Study: Eating Crickets Is Good for Gut Health Cultures have eaten insects for years, but now
it's gaining traction in
Europe and the U.S. A new clinical trial, conducted by
the University of Wisconsin-Madison,
has determined that eating crickets can
reduce inflammation and improve gut health. The study was conducted with 20 healthy adults between the ages of 18 and 48 over a six-week period. Participants ate cricket powder, rather than whole crickets. Researchers collected blood and stool samples
and had participants answer a gastrointestinal questionnaire before and after the six weeks. Participants didn't report any significant gastrointestinal changes, but researchers
found something interesting. An increase in a metabolic enzyme associated with gut health was found, as well as an abundance of Bifidobacterium animalis - good gut bacteria. Researchers also found a decrease
in TNF-alpha, which is an inflammatory
protein linked to depression and cancer. While the study produced promising
results, researchers say that in order to
determine more information, the results
need to be replicated on a larger scale.