New Flour Offers More Protein Than Meat and Eggs

For years, scientists and chefs have been searching for protein that is both healthy and eco-friendly. One surprising answer is the cricket. These small insects are now being turned into flour that can be used in bread, pasta, cereal bars, and even soups. The best part? It’s packed with nutrients and has a very low impact on the planet.

Crickets as a Smarter Protein Choice

According to Dr. Carlos Gabriel Arp from Argentina’s National University of La Plata, crickets are far more efficient than cows. They grow quickly, need less food, water, and land, and produce very low greenhouse gas emissions. In fact, crickets are about six times more efficient than cattle when it comes to converting food into protein. When processed into flour, crickets provide:

• 60% protein by weight – more than chicken or eggs.
• All nine essential amino acids – making it a complete protein.
• Iron, zinc, calcium, magnesium, and healthy fats.
• Chitin (a type of fiber) that supports gut health.

Just two tablespoons of cricket flour give more iron than a cup of spinach and nearly half the daily zinc requirement. Cricket flour has a digestibility score of 67%, which is similar to soy and higher than many beans. This means the body can absorb protein from it quite well. Adding it to foods like bagels or pasta can greatly increase their protein content without changing the taste much.

How It Works in Food

The flour is also stable for months at room temperature if kept dry. Scientists and bakers have tested cricket flour in different foods:

• Bread: Adding 15% cricket flour boosted protein by up to 80% without affecting taste or texture.
• Pasta: Replacing 18% of wheat flour kept the pasta’s color and elasticity.
• Snack bars: Cricket flour helps bind ingredients and adds extra protein.

Health Benefits of the Protein

Cricket protein scores high in quality because it has a good balance of amino acids. It is rich in lysine (often missing in wheat) and leucine (important for building muscle). It also contains heart-healthy fats like linoleic and oleic acid.

Cricket farming is much more sustainable than raising cattle:

• Produces under 3 pounds of CO₂ per pound of protein (beef produces 27 pounds).
• Uses less than 1,000 gallons of water per pound of protein, compared to 13,000 gallons for beef.
• Can be fed on food waste like fruit pulp or brewery leftovers.
• Produces frass (cricket droppings), which can be used as fertilizer.

Making Crickets Acceptable

The biggest challenge is not nutrition but perception. Many people feel uncomfortable eating insects. But when crickets are turned into flour and baked into cookies, bread, or pasta, the hesitation decreases. Marketing also highlights the benefits—high protein and low carbon footprint.

The European Union has already approved several cricket species for human food, and in the U.S., cricket flour is considered safe (GRAS). As prices keep falling and awareness grows, cricket flour may soon be a regular item in grocery stores.

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