Ask A Scientist General Science Archive

name         Alexandra B.
status       other
age          20s

Question -   Dear Sir/Madam,
I am a research assistant to an author in Virginia. You may find this a
rather strange question, I am trying to find out the nutritional value of
locusts. Ship wrecked seaman on the Sahara have been known to eat locusts,
so, I was wondering how beneficial this would have been. Can you help? or
can you suggest any organization that could help?
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O.K. I never would have believed it, but if you can overcome the cultural
hang-ups, insects are pretty healthy food, and there are gourmet recipes to
boot. For example: Chocolate Chirpie Chip Cookies.

Do a web search on the search engine: www.google.com
using the term: "nutritional value insects" and you will find numerous sites
giving the nutritional value of various insects, and recipes for preparing
delicious (???) dishes from them. Wonders never cease!

Vince Calder
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According to the book Creepy Crawly Cuisine, by Julieta Ramos-Elorduy (Park
Street Press, Rochester, VT, 1998), a pound of locusts (grasshoppers)
contains more than adequate amounts of all amino acids for adults'
nutritional needs.  This amount of locusts also meet an adult's daily needs
for phosphorus, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and essential fatty
acids.  Calcium levels, although insufficient to meet dietary standards,
exceed those of meats commonly consumed in the United States, such as beef
and chicken.  The carbohydrate content is very low, making locusts a
suitable food for the Atkins Diet.

Not surprisingly, I was not able to find nutritional information for insects
from the USDA's nutritional database.

Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Director of Academic Programs
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois
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