Mealworms are the larval stage of the darkling beetle.

Roasted mealworms have a discreet umami taste that leaves a light, nutty aftertaste. Eat them as snacks or use them ground as an ingredient when cooking.

Some 2 billion people around the world already eat insects to supplement their diet, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization. The practice is known as entomophagy.

Insects are rich in protein, low in fat, low in carbohydrates and contain essential minerals including iron, fiber, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. They are also rich in unsaturated fat, which is a healthier source of fat than saturated fat. Mealworms have the same Omega-3 levels as fish.

Insects do not transmit zoonotic infections to humans and livestock in the same way as animals.

The best insects to eat are from three species: At least three insects –crickets, honeybees, and mealworms– have at least the same if not higher nutritional value than the commonly consumed meats like beef and chicken, and not a single comparison shows insects to be nutritionally inferior to meat.

Though most ingestions of edible insects tend to be harmless, people who have shellfish allergies should avoid eating insects due to the potential for cross-reactivity. Several proteins identified in both some shellfish and insects can trigger allergic reactions in people who have a sensitivity to these compounds.

Whether they crawl, fly, squirm, or slither, insects get the job done: They maintain healthy soil, recycle nutrients, pollinate flowers and crops, and control pests. But by the end of the century, up to 40% of the world's insect species may go extinct owing in part to habitat loss.

Scientists have long known that insects display nociception. However, if an animal detects potentially damaging stimuli, it is not necessarily an indicator of “ouch-like” pain that in humans is generated in the brain. Both nociception and pain can happen, to some extent, independently of each other.