What are cricket benefits and side effects every ethical consumer must know? Here are cricket pros and cons and how buying them will impact your health, the environment, animals and laborers.
Food is something we consume every day and if you’re like me, you do all the research you can to make sure you don’t hurt yourself, the planet, animals or others when shopping. As an ethical consumer myself, I am giving you all the info I’ve found on cricket benefits and side effects.
You are going to learn all about cricket benefits and side effects. This will include cricket benefits for your health and potential risks, cricket water footprint and cricket carbon footprint, cricket sustainability, if crickets are vegan or impact animals in other ways, and much more.
After learning if crickets are good or bad for you, the environment, animals and human rights, you will be prepared to make the best choices you can the next time you buy food.
This post is all about cricket benefits and side effects that every ethical consumer should know.
Must-Know Cricket Benefits And Side Effects
Health
Cricket health benefits may include:
- anemia prevention
- muscle building
- better digestion
- constipation prevention
- heart disease prevention
- gut health (via chitin, an insoluble fiber)
- weight loss
At this time there are no major side effects associated with cricket consumption.
Additionally, crickets are…
- Acidic pH level once digested
- Gluten Free
- Not a Common Food Allergen
Environment
Water footprint: likely low
Carbon footprint: likely low
Destruction: low, cricket production is relatively sustainable, there is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, be sure to buy non-GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc.
Crickets are…
- Sustainable
Animals
Kills: crickets, cricket production involves killing cricket insects
Harms: crickets, cricket production requires the usage of crickets
Indirectly kills or harms: none, no animals are indirectly killed or harmed from cricket production as long as toxic chemicals have not been used, be sure to buy non-GMO/organic, as pesticides harm and kill wildlife and ecosystems by contaminating soil, water, air and plants that animals eat
Crickets are…
- Not Vegan
- Harmful to wildlife and ecosystems unless organic
Laborers
Health and safety: varies, overall, agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries, farmworkers may be subject to dehydration, heat stroke, unprotected exposure to harmful, toxic chemicals and pesticides, unsafe machinery and clean drinking water may not always accessible
Living conditions: varies, laborers are often exploited, they may face tough working conditions including long hours in the sun and heat performing physically exhausting tasks, labor laws and rights may or may not be in place, even if worker protection exists, employer violations may go unreported, refugees and migrant workers are especially vulnerable to abuse and mistreatment, fearing consequences of job loss or deportation
Wages: varies, generally farmworkers earn meager wages, there are many cases of underpaid agricultural workers, wage theft and no overtime payment or benefits
Crickets…
- May have laborer issues and human rights concerns (depends on brand)
crickets are likely acidic.
Are crickets alkaline or acidic?
Crickets are likely acidic.
When you eat food, it breaks down to an ash residue that can be neutral, acidic or alkaline. Minerals such as potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, zinc, silver, copper and iron produce an alkaline ash; whereas sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and iodine, which are in meat, coffee, dairy and alcohol, leave an acid ash.
Going alkaline easier than ever with this: Acidic and Alkaline Foods List
crickets are gluten free. cricket benefits include being gluten free.
Are crickets gluten free?
Yes, crickets are gluten free. Crickets are a type of insect, therefore making it a naturally gluten free food.
While celiac disease may not be as rampant as many marketing trends lead us to believe, you may have a gluten sensitivity…
Celiac and gluten sensitivity symptoms are similar and may include:
- recurring abdominal pain
- chronic diarrhea
- constipation
- tingling
- numbness in hands and feet
- chronic fatigue
- joint pain
- unexplained infertility
- low bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
There are hundreds of potential symptoms, many of which are also symptoms of other conditions.
Going gluten-free easier than ever with this: Gluten and Gluten Free Foods List
crickets are not a common food allergen. cricket benefits include being safe for most.
Are crickets a common food allergen?
No, crickets are not a common food allergen. Some people may experience allergic reactions to crickets but it is relatively rare by comparison.
A group of the eight major allergenic foods, AKA the Big-8, include:
- milk
- eggs
- fish
- crustacean shellfish
- tree nuts
- peanuts
- wheat
- soybeans
These foods account for about 90% of all food allergies in the United States.
Severe food allergies can be life threatening. Following ingestion of a food allergen, a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.
Persons may still be allergic to and have serious reactions to foods other than the eight foods identified by the law.
Be aware of common dietary restrictions and food allergens with this: The Big 8 Most Common Food Allergens List
crickets have a low water footprint.
