  • Cook — Cook to proper temperatures.
  • Chill — Refrigerate promptly.

Here are the benefits of eating ants

Eating Ants, as gross as it seems, benefits our bodies and our world in many ways.

Ants are a great source of nutrients

You may be surprised to learn that edible insects are really very good for you!

The protein content of an insect is 20-76% of dry matter, depending on the insect’s type and development stage.

For example, one 3.5 ounce portion of grasshopper typically contains between 14 and 28 grams of protein.

This translates to 25-60% of your recommended daily allowance…from just one small serving of food. 

The same size serving of red ants also yields about 14 grams of protein, as well as a whopping 71% of the recommended daily allowance of iron. Crickets, beetles and caterpillars are great sources of these nutrients as well.

Why does this matter?

First of all, protein is life. And that’s no exaggeration.

Https://Www.eatcrickster.com/Blog/Pros-And-Cons-Of-Eating-Insects

It’s the basic building block of every part of your body. Muscles, bones, and skin all count on protein to grow and to repair themselves.

That’s why athletes and bodybuilders go to any lengths possible to fill themselves with it. Shakes, vitamin supplements, and protein bars are popular ways to try to fill in the protein gap.

Protein paired with iron is a true “power couple.” These nutrients combine to form hemoglobin, which is needed to move oxygen to your blood cells. 

Iron also builds your immune system, and protects your body from anemia.

Eating insect meat is resource efficient ( Benefits of Eating Ants )

As we saw above, protein is an essential nutrient for human survival. So the best use of the earth’s land, water, and other resources is the production of food that provides it.

Beef is generally considered an excellent source of protein and other valuable nutrients. But in fact, 100 grams of beef yields around the same amount of protein as crickets.

Https://Www.eatcrickster.com/Blog/Pros-And-Cons-Of-Eating-Insects

Producing this mere 1 kg of beef also takes a toll on our resources. The process requires an average of about 15 liters of water, in addition to the water used to grow food for the cattle to eat. Raising the same amount of mealworms uses about 4 liters, a full 9 liters less than each kg of beef.

According to a 2006 report of the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the raising of livestock accounts for the use of 70% of agricultural land use worldwide. Insect farming requires a very small space in comparison.

Almost no greenhouse gas emission (GHG) ( Benefits of Eating Ants )

Watch the video;

The raising of livestock produces methane gas, a major contributor to global warming/climate change. The effect of methane is estimated to be 25 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.

Nitrous oxide and ammonia are also released by cattle into our environment.

But raising insects produces between 10 and 80 times less methane gas than does the raising of cattle, and 8-12 times less ammonia.

Since we all have to breathe the same air, this is pretty good news for everyone.

Eating insects can help us secure food for upcoming generations

It’s no secret that a rapidly expanding population is straining the earth’s resources.

In 1800, the world population reached one billion. In a mere 130 years after that, this number doubled itself to reach 2 billion. And it has only picked up speed since then. The world population is estimated to reach 10 billion by 2055.

Https://Www.eatcrickster.com/Blog/Pros-And-Cons-Of-Eating-Insects

Feeding these burgeoning numbers of people poses a challenge even now.

The Food Aid Foundation estimates that one out of every seven people in the world are hungry, meaning they do not access to the nutritious food needed to live a healthy life.

Poor nutrition causes almost half the deaths worldwide of children under the age of five.

We are facing world hunger in spite of the fact that the earth presently produces more than enough food to feed everyone.

As the population continues to explode and supplies of available land and water diminish, the problem is only going to worsen. Some sources estimate that the world may no longer produce enough food for everyone as early as 2030, unless dramatic change happens.

The large-scale farming and eating of insects offers a ray of hope in this bleak prognosis.

Requiring very little land and water use, and providing so many of the nutrients needed for life, they may be our best chance to avoid this disaster.

On top of this, children are much more open towards the idea of eating bugs then we are.

Economy – Insect farming can provide a stable income

( Benefits of Eating Ants )

When it comes to producing insects for food, edible insects could level the playing field.

Farming insects does not require a lot of land or expensive machinery. Even the poorest segment of the population in our least developed countries can do it and make a profit.

Insect farming can also provide a stable income to established farmers, who can earn net incomes of between $5000-$10,000 a year in countries where the average gross income is about $5640 per year.

Empowering so many underprivileged members of the global economy is a huge societal benefit of the edible insect industry.

Benefits of edible insects

  • Rich in needed protein and iron
  • Less strain on land and water resources
  • A reduction of greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change
  • A potential solution to world hunger and food insecurity
  • A stable income to farmers in developing countries

Eating bugs, as gross as it seems, benefits our bodies and our world in many ways.

Insects are a great source of nutrients

( Benefits of Eating Ants )

You may be surprised to learn that edible insects are really very good for you!

The protein content of an insect is 20-76% of dry matter, depending on the insect’s type and development stage.

