Edible insect protein is the future of food

The rapid day-to-day global population increase is predicted to reach 9.74 billion people by the year 2050. This population growth demands an urgent increase in food production to keep up with the expanding demand. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has begun promoting insects as viable dietary options for humans. Perfect Protein talks about edible insect protein as the future of food and a new alternative to protein powder.

The importance of protein for humans

• Adequate protein intake is very important for keeping the muscles, bones, and tissues healthy. 
• It plays a role in many bodily processes, including blood clotting, fluid balance, immune system responses, vision, hormones, and enzymes. 
• It is crucial for growth and development, especially during childhood, adolescence, and pregnancy. 
• Eating adequate protein is necessary not just for athletes or but also for a healthy immune system and required for organs like the heart, brain, and skin to function well. 
• Protein also helps control appetite and enhance muscle growth.

Based on a short-term nitrogen balance study, the Recommended Dietary Allowance of protein for a healthy adult with minimal physical activity is currently 0.8 g protein per kg body weight (BW) per day. The amount of protein one needs typically depends on the exercise routine, age, and health. 

Two types of protein

Proteins may be either complete or incomplete. Complete proteins are proteins that contain all 20 essential amino acids. Animal products, soy, and quinoa are complete proteins. Incomplete proteins are proteins that do not contain all essential amino acids. Most plant foods are incomplete proteins, including beans, nuts, and grains. Therefore, it is important to consume different types of proteins across the day that are complete in their nutritive value.

Why is cricket powder from Perfect Protein a great protein alternative?

As food production struggles to keep up with the rising population, there is a shift in trend towards alternative and novel food production systems that are cheap, environmentally friendly, adaptable to climate change, and sustainable. 

One of the promising options is entomophagy, the practice of eating insects is traditionally practiced by more than two billion people worldwide, mostly in Asia, Africa, and South America. There are 2,100 species of insects that are consumed as food in over 110 countries. In recent years, consumption of edible crickets has become more appreciated in Europe, America, and Australia with the recognition of its nutritional benefits and food security.

Here are the benefits of consuming cricket protein:

• Sustainable nutrition: The high nutritional content in comparison to other conventional and overexploited sources of animal protein, and the ease of farming make crickets promising as a sustainable food source. 
• Eco-friendly: The rearing of crickets as mini livestock is more eco-friendly because of their low emission of greenhouse gases, low water and feed intake, and the small land requirement for their production as compared to livestock. 
• Efficient conversion: Crickets also show higher feed conversion efficiency when compared to mammalian livestock. 
• Cleansers: Since crickets may be produced on locally available food substrates such as agro byproducts and weeds, they aid in cleaning the environment as well.
• Food security: The recent research on using crickets as human food and feed has increased with the recognition of cricket's nutritional benefits and their potential of ensuring food security. 
• Supplement: Crickets can also be used as nutritional supplements for special diets for school children, sick people, and athletes. 
• Nutrient-dense: Most of the edible crickets supply adequate energy and proteins to the diet, as well as meet the amino acid requirements of the body. Crickets also possess a high value of monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Micro-nutrient elements are the most deficient nutrients in humans. These micronutrients such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, Sodium, Iron, zinc, manganese, and copper as well as vitamins like folic acid, pantothenic acid, riboflavin, and biotin are also present in cricket protein. 

Why Perfect Protein?

Perfect protein, a wholly owned brand of Dalayla farms, creates consumable protein products using 100% sustainably raised crickets from its in-house farm.

1. With Perfect Protein, clients have access to flavorful products that are a great source of complete protein with all 9 essential amino acids produced with minimal environmental impact. 

2. Crickets are very nutritionally dense sources of food. Here is their nutrition profile:

• • 65% protein by volume
  • High in iron
  • High in fiber
  • More B12 than salmon
  • Gluten-free
  • All 9 amino acids
  • More calcium than milk
  • 15% More iron than spinach

Visit the Perfect Protein farm to see how it works. Call at 1-716-597-8656 or visit our shop online at www.crkt.life