A team of scientists in India have discovered that cockroach milk is full of nutritional value. Scientists from Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine believe that the Pacific beetle cockroach feeds its babies by lactating protein-dense crystals that contain fats, sugars, amino acids etc. This species of cockroach is the only one that gives birth to live young but does not have nipples.
According to a research published in the journal for International Union of Crystallography, as far as pound to pound basis is concerned, cockroach crystals contain three times the energy of buffalo milk which previously was believed to contain the protein with most calories.
“It’s time-release food,” project lead Subramanian Ramaswamy said. “They can be a fantastic protein supplement.”
A biochemist at the Bangalore based institute, Mr Ramaswamy told the Washington Post that his colleague first tried the crystals after losing a bet during a drinking game and apparently the taste isn’t too bad!
The crystals apparently are high in nutritional value but are also very high in calories.
Researchers are now working towards sequencing the genes so that they can be reproduced in a lab to avoid a cockroach milking farm.
It’s still early days and don’t expect cockroach milk nest to your regular milk in the supermarket isle but researchers think there might just be a chance that these crystals will in the future be used for products such as milk and protein shakes……..yum!
