Cameroonian scientists show that edible insects, specifically grasshoppers, hold promise as a sustainable nutritional source.
- Consumption of Ruspolia nitidula grasshopper flour stimulated libido by 4.77 intromissions per hour and 1.26 ejaculations per hour compared to animals fed protein-free diets.
- Their sleep also improved, with an increase of 11.95 hours per week.
- The quality of the rodents’ hair was significantly better, with 94.58% of hair in perfect condition in the grasshopper-fed group.
“In a context of insufficient food production for a rapidly growing world population, the search for alternative resources, particularly low-cost proteins with a negligible ecological footprint, is a vital issue. Biochemical studies have revealed interesting nutritional compositions (proteins, amino acids, minerals) in edible insects. In addition, edible grasshoppers, Ruspolia nitidula, are often abundant for several months in many regions of Cameroon,” wrote researchers from the University of Dschang (Cameroon) in a study published in the journal Food Science of Animal Products.
Eating Grasshoppers Improves Sleep, Libido, and Hair Condition in Rats
As part of the research, the team wanted to take a closer look at the nutritional benefits of grasshoppers. To do this, the team conducted an experiment on 206 10-week-old rats. They were divided into three groups. The first group was fed Ruspolia nitidula grasshopper meal, while the second group was fed Clupea harengus fish meal. The rest of the rodents were given a protein-deficient diet. Over a 12-week period, the scientists assessed the impact of these diets on libido, sleep, hair growth, and overall health.
The results indicate that replacing fish meal with grasshopper meal Ruspolia nitidula led to improvements in the health of rats. Specifically, animals that ate grasshoppers had a better libido, with more frequent intromissions and ejaculations. Sleep quality also improved, with the rats enjoying longer and more restful sleep. “Furthermore, 94.58% of the hairs examined were in better condition for all animals fed with grasshopper meal compared to only 5.55% and 0.27% in the groups fed with fish meal and low protein.”
Edible insects, “alternative sources of protein”
Another finding: Rats fed grasshoppers showed greater body weight gain, indicating better overall health and nutrition. “Our research highlights the significant potential of edible insects such as Ruspolia nitidula as alternative protein sources,” concluded Ngnaniyyi Abdoullead author of the study.