Insect consumption can have a positive effect on health

If you want a healthy gut, crickets should be on your menu. That’s according to scientists whose research has shown that eating these insects helps maintain the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria and can reduce inflammation in the body.

Valerie Stull, head of the The lead author of the publication, kt ra appeared on the pages of „Scientific Reports”, ate her first insect at age 12 during a trip with her parents to one of the country’s in Central America. They were fried mr ki. – I remember that at first it disgusted me, but when I put mr in the mouth, I was really surprised. She tasted mi – Stull mentions.

Stull, who ra works at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Environmental Research Institute, is the author of a clinical study that re focuses on what consuming insects , the lead nie crickets, does to the human microbiome. In other words, scientists tested in clinical trials the health effects of consuming insect .

– This study is important because insects are a novel ingredient in diets emerging in the wider West, and their effects on human health have not really been studied. From what we know about the gut microflora and its relationship to human health, it is important to determine how the b new foods can affect microbial populations in the intestinal – m i Professor Tiffany Weir of Colorado State University, co author of the study.

The idea of eating insects does not convince everyone, although a growing body of research indicates that this is the future. The global population continues to grow, and animal husbandry requires vast tracts of land and large amounts of resources in water. On top of that, it releases huge amounts of methane into the atmosphere. The cultured insect is much cheaper and does not burden the environment as much.

Although for a European or American, eating an insect may seem disgusting, they are a source of a food source for many people. It is estimated that in the diet of about two ch billion in people around the world include insects.

Many studies have proven that they are rich in nutrients, full of protein, vitamins, minerals and healthy fat. Plus they are well digested by our bodies.

Stull’s research shows that eating crickets can support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria and is not only safe, even in large quantities, but can also reduce inflammation in the body.

– There is currently a lot of interest in edible insects. Is gaining recognition in Europe and the United States as a zr equivalent and environmentally friendly sources of water The low amount of protein in leek n comparison with traditional animal husbandry – m i Stull.

Acquiring the insect for protein not only helps protect the environment, but also offers a more healthy option than eating meat. Crickets, like other insects, contain also fiber, which ry is found in chitinous trichomes knach. It differs from the fiber contained in fruits and vegetables. Dietary fiber promotes the growth of probiotic in the intestines, but what it looks like when you put an in insectien? This is exactly what Stull wanted to find out when she began her research.

In the study, which re lasted for two weeks, 20 healthy men and women between the ages of 18 and 48 consumed two types of breakfast. One group was given a muffin or cocktail containing 25 grams of powdered cricket meal, while the other group received the same dish but without the insect input.

This was followed by a two-week period of normal eating without cricket meal to "reset" body, after which both groups switched. Neither the study participants nor the researchers knew which ra group eats crickets.

During the pr bnym were taken pr blood and stool samples from participants. They were also asked to fill out nutritional questionnaires. Pr blood vessels of the participant have been tested for blood glucose levels or enzyme related to liver function, as well as the level of in proteins associated with inflammation. Pr Fecal specimens were tested for product in the side metabolism of microbes in the human intestines, bound in causing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and og The lne status of microbial communities present in the feces.

Study participants reported no significant changes or effects of the in the side, and scientists have not found evidence for changes in og ln the microbiological composition. Instead, they found an increase in a metabolic enzyme linked to gut health and a decrease in a pro-inflammatory protein in blood plasma called TNF-alpha, which re is associated with a number of ailments, including the incidence of cancer , severe depression, Alzheimer’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease.

It was found Also a significant increase in the bacteria called Bifidobacterium animalis – On average, it increased nearly 6-fold in os b on a diet containing cricket flour. These bacteria improve gastrointestinal function and increase the immune system response.

Note, however, that this study was conducted on a small group of. Its authors emphasize They also found that more research is needed to re tify these findings and determine which re components of crickets may contribute to improved intestinal health.

– This is a very small study, but it shows that there is something worth looking into in the future when promoting insects as zr equivalent sources The food source – admits Stull.