Chirp about this
Crickets – yes, crickets – are a sustainable form of food, taking less land and water than it does to produce traditional meat proteins like beef and chicken.
Did you know that the food we eat is broken down into three main components? These are known as macronutrients. You may recognize macronutrients more specifically as carbohydrates, fats and protein. These three nutrients provide our bodies with the energy necessary to function, and each serves a specific purpose.
Let’s take a closer look at protein: this macronutrient is essential to help our bodies build and repair muscles, bones and other tissues. Most Canadians consume protein in the form of meat, poultry and fish. It is also worth mentioning that there are also many plant-based foods, or meat alternatives, which provide a great source of protein — such as like beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and tofu. But today, I’d like to talk about a different protein source that’s now available, and may well become a more common food in the future. It has been receiving lots of buzz in the media, and recently hit the shelves at local Superstores — 100 per cent cricket powder.
Yes, you read that correctly. Crickets! While most Canadians likely perceive insects as more of
a nuisance than a form of protein, 80 per cent of the world’s population already incorporates insects into their diet in some manner. Cricket powder makes this easy.
Crickets are a sustainable form of food — according to industry studies, harvesting bugs takes less land and water than it does to produce traditional meat proteins like beef and chicken. Cricket powder will add a subtle nutty or earthly flavour to a wide variety of dishes; if you use a small amount, you won’t taste it at all. A two and a half tablespoon serving of cricket powder contains 13g of protein and 100 per cent of the daily requirement Vitamin B12. So, crickets are a great way to add a powerful protein punch and a boost of vitamin B12 to just about anything you can imagine.
PC is among the first to bring cricket protein to Canadians in a versatile and easy-to-use product. It is also 100 per cent Canadian, made from crickets farmed in Ontario.
Try incorporating cricket powder into baked goods, soups, chili and smoothies, like the strawberry banana recipe below.
Have a nutrition question? Want to book an appointment or shop with the dietitian?
Book online at www.atlanticsuperstore/dietitians or contact me by phone at (902) 921-0700 or by email at terry.daley@loblaw.ca.