Whereas entomophagy — consuming bugs — could sound new or uncommon to some within the West, it has been commonplace in cultures worldwide for hundreds of years (
For instance, many individuals in Asia, Africa, and Latin America rely upon bugs as a part of their diets. In some instances, bugs are even thought-about delicacies somewhat than simply one other supply of significant vitamins.
Essentially the most generally consumed bugs world wide are beetles, caterpillars, bees, wasps, and ants. Ants particularly provide an environmentally pleasant supply of high quality protein which will help coronary heart well being and fight oxidative stress (2, 3).
This text tells you all there may be to find out about consuming ants, together with the advantages and potential downsides.
Cultural practices strongly affect who eats bugs, and whereas most Western countries refrain from it, bugs are an essential meals supply in lots of areas of the world (2).
As you possibly can think about, there are quite a few ant species, and never all of them are usually consumed.
Listed here are a number of the hottest edible ants and the nations through which they’re eaten:
- Leaf-cutting ants. Leaf-cutting ants are particularly fashionable in Latin American nations, together with Mexico, Colombia, Panama, and Brazil. Their identify comes from their capacity to chop leaves to feed fungi, which they use to feed their larvae (2,
4 ,5 ). - Weaver ants. Weaver ants are consumed in China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Thailand, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, and Sri Lanka. They’re known as weaver ants as a result of they weave the leaves of residing timber with silk to type their nests (2).
- Honey ants. Honey ants are generally consumed by Indigenous communities in Australia. They’re additionally known as honeypot ants as a result of they use their stomachs to retailer honey to feed their colony in instances of shortage (2).
- Black ants. Black ants are usually consumed in China and Kenya (6).
Abstract
Ants are generally consumed in lots of Asian, African, and Latin American nations. A few of the hottest forms of edible ants are leaf-cutting, weaver, honey, and black ants.
Typically, ants might be eaten in larvae or grownup type. They could be consumed entire or as an ingredient in numerous dishes (2,
Preparation strategies differ by nation and by ant species.
For instance, the larvae and eggs of weaver ants are most well-liked over the adults, since grownup ants have much less taste. Nevertheless, adults are nonetheless used as a condiment.
Listed here are another examples of how ants are ready world wide:
- Laos. Weaver ants are used so as to add acidity to fish soups, equally to how citrus is utilized in Western nations (2).
- Thailand. Weaver ants are offered in cans (2).
- Peruvian Amazon. Weaver ants are usually roasted or fried. The larvae are generally roasted and blended with cassava flour (
4 ). - Colombia. Leaf-cutting ant queens are offered fried at native markets (
5 ). - Mexico. Leaf-cutting ants are often roasted and floor to taste mayonnaise and put together sauces (
7 ,8 ). - India. Weaver ants’ eggs and larvae are boiled with spices, and grownup ants are ready as chutney blended with chili and salt (
9 ).
Abstract
Totally different cultures put together ants utilizing completely different strategies. Roasting, frying, and boiling are widespread.
The dietary worth of bugs — together with ants — varies extensively relying on the species. It is usually influenced by their metamorphic stage, weight-reduction plan, and habitat. However, ants are usually excessive in protein, fiber, nutritional vitamins, and minerals (2).
As an example, weaver ants’ larvae and eggs present round 7 grams of protein per 100 grams in weight. In distinction, grownup leaf-cutting ants and black ants comprise a median of 42–53 grams and 40–45 grams of protein per 100 grams, respectively (
As well as, ants present fiber and minerals, equivalent to iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus (
The most typical sort of fiber in bugs is chitin, which is derived from their exterior skeleton. It’s insoluble fiber — the sort your physique can’t digest (2,
Abstract
The dietary worth of ants varies relying on the species and the ants’ metamorphic stage, weight-reduction plan, and habitat. They principally present protein, fiber, and minerals.
Conventional makes use of for ants differ by area and tradition. They could be used to deal with bronchial asthma and sore throats, or their heads could also be used as stitches to close wounds (
Nevertheless, many of the advantages of ants are related to some great benefits of consuming bugs typically, equivalent to offering an environmentally pleasant, different supply of animal protein.
Environmentally pleasant
Lately, finding sustainable ways to increase food production to feed the world’s rising inhabitants has been a priority.
As edible bugs, ants could turn into a part of the rising developments targeted on offering more healthy and extra sustainable diets (2).
Bugs typically are thought-about a sustainable meals supply resulting from their low environmental affect.
For starters, they have a tendency to have a excessive feed conversion effectivity, which refers to an animal’s capability to transform feed mass into elevated physique mass.
