Department of Kinesiology, Nutrition and Health, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA.
Department of Food Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2022;62(13):3499-3508. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2020.1867053. Epub 2021 Jan 5.
Animal-based foods have traditionally been viewed as dietary staples because they provide many essential nutrients; however, edible insects have the potential to serve as healthy, sustainable alternatives to these because of their nutrient contents. Edible insects may have superior health benefits due to their high levels of vitamin B, iron, zinc, fiber, essential amino acids, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and antioxidants. The addition of edible insects such as crickets to the human diet could offer a myriad of environmental and nutritional benefits including an overall reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, decreased agricultural use of land and water, improved prevention and management of chronic diseases like diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease, and enhanced immune function. Future research should aim to understand the beneficial effects of whole insects or insect isolates in comparison to traditional animal- and plant-based foodstuffs. Ultimately, insects have the potential to be used as meat substitutes or dietary supplements, resulting in human health and environmental benefits. The purpose of this review is to provide additional insight on the nutrient composition of edible insects, their potential use as meat substitutes or dietary supplements, the associated health and wellness benefits, and their potential role in exercise performance.
动物源性食品历来被视为膳食主食，因为它们提供许多必需的营养物质；然而，食用昆虫由于其营养成分，有可能成为这些食物的健康、可持续替代品。食用昆虫由于其富含维生素 B、铁、锌、纤维、必需氨基酸、欧米伽-3 和欧米伽-6 脂肪酸以及抗氧化剂，可能具有更好的健康益处。在人类饮食中添加蟋蟀等食用昆虫可能会带来许多环境和营养方面的好处，包括温室气体排放总体减少、农业土地和水的使用减少、糖尿病、癌症和心血管疾病等慢性病的预防和管理得到改善，以及免疫功能增强。未来的研究应旨在了解整只昆虫或昆虫分离物与传统的动物和植物性食品相比的有益效果。最终，昆虫有可能被用作肉类替代品或膳食补充剂，从而带来人类健康和环境效益。本综述的目的是提供有关食用昆虫的营养成分、它们作为肉类替代品或膳食补充剂的潜在用途、相关的健康和保健益处以及它们在运动表现中的潜在作用的更多见解。
