Can edible insects prevent or cure malnutrition diseases in relatively poor areas in developing countries?
Insects have been eaten by humans since around 10000 years and they are still eaten nowadays by humans in most cultures around the world. Insects are a good source of protein and also have other nutritional values. Production of insects as food does not require so much resources as for example meat...
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| Formato: | First cycle, G2E |
| Lenguaje: | Inglés Inglés |
| Publicado: |
2016
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| Acceso en línea: | https://stud.epsilon.slu.se/9851/ |
| Sumario: | Insects have been eaten by humans since around 10000 years and they are still eaten nowadays by humans in most cultures around the world. Insects are a good source of protein and also have other nutritional values. Production of insects as food does not require so much resources as for example meat production. Hence, insects are cheap, rich of nutrients and environmental friendly.
Children in poor areas in developing countries often eat an undiversified diet which leads to a nutrient deficiency, like kwashiorkor or marasmus. It has been known that kwashiorkor and marasmus are diseases caused by protein deficiency. More current research proved that kwashiorkor and marasmus are not necessarily caused by protein deficiency, but instead that it is caused by deficiency in any of the so called type II nutrients, of which protein is one of them.
This study investigated whether nsenene (East Africa grasshoppers) can be a source of nutrient that can cure or prevent the malnutrition diseases kwashiorkor and marasmus. It was found that nsenene can not cure those diseases, because treating a child with the wrong nutrients, like for example protein, can lead to death. A child suffering from kwashiorkor or marasmus needs a very special diet. The consumption of nsenene would, however, contribute to varying the diet of a poor child so that kwashiorkor and marasmus could be prevented by including nsenene in the diet. |
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