New energy bars are sustainable, chocolate and full of crickets
Cricket energy bars: Chapul has created energy bars that use cricket protein flour. IMAGE Chapul
MSN News3/7/13 By Michelle McGuinness
Chapul is starting a revolution — with crickets.
The energy bar maker aims to "introduce a revolutionary, efficient protein" in the form of insects. The company's Chaco Bar includes dates, peanuts, dark chocolate, agave nectar and cricket protein flour.
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"For centuries, human civilizations have rightly considered insects an excellent, plentiful and resource-efficient source of protein," Chapul's website says.
The site says 80 percent of the world's population still eats insects, including red tree ants, grasshoppers and bee larvae. Now, Chapul is bringing crickets into American cuisine thanks to a successfully funded kick-starter project launched in June.
According to Chapul, crickets are not only organic and a great source of protein, they can also help create more sustainable food and water supplies.
"As children of the arid Southwestern U.S., we believe passionately in sustainable use of our precious water resources," the website says. "Since agriculture absorbs 92% of all freshwater consumed globally, we think change starts with what we eat."
According to Chapul, more conventional food sources like cattle, pigs and chickens consume huge amounts of water resources and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. Even soy and whey protein suck up resources, the website says.
According to the site, Chapul founder Pat Crowley became passionate about water sources after seeing supply problems during a hitchhiking trip in Mexico and Central America.
He said he sees Chapul as "the first step in a broad culinary shift. … Enough change here at home, and one day the mighty Colorado (River) might just reach the sea again."