Should Olympians eat insects? Absolutely!

Eat insects before a workout? Now there’s an idea!

Sopita Tanasan claimed the first Olympic gold medal for Thailand in 8 years on August 7th. Quickly after, more medals for Thailand followed. Thai Olympians have risen to the top in weightlifting with 2 gold, a silver, and one bronze medal in Rio. This puts them in second place in weightlifting medal standings. Is it any wonder that these athletes come from the land of edible insects?

There are around 200 edible insects in Thailand alone with around two dozen being popular regardless of urban or rural living. One of the most popular insects to eat here in Thailand is the cricket. Now, people all over the world are starting to learn why crickets should be eaten as a part of a healthy diet. Eating crickets is also a step towards a sustainable lifestyle. Crickets contain all the essential amino acids and are a lean source of protein. With dried crickets containing around 69% protein and low in carbs, foods made with cricket powder should be the go-to pre-workout snack!

Professional and casual athletes have long been advised to eat pasta pre and post workout. Pasta is a high energy food that breaks down slowly, giving continuous energy during a workout. Coupled with cricket flour’s high protein and vitamin content, pasta made from cricket flour could be one of the best pre-workout foods! 

So should Olympians be supplementing their diets with Cricket Pasta? We think so! Perhaps it will give them the extra push they need to win a gold medal, as well as being beneficial to the environment. Do you know of any athletes that eat insects? Do you eat insects or pasta before or after a workout? Let us know in the comments!