For example, one 3.5 ounce portion of grasshopper typically contains between 14 and 28 grams of protein.

This translates to 25-60% of your recommended daily allowance…from just one small serving of food.

The same size serving of red ants also yields about 14 grams of protein, as well as a whopping 71% of the recommended daily allowance of iron. Crickets, beetles and caterpillars are great sources of these nutrients as well.

Why does this matter?

First of all, protein is life. And that’s no exaggeration.

It’s the basic building block of every part of your body. Muscles, bones, and skin all count on protein to grow and to repair themselves.

That’s why athletes and bodybuilders go to any lengths possible to fill themselves with it. Shakes, vitamin supplements, and protein bars are popular ways to try to fill in the protein gap.

Protein paired with iron is a true “power couple.” These nutrients combine to form hemoglobin, which is needed to move oxygen to your blood cells. Iron also builds your immune system, and protects your body from anemia.

Eating insect meat is resource efficient

( Benefits of Eating Ants )

As we saw above, protein is an essential nutrient for human survival. So the best use of the earth’s land, water, and other resources is the production of food that provides it.

Beef is generally considered an excellent source of protein and other valuable nutrients. But in fact, 100 grams of beef yields around the same amount of protein as crickets. 

Producing this mere 1 kg of beef also takes a toll on our resources. The process requires an average of about 15 liters of water, in addition to the water used to grow food for the cattle to eat. Raising the same amount of mealworms uses about 4 liters, a full 9 liters less than each kg of beef.

According to a 2006 report of the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the raising of livestock accounts for the use of 70% of agricultural land use worldwide. Insect farming requires a very small space in comparison.

Almost no greenhouse gas emission (GHG)

( Benefits of Eating Ants )

The raising of livestock produces methane gas, a major contributor to global warming/climate change. The effect of methane is estimated to be 25 times more harmful than carbon dioxide.

Nitrous oxide and ammonia are also released by cattle into our environment.

But raising insects produces between 10 and 80 times less methane gas than does the raising of cattle, and 8-12 times less ammonia.

Since we all have to breathe the same air, this is pretty good news for everyone.

Eating insects can help us secure food for upcoming generations

( Benefits of Eating Ants )

It’s no secret that a rapidly expanding population is straining the earth’s resources.

In 1800, the world population reached one billion. In a mere 130 years after that, this number doubled itself to reach 2 billion. And it has only picked up speed since then. The world population is estimated to reach 10 billion by 2055.

Feeding these burgeoning numbers of people poses a challenge even now. The Food Aid Foundation estimates that one out of every seven people in the world are hungry, meaning they do not access to the nutritious food needed to live a healthy life.

Poor nutrition causes almost half the deaths worldwide of children under the age of five.

We are facing world hunger in spite of the fact that the earth presently produces more than enough food to feed everyone.

As the population continues to explode and supplies of available land and water diminish, the problem is only going to worsen. Some sources estimate that the world may no longer produce enough food for everyone as early as 2030, unless dramatic change happens.

The large-scale farming and eating of insects offers a ray of hope in this bleak prognosis.

Requiring very little land and water use, and providing so many of the nutrients needed for life, they may be our best chance to avoid this disaster.

On top of this, children are much more open towards the idea of eating bugs then we are.

Economy – Insect farming can provide a stable income

( Benefits of Eating Ants )

When it comes to producing insects for food, edible insects could level the playing field.

Farming insects does not require a lot of land or expensive machinery. Even the poorest segment of the population in our least developed countries can do it and make a profit.

Insect farming can also provide a stable income to established farmers, who can earn net incomes of between $5000-$10,000 a year in countries where the average gross income is about $5640 per year.

Empowering so many underprivileged members of the global economy is a huge societal benefit of the edible insect industry.

Benefits of edible insects

  • Rich in needed protein and iron
  • Less strain on land and water resources
  • A reduction of greenhouse gas emissions which contribute to climate change
  • A potential solution to world hunger and food insecurity
  • A stable income to farmers in developing countries

Some Worldwide Delicacies served with delicious Ants

  • Japan: Grubs of longhorn beetle marinaded in soy sauce and grilled.
  • Samoa: Insects fed on coconut shavings, roasted over charcoal and wrapped in banana leaf.
  • Cambodia: Baked tarantula cooked in a clay pot to remove its hair.
  • Japan: Aquatic fly larvae sautéed in sugar and soy sauce.
  • Bali: De-winged dragonflies boiled in coconut milk with ginger and garlic.
  • Italy: “Casu marzu,” Sardinian cheese riddled with live insect larvae, sometimes known as “maggot cheese.”
  • Korea: Silkworm pupae boiled and seasoned to make a popular snack food.
  • Papua New Guinea: Sago grubs in banana leaves.
  • South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe: Mopane worm, fried until crispy and served with tomato relish.

Now we are through with the benefits of eating bugs and we believe you will seek out to start this good health habit sooner.

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