Ants, crickets and cockroaches: healthy snacks that taste like potato chips

Gabriela Soto prepares insects for lunch, while her husband biologist Federico Paniagua (unseen) promotes the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. Picture taken July 13 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

SARCHI, Costa Rica (Reuters) - At his home in rural ​Costa Rica, biologist Federico Paniagua joined his family at the dining table to devour several types of insects that he raised on his farm and whose flavor he compares to potato chips.

The head of the University of Costa Rica's Insects Museum decided three years ago to replace animal protein in his diet with crickets, ants, cockroaches, beetles and other insects - and wants to encourage others to do the same.

Biologist Federico Paniagua eats a cricket during lunch while promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

"Insects are delicious," he said in an interview at his farm in Sarchi, about 30 miles (50 km) from the capital San Jose.

"You can sit and watch a soap opera, watch the football game, do any activity with a plate full of insects. Eat them one by one, with a glass of soda... they'll go down well," said Paniagua.

The United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has counted more than 1,900 insect species that are edible.

Prepared crickets are pictured in the house of biologist Federico Paniagua, who is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Especially in Asia and in Africa, the tiny creatures are touted as delicacies packed with vitamins, minerals and energy.

Their proponents also note that bugs emit fewer greenhouse gases and less ammonia than cattle or pigs and require significantly less land and water than cattle.

Paniagua's wife, Gabriela Soto, prepared their meal by splashing oil in a frying pan, adding the farm-raised insects and topping them off with a dash of salt.

Gabriela Soto cooks cricket, as her husband biologist Federico Paniagua is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

She then brought out several dishes to her young daughter, who reached into a plate with her hands and munched fearlessly, and husband, who suggested a bit of lemon would enhance their flavor.

"They are going to taste like potato chips... you can eat basically a whole plate of these insects," Paniagua said.

Gabriela Soto washes cricket larvae to cook them at the insect farm for human consumption, as her husband biologist Federico Paniagua promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

(Reporting by Hector Guzman; writing by Ana Isabel Martinez and Daina Beth Solomon; editing by Christian Schmollinger)

Cricket larvae are pictured in the insect farm for human consumption of the biologist Federico Paniagua, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Costa Rican biologist Federico Paniagua and his wife Gabriela work on their insect farm for human consumption, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

African cockroaches are pictured in the insect farm for human consumption of the biologist Federico Paniagua, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

African cockroaches are pictured in the insect farm for human consumption of the biologist Federico Paniagua, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

An African cockroach is pictured in the insect farm for human consumption of the biologist Federico Paniagua, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

African cockroaches are pictured in the insect farm for human consumption of the biologist Federico Paniagua, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Costa Rican biologist Federico Paniagua, gives a talk about insects for human consumption to students of the University of Costa Rica, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in San Jose, Costa Rica, June 18, 2019. Picture taken June 22,2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

African cockroaches are pictured in the insect farm for human consumption of the biologist Federico Paniagua, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 18, 2019. Picture taken June 18, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Costa Rican biologist Federico Paniagua, shows African cockroaches to students during a talk about insects for human consumption at the University of Costa Rica, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in San Jose, Costa Rica, June 18, 2019. Picture taken June 22,2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Gabriela Soto cooks cricket larvae, as her husband biologist Federico Paniagua promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. Picture taken June 22,2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

A cooked cricket for human consumption is pictured in the house of the biologist Federico Paniagua who is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Cooked crickets are pictured in the house of the biologist Federico Paniagua who is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Cooked cricket larvae are pictured in the house of the biologist Federico Paniagua who is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Abigail daughter of biologist Federico Paniagua, eat a cricket larva, as he is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects, as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Biologist Federico Paniagua and family eat insects while promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Gabriela Soto prepares insects for lunch, while her husband biologist Federico Paniagua (unseen) promotes the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Prepared insects are pictured at the house of biologist Federico Paniagua, who is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica, July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

A zompopa ant reared for human consumption is pictured in the insect farm of biologist Federico Paniagua, as he promotes the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

Insects for human consumption that are covered with chocolate are seen in the house of biologist Federico Paniagua, who is promoting the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica, June 22, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate

A zompopa ant reared for human consumption is pictured in the insect farm of biologist Federico Paniagua, as he promotes the ingestion of a wide variety of insects as a low-cost and nutrient-rich food, in Grecia, Costa Rica July 13, 2019. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Ulate