- Title: COSTA RICA: Eating worms makes us healthier say nutritionists
- Date: 15th August 2011
- Summary: SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA (AUGUST 11, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MAN AT INSECT LABORATORY PUTTING INSECTS INTO A BEAKER VARIOUS OF BEETLES IN A TANK VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PREPARING INSECTS FOR CONSUMPTION VARIOUS OF GRASSHOPPERS BEING COOKED VARIOUS OF PEOPLE PREPARING AND TASTING COOKED INSECTS MORE OF COOKED INSECT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BIOLOGIST FEDERICO PANIAGUA SAYING: "Our main objective for the moment is to present to people and familiarise them with the use of insects as an alternative food source. We have other proposals associated with this such as learning how to raise different types of species." VARIOUS OF COCKROACH SPECIES EXTERIOR OF SCHOOL OF NUTRITION SIGN READING 'SCHOOL OF NUTRITION' NUTRITIONIST PATRICIA SEDO AT HER STUDY VIEW OF ONLINE ARTICLE THAT READS "INSECTS A GREAT SOURCE OF NUTRITION" (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NUTRITIONIST PATRICIA SEDO SAYING: "We are talking about more or less 20% of protein intake, similar to what we will find in cuts of meat and legumes. We can recommend that this is an alternative source of nutrition in the context of a famine or where there are restrictions in food supply where it is necessary to have good nutrition." VARIOUS OF WORM DIP BEING COOKED AND SERVED VARIOUS OF PEOPLE TRYING WORM DIP TORTILLA (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ESTEBAN UMANA SAYING: "I ate tortillas with worm dip and it was very good. Actually, it wasn't bad." MAN EATING WORM DIP TORTILLA BUTTERED GRASSHOPPER MAN EATING BUTTERED GRASSHOPPER
- Embargoed: 30th August 2011 00:41
- Keywords:
- Location: Costa Rica, Costa Rica
- Country: Costa Rica
- Topics: Health,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA757LNVDV54E7M061JM5X83CFX
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text: Forget the recommended "five a day." Nutritionists in Costa Rica have a novel way for keeping healthy: a balanced diet of grasshoppers and worms.
Launching the country's Insect Degustation Week, nutritionists and biology students joined forces at the University of Costa Rica's insect laboratory to show off the latest recipes in cockroaches and beetles to get more people eating the delicious creepy crawlies.
"Our main objective for the moment is to present to people and familiarise them with the use of insects as an alternative food source. We have other proposals associated with this such as learning how to raise different types of species," said biologist Federico Paniagua.
Hundreds of foodies are expected to converge on the San Jose campus in the coming days to try mouth-watering dishes such as buttered grasshoppers.
The push to get people eating worms comes after recent studies by nutritionists show that biting into the small creatures can have as much protein, if not more, than a cut of beef.
For a small developing country like Costa Rica, the findings are welcome news. In the throws of near record highs for world food prices, Patricia Sedo talked up domestic insects as a cheap and healthy food source for communities all over the world.
"We are talking about more or less 20% of protein intake, similar to what we will find in cuts of meat and legumes. We can recommend that this is an alternative source of nutrition in the context of a famine or where there are restrictions in food supply where it is necessary to have good nutrition," said Sedo.
With more than 1,500 different types of species of insects worldwide, organisers of the event stress that even sticky worms can be turned into a delicacy with the help of a little onion and tortillas.
"I ate tortillas with worm dip and it was very good. Actually, it wasn't bad," said a surprised Esteban Umana.
In other parts of Latin America, worms and grasshoppers have been a part of the traditional diet for thousands of years, with communities indulging in the insects long before the arrival of the Spanish. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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