We are all familiar with mealworms of course. We feed them to livestock, pets and in many places around the world, they are a delicacy. But did you know mealworms have many other uses? You might be surprised at just how versatile the humble mealworm could be!
Mealworms are often used as animal feed due to their high nutritional value. They are also consumed by people in various parts of the world and also used in waste management processes.
As Animal Feed
Mealworms are often fed to livestock for many reasons. But the most important one for many is the nutritional value. Compared to other foods, mealworms pack a lot of nutrients.
Mealworms contain up to 50% protein by dry weight. They are also an excellent source of essential amino acids necessary for animal growth, development and maintenance. Animals such as poultry, fish, reptiles, and even some mammals can benefit from this protein-rich diet.
Apart from protein, mealworms also contain healthy fats, vitamins (such as B vitamins) and minerals (like iron, magnesium, and zinc). Animals require these nutrients for their health, and adding mealworms to their diet will be a boost.
Due to their high-quality protein content, mealworms can enhance animal growth rates, improve muscle development and increase overall performance. This is particularly relevant for commercial farms and livestock production.
Cost Effective Food Source
Using mealworms as animal feed reduces the need for conventional feed sources such as soybean meal and fishmeal. These feed ingredients are often expensive and require significant land and water resources for cultivation. By using mealworms instead, you can reduce your expenses and also minimize the impact on the environment.
You can easily grow at home as it has minimal space and resource requirements. This makes them a cost-effective alternative to traditional feed sources like grains or artificial feeds. Mealworms have short breeding cycles which allows for rapid reproduction and frequent harvests, further reducing costs.
Related. How to Create a Mealworm Farm
Environment Friendly
The cultivation of mealworms for animal feed emits fewer greenhouse gases compared to traditional livestock farming. Mealworms also have a lower ecological footprint as they require less land, water and energy resources. So by simply using mealworms as feed instead of traditional sources, you will be doing a lot for the environment. It also cuts down on your expenses.
Mealworms can recycle organic waste including manure, food scraps and agricultural by-products. They can convert this waste into high-quality protein and minimize disposal needs. This can also be an effective waste management solution (more on that later).
Natural
Chicken, reptiles, birds, fish and other animals eat live prey in the wild. Live mealworms trigger their natural hunting behavior, which is good for their health. Given a choice, these animals almost always prefer live prey because that is their natural inclination.
To give you a quick summary: using mealworms as animal feed brings numerous benefits. Nutrition, cost-effectiveness, sustainability and environmental impact. are all positives. With their high protein content, balanced nutritional profile and potential for waste management, mealworms are a good alternative to traditional feeds.
As Human Food
The idea of eating insects might be off-putting to some, it is practiced in many parts of Asia and Africa. In recent years this has started to gain ground in the United States too.
Granted, eating mealworms is not going to be for everyone. But if you are looking for exotic and nutritious food, mealworms are a good choice. As I pointed out earlier, mealworms are packed with nutrients so it’s good for humans.
Roasting
Roasting is the simplest and most common way to eat mealworms. Rinse the mealworms in water and boil them for a few minutes. Allow the mealworms to dry and add your preferred spices. Since mealworms have a nutty taste, they go well with practically everything.
Roast them in an oven until crisp. You can eat them as a snack or use as topping for your favorite dish.
Stir-frying
You can also add mealworms to stir-fried dishes like any other protein food. I like to boil or blanch them first. Next, put the mealworms on a hot skillet. Add oil and vegetables.
Cook for a few minutes and you are done. You can add the mealworms to some noodles or other Asian inspisred dish.
Baking
You can bake mealworms too. Just mix them into bread, muffin or pancake batters just like any other ingredient. Mealworms will improve the texture and also boost the protein level too. Baking with mealworms gives it a savory flavor which goes well with other foods.
Insect Burgers and Meatballs
You can also ground or puree mealworms to create insect burgers or meatballs. They are not your typical burgers to be sure, but you can add eggs, breadcrumbs and seasonings to bring everything together.
Cook on a grill or skillet and your protein-rich meatballs or burgers are ready. It might take some getting used to, but mealworm burgers and meatballs are nutritious.
Powdered Form
You can ground mealworms into a fine powder and add it to sauces, soups or smoothies. I recommend this method if you want to add mealworms to your recipe but don’t want them to change the texture. Powdered mealworms retain their nutritional value too.
Safety Considerations
A couple of things I want to add here. First, make sure to buy mealworms from reputable sources only. Whether it is online, your local store, farmer etc. just make certain the mealworms are processed properly.
Second, mealworm protein belongs to the same class as those of crustaceans. if you have seafood allergies, consult your doctor first before eating any mealworms.
For Waste Management
Waste management is a global problem that affects everyone. Traditional methods like recycling and composting are not enough so researchers are looking for other ways. And based on the latest studies, it looks like mealworms can be an effective method.
Mealworms as Bio-converters
Mealworms are capable of eating almost anything including organic waste. So it comes as no surprise they are being looked into as a possible solution for managing waste. Studies have explored their ability to consume and break down organic waste materials such as food, agricultural residues and even plastics effectively.
Unlike conventional composting methods, mealworms can transform waste into valuable products quickly and efficiently. This makes them effective bio-converters.
Food waste is a major environmental problem as most of them end up in landfills. As you have probably seen online, mealworms can eat a lot of food quickly. This is why scientists are now looking at possibly using mealworms to consume food waste.
A recent scientific study showed that mealworms can consume polystyrene, a commonly used plastic, and convert it into biodegradable waste. The mealworms were able to do this in a short period of time.
If done on a large scale, mealworms can be a better alternative than landfills. They won’t cause any pollution and won’t emit greenhouse gases.
Converting Agriculture Residues
Aside from food waste, mealworms can also break down rice straw, corn stalks and other crop residues. This can make a huge difference since these residues are produced in huge quantities.
By integrating mealworms into the waste management process, these residues can be converted into nutrient-rich compost or high-protein insect meal. This can be used as animal feed, minimizing waste and promotes sustainability.
Economic and Environmental Benefits
There are a lot of economic and environmental benefits to using mealworms for waste management. Because mealworms can convert waste into valuable byproducts, they can be used as a cost-effective and sustainable solution.
Mealworm bioconversion can also be used to produce high quality compost and insect protein. This can be a huge boost for agriculture and reduce reliance on resource-intensive sources.
By diverting waste from landfills and incineration, mealworms have the potential to mitigate harmful methane emissions and cut down on our carbon footprint.
The latest research on mealworms as bio-converters provides exciting prospects for sustainable waste management. Their ability to rapidly consume and convert various organic waste materials, highlights their potential in reducing the ecological impacts of waste.
Conclusion
Mealworms may be near the bottom of the food chain, but they have a lot of uses. From feeding animals to humans to helping the environment, there is a lot of potential here. So if you are running a mealworm farm, imagine all the things you can do with it.
