Eating bugs as a protein source is starting to become a thing.
Yep, you read that right. Eating bugs.
For example, Eveningsends recently posted an article about Meghan Curry, a 29-year-old entomologist from El Paso, Texas, who is planning to solo Mescalito (on El Cap) this year and eat only bugs for her source of protein.
There are now even protein bars made with cricket flour, Exo protein bars. This review of Exo bars was written by Dave Sheldon, a frequent contributor to climbing magazines, and an awesome bodyworker. You can see his full bio below.
Enter Dave….
I’ve been watching people eat bugs on the Food Network TV channel for years. The smiling hosts fearlessly drop scorpions, beetles, ants, grubs or crickets into their mouths, all the while preaching the virtues of edible insects.
But, when my girlfriend handed me an innocent looking protein bar and then told me the goody contained crickets, I couldn’t help but be overrun by suspicion.
(photo courtesy of exoprotein.com)
“Keep one eye on the bar, the other on the girl, and slowly back toward the door.” My squinty eyes and slow retreat earned a loud, “Man Up!” The shaming jolted the room back into focus, and now truly fearing for my safety, I instinctually bit into the snack.
What I experienced was a well flavored, mildly sweet, filling bar (260-300 calories depending on the flavor) that did not in any way taste like bugs. Roasted cricket flour has a very mild taste, and, it’s the fourth or fifth ingredient down on the ingredients list. This means there’s basically no way you can taste the little hoppers.
Each Exo bar is made with 10 grams of organic cricket flour. That’s forty crickets per bar, five crickets per bite.
Why crickets?
(photo courtesy of exoprotein.com)
Crickets are high in protein, low in saturated fats, contain all the essential amino acids and are high in micronutrients like iron, calcium and B-vitamins.
Also, raising crickets has almost no environmental impact. Some estimate that they are twenty times more efficient to raise for protein than cattle.
Check out the following factoids:
- 100lbs of animal feed creates 5lbs edible beef protein while that same amount of feed will create 60lbs edible cricket protein.
- It takes 2000 gallons of water to create every pound of cow vs. 1 gallon of water for each pound of cricket.
When I started eating the Exo bars at the crags, I was thankful they offered up an even, long lasting energy.
The ingredient challenged, or anyone from Boulder, will appreciate that all Exo protein bars are:
- Gluten free
- Soy free
- Dairy free
- Grain free (with the exception of the Peanut Butter & Jelly bar)
(PLEASE NOTE: If you have a crustacean shellfish allergy, you may be allergic to crickets).
Along with the Acheta Domesticus (crickets), each bar is primarily composed of nuts, fruit, coconut and is naturally sweetened with honey.
(photo courtesy of exoprotein.com)
I enjoyed all four flavors. The Apple Cinnamon and Blueberry Vanilla were my go-to bars for crag-day snacking, while the Cocoa Nut bar was my choice when I wanted something a bit more dessert-like. Finally, the Peanut Butter & Jelly bar did a fine job of representing that classic flavor combo.
So, if you are looking for a great-tasting, nutritious, satisfying bar or you simply want to broaden your culinary pallet, make sure to try out Exo’s new bar offerings.
You won’t be disappointed. Plus, you’ll be helping to save the world, one small bite at a time.
Flavors:
- Apple Cinnamon
- Blueberry Vanilla
- Cocoa Nut
- Peanut Butter & Jelly
Price range:
- Depending on where you buy them: $3.00 – $3.25 per bar.
Where do the crickets come from?
“We work with a couple of domestic cricket farms to change their traditional rearing practices for human consumption. Our crickets are raised in specially designated areas and are currently fed a Certified Organic grain-based diet. We are constantly focused on optimizing the feed and are experimenting with various options including organic matter like orange peels and cornhusks.” -exoprotein.com
About the Author- Dave Sheldon
Dave has been climbing for sixteen years and has climbed sport routes up to 5.13b. He enjoys writing about what makes top climbers tick and how the 99% can more efficientlyachieve their climbing goals in a creative, safe, and injury free manner.
When he’s not burning valuable resources commuting to Rifle Mountain Park, he works as an Advanced Rolfer and SourcePoint Therapist in Boulder, CO. Neely is one of his highly satisfied clients, actually! Visit his website for more information about his private practice. www.davesheldon.com
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