This implies they want fewer kilograms of feed for each kilogram of weight achieve in contrast with other protein sources. For instance, crickets want 12 instances much less feed than cattle and 4 instances much less feed than sheep (2).
As well as, bugs assist cut back environmental contamination. They’re very environment friendly at bioconverting natural waste — that means they’ll convert animal or plant waste into an power supply (2).
Bugs are additionally credited with the next environmental advantages (2,
- They emit little ammonia and few greenhouse gases.
- They’ve diminished water wants in comparison with cattle.
- They’re believed to current fewer animal welfare points.
- They’ve a decrease danger of transmitting infections to people than mammals and birds do.
As a result of ants are environment friendly and fewer taxing on the setting, together with ants as a protein supply could assist cut back utilization of different restricted pure sources, equivalent to land, power, and water.
Even so, the sustainability of ants is dependent upon good assortment practices. Unsustainable assortment strategies could turn into detrimental to their pure setting (2).
Different animal-based protein meals
Fast inhabitants development world wide has elevated the worldwide demand for meat, however many take into account present fashions of meat manufacturing unsustainable. Subsequently, different animal protein sources could assist cut back stress on the setting (
Ants are an animal-based protein supply which will assist improve dietary high quality and general protein consumption (2,
Bugs’ excessive protein content material has raised curiosity as an alternative to milk, meat, fish, and eggs for human consumption. The truth is, in nations the place entomophagy is a typical apply, bugs are a valued supply of protein (
Nevertheless, there are nonetheless only a few human research on insect consumption. Thus, Western firms are specializing in utilizing bugs as animal feed and pet meals for now (
Different purported advantages
Though these advantages are much less studied than others, ants could also be helpful as a supply of antioxidants and should contribute to coronary heart well being.
Antioxidant-rich meals are key for stopping oxidative stress-related illnesses equivalent to coronary heart illness and most cancers. One examine decided that black ants have excessive ranges of antioxidants — particularly polyphenols — corresponding to these in orange juice (
Nevertheless, extra research on ants’ results on human well being are wanted.
By way of coronary heart well being, one 2-week examine in wholesome adults decided {that a} day by day consumption of three–6 grams of chitin reduced total cholesterol and elevated HDL (good) levels of cholesterol (
However once more, we want extra analysis on how chitin from ants impacts human well being.
Abstract
The advantages of consuming ants come primarily from their low environmental affect and excessive protein high quality. They could additionally provide antioxidants and help coronary heart well being.
Because of the lack of human research on consuming ants, there may be little scientific proof concerning their potential downsides.
As an example, some analysis means that chitin could also be a possible meals allergen, whereas different research suggest that it might really enhance some individuals’s immune responses (2).
Moreover, analysis means that ants could also be a supply of purines — compounds present in proteins — and improve uric acid manufacturing, which can be dangerous to individuals with gout (
Nevertheless, additional analysis is required.
Abstract
There’s blended proof on the potential allergenic impact of chitin from ants. Equally, it’s not clear whether or not ants are a supply of purines, so individuals with gout ought to eat them sparingly.
Typically, edible ant species are suitable for eating, posing no extra dangers than different animal merchandise. Processing and storage ought to comply with the identical well being and sanitization rules as some other meals, together with thorough washing and heating when cooking (
That being stated, there are a few issues to remember when consuming ants.
On one hand, consuming entire ants means you’d additionally eat their microbiota, or intestine micro organism, which can result in parasite ingestion. Particularly, the parasite Dicrocoelium dendriticum could infect people who eat ants that comprise metacercariae (
Nevertheless, instances of dicrocoeliosis — the an infection attributable to the parasite — are very uncommon (15).
Then again, not all ants are edible. Some ants, equivalent to fireplace and jack jumper ants, have organs that produce poison.
Whereas the poison is often deactivated in your digestive tract, there’s a danger of stings in your mouth or esophagus, which can trigger deadly allergic reactions (
Abstract
Edible ants are usually suitable for eating. Nevertheless, consuming entire ants will increase your danger of parasitic infections. It’s best to keep away from consuming toxic forms of ants to reduce the danger of allergic reactions.
Consuming ants is a typical apply in lots of nations world wide, the place they’re used as substances in recipes or consumed by themselves.
Whereas there’s not a lot analysis concerning their advantages and disadvantages, ants are an environmentally pleasant animal-based protein supply.
Although edible ants are suitable for eating, there’s a small danger of an infection should you eat entire ants contaminated with a selected parasite. Be sure that to keep away from consuming toxic varieties, equivalent to fireplace ants and jack jumper ants.