A hearty meal of locust is what experts are recommending for health-conscious Kenyans who want to keep their hearts in good condition and also keep some cancers at bay.

Mass production of locusts, scientists say, is easy and relatively cheap as it is currently being done at the Kasarani-based International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE).

Scientists at ICIPE, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology and the US Department of Agriculture say mass-rearing of locusts and their consumption could feed millions of Kenyan with a diet high in protein and great medicinal value.

According to them, locusts require no special feeding.

"At the ICIPE in Nairobi we have successfully mass-reared large numbers of the insects on wheat seedlings and bran," the researchers wrote on Wednesday in scientific journal Plos One.

More important, the researchers, led by Dr Xavier Cheseto of ICIPE, claim that, if consumed by humans, some special compounds found in the locust can help fight some cancers and bad fat which is the cause of heart problems.

The compounds called sterols are usually found in plants in small quantities. But when such a plant diet was fed to the locusts their bodies acted like factories, significantly multiplying the compounds.

Healthy bones

The compounds, the team says, have been shown to have the ability to lower cholesterol and hence protect humans from heart diseases.

"Our study provides evidence that the locust has a rich composition of sterols so if used as human food it can help reduce high levels of cholesterol."

The researchers also found other ingredients in the locusts which could help the body fight some cancers and maintain healthy bones.

"Additionally, the locust has a rich nutritional composition in terms of proteins, fatty acids and minerals. As such, the desert locust is a nutritious food source for humans as well as potential animal feed."

But apart from the locust ending up on your dinner table, the scientists indicate that these vital compounds could be extracted for the production of medicines against cancer and heart diseases.

This is not the first time local researchers have shown interest in trying to get Kenyans to turn to insects to alleviate food shortages.

At the Department of Ecotourism, Hotel and Institution Management of Maseno University Dr Monica Ayieko and her team have been trying to convert termites and mayflies into commercial food products in Western Kenya.

They have already processed some products which they claim have positively influenced acceptability of insect eating among different socio-economic classes around Maseno University.

The team says for example crackers made from termites and lake flies can make a better snack than regular biscuits for many children.