Extracts of grasshoppers, silkworm, and crickets top the insect antioxidant-rich list, and these insects’ antioxidant capacity to be five-fold higher than fresh orange juice (OJ). The University of Teramo in Italy also conclude that grasshoppers, black ants, and mealworms contain the highest levels of total polyphenols. From a nutritional point of view, insects and invertebrates represent a good source of bioavailable high-quality proteins and essential amino acids, Insects are also a good source of polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals such as iron, zinc, and potassium, B vitamins, and insoluble fiber, as chitin. Researchers attribute its composite nutritional quality as a direct result of plant-based feeding. The results suggest that edible insects are endowed with a peculiar pattern of redox ingredients, ranging from phenolics, proteins as well as unidentified components, able to counteract oxidative stress from water and lipophilic environment.
Source: nutraingredients.com
Lightbulb Moment: Insects, love them, so don’t get me started. You had me at “antioxidant capacity”. Black ants, Mealworms, Grasshoppers…oh my! Want to learn more about how insects could impact your business? That’s where Culinary Tides, Inc. comes in.