In the wake of health trends like coconut milk, kale, and chia seeds, Indian scientists may have found the next superfood: cockroach milk.
While the thought may make many reader nauseous, researchers from Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine in Bengaluru found that the milk of the Pacific beetle cockroach is found to have four times the amount of protein of cow’s milk. According to the author of the study, Sanchari Banerjee, the milk also has a protein crystal that has all of the essential amino acids and releases slowly over time.
If the thought of milking cockroaches makes you squeamish, then have no fear. Instead of actually extracting the milk from thousands of these insects, the researchers are currently attempting to replicate the protein crystal in the lab. If it can be produced on a mass scale, it could provide an alternative protein source.
This article was written by Sara Roncero-Menendez from PSFK and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network.