Grasshopper Protein Shake, Anyone? One Company Is Bringing Bugs To The Big Athletes

No matter how uncomfortable you feel at the prospect of introducing bugs into your diet, the fact is that the need for insect-based nutrition is not far away — in fact, it's right here.

If you don't know why that is, read up on the complications that analysts expect from a projected global population of nine billion by the year 2050, and check out the many regions of the world where millions of little legs have already crawled into the national diet.

In some places, bugs have been introduced as a luxury item, in hopes that the association with upscale novelty will carve an important niche.

Steak TzarTzar, an Israeli start-up that offers a grasshopper protein shake, is one of the newest companies looking to engage a greater demographic in the insect-friendly diet.

In East Africa, where insects might offer important safeguards against malnutrition, the company will offer whole grasshoppers. In the Western world, where we have more trouble looking our food in the eye, the company will offer a protein shake for those interested in cutting-edge sports nutrition.

The grasshopper shake, which is packed with other important ingredients —  like amino acids, omega-3 fatty acids, iron, and magnesium — is aimed at athletes, who "will try anything that will improve their performance," co-founder Dror Tamir told NutraIngredients.

The company is already looking for an existing manufacturer of sports nutrition to market the product stateside, and aims for market availability by the fall.