 Thanks to the Chinese space program, scientists in Beijing recently published a formal nutritional analysis of what may be the healthiest animal to eat. Insect food for astronauts. The nutritional value of insects for human consumption during deep space flights. More arginine than soybeans, more zinc than pumpkin seeds, more protein than even snail meat. The selling point, though, is their low saturated fat content, especially when they're baked, not fried. And one pound of powdered worms gets you all the vitamin B12 you need for the day. Could an African caterpillar be the new beef steak? Just three and a half ounces of caterpillars can provide all of an adult's recommended daily protein along with iron, B vitamins, and other essential nutrients. And they're efficient. Whereas we waste about 90% of nutrients when we feed grains to cows, less than half the nutrition of edible plants is wasted when we route them through bugs. Described as an endless source of protein, but how do they taste? They're considered highly nutritious and also have a quote-unquote pleasant taste. What exactly do they taste like? Well, people have said that the taste of the beetles is varied, just to compare it to something everyone's familiar with. They reported their similarity to octopus.