5 Bugs You Can Eat (and Their Health Benefits)

The idea of edible bugs may sound strange among Western diners, but entomophagy, or the practice of eating insects, is anything but new in Asia, Africa, and South America. “There are many cultures that have included insects as part of their diet for centuries,” says Sujaya Rao, PhD, entomology professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota in St. Paul. At the same time, “this is the food of the future. We will need alternative foods that can be raised in small environments and are easy to raise,” she says. Insects answer that call.

Can Insects Support Nutrition?

Insects tick several nutritional boxes. “Think about an insect. It’s so small, but picture a bee flying or a grasshopper jumping. They require a lot of muscle and energy to do those things,” says Dr. Rao. You benefit from that when you eat them. In general, insects are rich in protein and low in carbohydrates, and they contain essential minerals like iron, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. They are also rich in unsaturated fat, which is a healthier source of fat than saturated fat.

Also important are the environmental benefits of eating bugs. “Consuming insects could potentially help solve food access, cost, and environmental issues in the United States,” says Hardie.

People worldwide eat nearly 2,000 insect species, says Rao. Promoting edible insects doesn’t mean foraging for them in your backyard. “We’re talking about raising them in really clean environments,” she says. Insects have to eat organic food; if they were to feast on pesticide-laden feed, they’d die. Today you can buy products in which insects have been processed into flours that can be used in everyday cooking and baking or in which they’re combined with familiar flavors or prepared as familiar foods (such as bars or cookies).

Which Bugs Are Edible? Here Are Five to Try

If eating bugs is something you’ve never considered before, that’s okay. But don’t write them off — they’re a staple of many cultures. “Do you eat crabs, lobsters, and prawns? Those are close relatives of insects, and they are the bottom-feeders of the ocean,” says Rao. “It’s all in the mind. Consider trying it to see if you embrace different products.”

Here are five to add to your plate — and the potential health benefits they offer.