Of the 26 amino acids required for life and function, nine have been deemed “essential”, meaning the body cannot produce them naturally. As a result, they must be sourced from foods. Crickets contain all nine essential amino acids, making them a complete protein source for both humans and pets. The 11 most important amino acids for a dog's growth and immunity, including the nine essentials, are:

Arginine (*) 5,45 %wt., Histidine (*) 1,08 %wt., Isoleucine (*) 4,26 %wt., Leucine (*) 4,42 %wt., Lysine (*) 4,12 %wt., Methionine (*) 1,02 %wt., Phenylalanine (*) 2,4 %wt., Taurine (*) .33%wt, Threonine (*) 2,55 %wt., Tryptophan (*) 0,64%wt., Valine (*) 4,58 %wt.

*All data mentioned in this Product Specifications are from actual random samples of 3 colonies taken and analysed at INTER-TEK laboratories.

Crickets also contain the amino acid Taurine, which acts as an essential protein building block and antioxidant. It supports gut health and improves calcium signalling, cardiovascular health, skeletal muscle development, and improved nervous system and retina function. This amino acid is extremely important for cats as well as dogs.

Chitin is a valuable prebiotic fibre found in cricket exoskeletons and serves as a prebiotic digestive aid by slowing the digestion process, keeping pups full for longer and improving nutrient absorption.

Prebiotics are key to developing a healthy microbiome and improving gut flora bacteria, which improves canines’ overall health and well-being. Cricket protein may serve the same purpose as a hydrolysed protein: a protein that is already partially broken down, so as not to spark a reaction in the digestive system, making them an anti-inflammatory protein source.

A full report on: “Crickets and the canine microbiome” can be found here.

https://peerj.com/preprints/27677.pdf

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-29032-2.pdf?origin=ppub