Researchers have found new health benefits associated with grasshoppers that could make them a potential replacement for your favorite superfood. To explore the benefits of consumption, Cameroon-based researchers fed rats a type of edible grasshopper known as Ruspolia nitidula. Several health improvements were observed in the rats that consumed the grasshoppers, compared to those who didn't eat the insect. Researchers at the University of Dschang divided rats into three groups: one on a grasshopper diet, another on herring-based fishmeal, and a third without animal protein. Experts say insects have high nutritional value and a low environmental impact, making them increasingly important in a world facing food scarcity. Rats who were on grasshopper diets experienced a significant boost in libido, and improved hair quality, with 94.58% of hairs examined in outstanding condition. There were also improvements in weight, with rats on a grasshopper diet remaining at an average & healthy weight of 180 grams, with rats who consumed fishmeal at 172.76 grams. Grasshopper-fed rats also got 12 hours extra sleep than those in a protein deficit. The researchers credit the benefits to the amino acids, vitamins, and minerals found in the insect. "The grasshopper meal not only meets nutritional needs but also offers substantial health benefits, including improved libido, better sleep, and enhanced hair quality, with far reaching implications for both animal and human diets," explained lead researcher Ngnaniyyi Abdoul. While unconventional, developments in nutrition research like this make insect-based diets an increasingly viable option.