(WebMD Diet & Weight Management – 8 Oct 2024)
One of the most common bugs people eat are crickets. Acheta powder, or cricket powder, is one of the most popular ways to consume bugs in the United States. People have eaten insects since ancient times. Today, about 2.5 billion people worldwide rely on bugs as one of their food sources. In some countries, up to 50% of the protein people eat comes from insects.
Here’s a closer look at what acheta powder is, its benefits, its risks, and how to use it.
What Is Acheta Powder?
Acheta powder is a powder that’s made from ground-up crickets. It’s called acheta because that’s part of the scientific name of certain crickets (Acheta domesticus). It’s also sometimes labeled as acheta flour, although it’s not actually a type of flour. Unlike traditional flour, it’s high in protein and fat, and very low in carbohydrates.
How Do People Use Acheta Powder?
Acheta powder is used as a protein powder that you can make homemade breakfasts and snacks with, like smoothies. You can also use it as a flour when you bake (swap each ¾ cup of all-purpose flour with ¼ cup cricket flour). It’s also found in many other products, including protein bars, baked goods, tortillas, cookies, bread, and pasta. You can mix acheta powder into your coffee, tea, eggs, rice, soup, or even water. It has a mild, malty flavor that goes with pretty much everything and anything.
In the next few years, it may also be available as a substitute for meat. Look out for cricket-based hamburgers, sausages, meatballs, or even margarine.
Acheta Powder Benefits
Crickets themselves have a nutty, earthy flavor. They taste like seeds or nuts. Here are some of the benefits of eating crickets:
They’re a good source of protein
Crickets themselves are over 70% protein. Some types of crickets are considered to be as good of a source of protein as animal sources like beef or chicken. Some crickets are even a complete protein source. This means that they contain all of the nine essential amino acids that your body needs to work properly.
They’re a rich source of many different nutrients
Crickets pack a powerful punch when it comes to certain vitamins and minerals. While the nutritional value depends on the type of cricket, in general you’ll find that crickets (and acheta powder) provide the following:
- Calcium (their calcium content is higher than that in beef, chicken, or pork)
- Zinc
- Manganese
- Iron (they provide more iron than beef)
- Copper
- B vitamins such as riboflavin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin A, vitamin C, niacin, and thiamine
They provide healthy fats
A 2021 study in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition said edible insects like crickets are high in both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. They’re also a good source of polyunsaturated fat. All of these fats are very important for heart health.
They’re good for your gut
A 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found that eating crickets helped to support the growth of good gut bacteria. One reason for this may be because they contain fibers (like chitin) that promote beneficial bacteria. When people spent two weeks consuming 25 grams of acheta powder, there was an increase in a metabolic enzyme linked to gut health. Data also showed that there was a decline in TNF-alpha, a protein related to inflammation.
They benefit the environment
Crickets require a lot less feed than other forms of animal protein like cows. They only need 2 kilograms of feed for every kilogram of body weight gain. They also produce fewer greenhouse gasses and less ammonia than cattle or pigs and require much less land and water.
They taste good
A 2020 study in the Journal of Insect Science had college students taste-test acheta flour brownies as well as wheat flour brownies. They found that people actually preferred the cricket flour brownies. This, along with the environmental and nutritional benefits, might make people more likely to buy acheta products in the future.
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