Silkworm pupae look so scary, why do people still like to eat them? Its nutritional value is beyond your imagination...

Expert: Zhang Qikai, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, PhD in Insect Ecology

Now people eat

In addition to delicious taste

Also pursue higher nutritional value

Silkworm pupae, a popular dish in insect cuisine

Loved by many people

For those who are afraid of insects

It's like a nightmare

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This tiny silkworm pupa

Why is it said to have higher nutritional value?

Who is not suitable to eat it?

How to choose?

Let’s watch together

What are silkworm chrysalis?

Silkworms are traditional special economic insects in my country. Their individual development goes through four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. They are completely metamorphosed insects. Traditionally, silkworms were raised for reeling and making silk, but the current technological development and market demand have given the traditional silkworm industry a new life - insect food made from pupae.

After making cocoons, autumn silkworms spend the long winter in the pupa state. In order to continue the species and survive, rich nutrients are accumulated in the pupa body, which has extremely high nutritional value.

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The silkworm pupae sold in the market are divided into three types: black pupae, yellow pupae and green pupae. Both black and yellow pupae are "mature pupae". Their pupae shells turn yellow in a higher temperature environment and turn black in a lower temperature environment. Green pupae are "young pupae" that the adult silkworm has just transformed into in the cocoon shell. They taste particularly fresh and tender and are called "fairy pupae".

What is the nutritional value of silkworm pupae?

Professor Jcczynsks, Professor Park and Professor Matak of West Virginia University in the United States pointed out that humans have a good grasp of carbohydrates, but are lagging behind in protein. Therefore, as the population grows, insects can be used as a source of protein, hoping to reduce thorny social problems such as hunger and malnutrition.

In fact, most edible land insects feed on fresh plants and wood, so they are cleaner than, say, crabs and shrimp.

Silkworm pupae are the only insect food listed in the list of common foods announced by the National Health Commission of my country. They contain more than 63% protein and a reasonable proportion of amino acids. According to FAO/WHO standards, they are high-quality protein foods.

The lipid components in silkworm pupae are mainly composed of various unsaturated fatty acids, accounting for 25% to 30% of their dry weight, and have various physiological effects;

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The main nutrients in silkworm pupae include carotene, VA, VB2, VC, VE, etc. The main mineral elements include potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc, selenium, etc. The content of vitamin A and B2 is 5-10 times that of cow's milk, and vitamin B1 is 6.5-26 times that of cow's milk.

According to experiments:

The proteins and peptides in silkworm pupae can enhance immunity;

Peptides and amino acids have significant anti-tumor effects;

Biological peptides have significant free radical scavenging and antioxidant properties;

Unsaturated fatty acids such as linolenic acid have a good preventive effect on atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease and hyperlipidemia;

Unsaturated fatty acids can improve cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease or mild cognitive impairment.

Who is not suitable to eat silkworm pupae?

Silkworm pupae are suitable for a variety of cooking methods such as stir-frying, deep-frying, roasting, sautéing, roasting, boiling, pickling, braising, roasting, stewing, and soaking, but they cannot be eaten raw.

The following people are not suitable to eat silkworm pupae:

1. People who are allergic to seafood: Silkworm pupae are irritating foods, which can cause allergic symptoms such as itchy skin, swollen lips or gastrointestinal discomfort in people who are allergic to foreign proteins;

2. People with spleen, stomach, intestine and kidney dysfunction: Due to the high protein content, silkworm pupae may increase the burden of gastrointestinal digestion and the metabolic burden of the kidneys;

3. People who are losing weight: Silkworm pupae are rich in lipids, and eating a large amount of them can lead to obesity;

4. People with trauma: Silkworm pupae are not conducive to wound healing.

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How to choose silkworm pupae?

Silkworm pupae on the market are mainly yellow or black, and there is little difference between the two. Yellow pupae are better in appearance, and there is almost no difference in nutritional value. Black pupae taste better, and yellow pupae are more expensive. We can choose to buy yellow pupae or black pupae according to our needs.

After choosing a color, we can determine its freshness based on the following methods:

✓ Observe the tail, if the tail moves it means it is fresh;

✓ Observe the eyes. The eyes of silkworm pupae are two small black dots. The lighter the color, the fresher it is. If the eyes turn dark black, it means they are not fresh.

✓ Observe the nose. The nose of the silkworm pupa is the small white spot on the head. White means it is fresh, and black means it is not fresh.

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