You’ve heard of whey, soy, and pea protein. But have you heard of cricket protein before? Well, it turns out that humans have been eating crickets for centuries! And although it’s becoming more mainstream, there are many things we are still unaware of when it comes to this superfood. At Salta Superfoods, we have amazing reasons—listed below, to combine 50% of Cricket Protein with 50% of other superfood powders to create a super blend. And if you’re like us, you’ll want to add an extra spoonful of our raw powder to your shakes, smoothie bowls, and pancakes.
Our biggest takeaways are the following:
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Cricket protein is a complete protein.
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Cricket protein supports and improves your gut health.
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Cricket protein is processed very little.
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Cricket protein is good for the environment.
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Cricket protein is high in B vitamins.
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Cricket protein is rich in minerals.
- Cricket protein is a great source of the fatty acids.
#1. Cricket protein is a complete protein
What does this mean? Well, let’s quickly talk about amino acids. Amino acids form the building blocks of proteins that make up 75% of the body. There’s a total of 20 of them. And they help us build and maintain our muscles. Eleven of them are produced in our bodies on their own because we’re super cool. The other 9 amino acids—leucine, isoleucine, valine, methionine, tryptophan, threonine, lysine, histidine, and phenylalanine—we must get from the food we eat. Easy, right? Well, not really. Not all proteins are created equal. So when looking for a protein powder, make sure it has all 9 essential amino acids. Or ... just buy cricket protein.
#2. Cricket protein supports and improves your gut health
Don’t underestimate the mighty power of crickets, they are much more than a complete protein. Cricket powder is not only packed full of essential vitamins and minerals, but it is remarkably easy on the gut thanks to its naturally occurring prebiotic, Chitin [kite-in]. By virtue of this super special Chitin, you will not only enjoy the ritual of taking Salta, but you will be doing your gut a favor by increasing the good bacterias by 6-fold, as shown in various studies. This will help reduce inflammation and improve its overall health! This probiotic has been shown to boost immunity, protect against pathogenic gut infections, improve glucose tolerance, decrease fasting insulin, reduce inflammation, reduce BMI and improve blood lipid profiles. In short, cricket protein is not only easy on the gut, but positively improves the gut.
#3. Cricket protein is processed very little
One of my favorite aspects of cricket protein is that it is made with little to no processing. I stay away from processed foods as much as possible. I want real food. I want whole food. Not heavily processed, artificially altered, flavor induced goods. Cricket protein has one ingredient; crickets. Look at the ingredients of the foods that you’re ingesting. If you can’t pronounce them, chances are, you shouldn’t be eating them.
#4. Cricket protein is good for the environment
As world population continues to increase, we need to be more conscientious of our environmental footprint. Livestock makes up 1⁄3 of the greenhouse gas emissions. Not only that, but livestock also uses an abundance of resources. Compared to crickets, livestock uses 12x more feed, 15x more land, and 2000x more water than crickets.
Collectively, our consumption of meat does more harm to the environment than virtually anything else. In fact, many sources state that following a plant-based diet can cut our environmental footprint by half! While that’s a very drastic change for most of us, adopting alternative proteins into your diet and decreasing your consumption of meat will have a significant impact on the planet and much easier to implement as your new normal.
#5. Cricket protein is rich in minerals
Many of the proteins we consume are a small portion of the animal it comes from. When you eat cricket powder, you eat the entire cricket, which means that you’re getting all the macronutrients (proteins & fats) along with the micronutrients (valuable vitamins & minerals). Common minerals in cricket protein include zinc, copper, iodine, and manganese. These minerals support immune function, hormone production, regulate your metabolism, support iron absorption, and help form bone, amongst other things.
The takeaway is that cricket powder—unlike other protein powders—contains valuable minerals scarce in the modern diet.
#6. Cricket protein is high in B vitamins
Along with the many minerals in cricket protein, there is also a copious amount of B vitamins, in particular B12, B2, and B7. Why are these B vitamins good for us?
Well for starters, B12 helps with the production of your red blood cells. This results in sustained energy without the crash, less brain fog, better focus, happier state of mind, and many more positive benefits. In one serving of cricket protein powder, there is 80% of the recommended dietary amount of B12. The other B vitamins that normally get lost along the shuffle are vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and vitamin B7 (biotin). Riboflavin and biotin helps keep your skin, eyes, and the nervous system healthy.
#7. Cricket protein is a great source of the fatty acids
Fatty acids, in particular Omega 3 and 6, are vital for maintaining and building every cell wall you have. They also help your blood vessels, heart, and immune system function optimally lowering risk for heart disease and stroke. While in utero, fatty acids are super important in assisting the building of the brain and neurological development. This is why many prenatal vitamins include omega 3 and 6, and why many pregnant women take additional supplements to help this important process. Crickets contain both omega 3 and 6 and have been shown to contain a similar amount shown in salmon.
It’s a no-brainer why cricket protein was a key nutrient in our ancestor’s diets.
Our bodies thrive off this well-rounded super protein. Simply adding cricket protein powder in your daily smoothie or just drinking our dairy-free and gluten-free superfood blends in water will provide you with a daily dose of vitamins, minerals, protein, and so much more to support your health, your wellbeing, and our planet.
