Valerie Stull, a doctoral graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies published the results of her study on the benefits of consuming crickets on gut bacteria in the journal Scientific Reports. It is not only safe at high doses but may also reduce inflammation in the body

Valerie Stull said that she was 12 when she ate her first insect. She said, "I was on a trip with my parents in Central America and we were served fried ants; I remember being so grossed out initially, but when I put the ant in my mouth, I was really surprised because it tasted like food -- and it was good!"

Stull further added, "There is a lot of interest right now in edible insects; It's gaining traction in Europe and in the U.S. as a sustainable, environmentally friendly protein source compared to traditional livestock."

Tiffany Weir, the co-corresponding author and a professor of food science and human nutrition at Colorado State University said, "This study is important because insects represent a novel component in Western diets and their health effects in human populations haven't really been studied; With what we now know about the gut microbiota and its relationship to human health, it's important to establish how a novel food might affect gut microbial populations. We found that cricket consumption may actually offer benefits beyond nutrition."

More than 2 billion people around the world consume crickets since they are a good source of vitamins, minerals, proteins and fats. Crickets consist of chitin fiber, which promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria. This was the first documentation about the health benefits of crickets reported via clinical trial work.