Do crickets have a high or low water footprint?
Crickets have a relatively low water footprint compared to other foods.
Did you know that water is a finite, non-renewable resource?
How much water does it take to produce an apple? A serving of rice? A steak dinner?
We need to be aware of “water footprints”. That is, the amount of fresh water utilized in the production or supply of goods we consume. As it turns out it takes significantly more water to yield foods that come from animals than foods that come from plants. Imagine how much water a cow needs to consume to generate a piece of beef. Not only how much water a single cow drinks, rather all the water that went into producing the crops that the cow ate.
Find out how much water your food consumes with this: Water Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
crickets have a low carbon footprint.
Do crickets have a high or low carbon footprint?
Crickets have a relatively low carbon footprint compared to other foods.
What is the carbon footprint of crickets?
When calculating carbon emissions, some factors may include…
- farm equipment
- animal feed production
- hothouses (greenhouses)
- food processing
- packaging
- transport
- refrigeration
- freezing
- package waste and more
But that’s not all!
t’s best to keep the following in mind when grocery shopping:
- shopping locally reduces transportation emissions
- food without packaging reduces waste as well as the carbon footprint
- refrigerated and frozen foods increase carbon emissions
- seasonal foods reduce carbon emissions from hothouses (greenhouses)
- growing plant-based foods at home is the most environmentally sustainable method with zero carbon footprint
Find out how much carbon your food emits with this: Carbon Footprints of Foods and Ingredients List
crickets are sustainable. cricket benefits include being eco friendly.
Overall, are crickets eco friendly? Are crickets sustainable?
Cricket production is relatively sustainable since there is no significant damage to air, water, land, soil, forests, etc. Be sure to buy non GMO/organic, as toxic, chemical pesticides contaminate air, water, soil, etc. when using regenerative practices.
A 2018 Oxford University study – which is the most comprehensive analysis to date of the damage farming does to the planet – found that ‘avoiding meat and dairy is the single biggest way to reduce your impact on Earth’ as animal farming provides just 18% of calories but takes up 83% of our farmland.
Consuming animal products and byproducts is not environmentally friendly and is one of the worst things for the Earth. Not only is meat production wasteful, it causes enormous amounts of pollution. The industry is one of the biggest causes of climate change.
A 2010 United Nations report said that a global shift towards a vegan diet is vital to save the world the worst impacts of climate change.
crickets are not vegan.
Are crickets vegan?
No, crickets are not vegan. Crickets are a type of insect.
Animals of factory farming are suffering. They live in horrific conditions that often include confinement, physical abuse and unnatural environments…so much so that they need to receive antibiotics to keep from getting ill or spreading disease. Growth hormones allow all kinds of animals to become fatter faster and live short lives.
Because we cannot see for ourselves how these animals live and what they endure does not mean it isn’t happening. The meat, poultry and dairy industries do everything they can to distance us from knowing how our food comes to be in order to keep us in the dark about what we support each time we buy animal derived products and byproducts.
Go vegan for animals!
It’s the best way to help animals and it’s not as difficult as you may think. Speak for animals with your actions, for they cannot speak at all.
Going vegan is easier than ever, at a glance with this: Vegan and Non-Vegan Foods List
crickets may have laborer issues and human rights concerns (depends on brand).
Are crickets a product with laborer concerns?
At this time there are no major concerns with crickets production but that doesn’t mean it isn’t happening! It’s important to stay aware of human rights concerns and worker exploitation that may be associated with specific brands.
Did you know the single largest employer in the world is agriculture? The labor involved behind each and every product cannot go unrecognized.
Some known problems include workplace health and safety, child labor, gender inequality, inadequate pay, wage theft and exploitation. Workers can even experience harassment, humiliation and violence and unfair employers often fail to provide laborers with access to shade, drinking water, restrooms and breaks. Consequently, laborers can face nausea, dizziness, heat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke -the leading cause of farmworker death!
Such mistreatment is like modern day slavery. Workers are often afraid to report issues because they fear it will result in losing their jobs or deportation.
Fair trade organizations fight to ensure better social, environmental and economic standards.
We can improve people’s lives with foods we eat every day simply by buying products that are certified fair trade.
This post was all about cricket benefits and side effects.
Sources:
USDA, From Pests to Protein: Edible Insects Emerge as a Sustainable Food Source
Potential health benefits of edible insects – PubMed
ENTOMOPHAGY: Human Consumption of Insects for Food
