Mason experts weigh in on the nutrition profile of cicadas

ckearney — Mon, 21 Jun 2021 17:24:58 +0000

Mason experts weigh in on the nutrition profile of cicadas ckearney Mon, 06/21/2021 - 13:24

Margaret Slavin

This year, billions of Brood X cicadas emerged in the United States and generated quite a buzz, according to environmental experts. They also prompted questions about whether they are safe to eat, and who would want to eat them.

It’s safe for most people to eat insects, including cicadas, said Margaret Slavin, an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies in 91��’s College of Health and Human Services.

“Cicadas and other insects contain high-quality protein,” said Slavin. “Insects are generally considered to be good sources of protein, fiber, and minerals. They are commonly eaten in other places around the world for their nutritional qualities and their taste.”

Tweets from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) point out that eating too much of the exoskeleton can be irritating or even a choking hazard. Also, the FDA cautions that people with seafood allergies shouldn’t eat cicadas because they might also be allergic to insects.

Sapna Batheja

Sapna Batheja, term assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, agrees, noting that the insects share a family relationship with shrimp and lobsters.

Batheja said the insects are harmful to dogs if they are consumed in large quantities, and may cause stomach aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and poor appetite.

Batheja also had some guidelines for human consumption of cicadas.

“To cook cicadas, it is recommended to freeze them first to kill them humanely,” said Batheja. “The next step would be to cook them by either grilling, roasting, frying or boiling them."

Batheja and Slavin said cicadas can be a healthy food alternative.

“The teneral [post-molting] and nymph stages are ideal for eating; however, these are short-lived phases of the cicada,” said Batheja. “You can eat a full-grown adult cicada, although there is a higher risk that they will be infected with a fungus. Pesticides may also be a concern, but you can gather cicadas from a place that has not been treated with fertilizer or chemicals.”

Restaurants that serve cicada-inspired meals are “a great way for individuals who are curious about their taste to try them without having to experiment with catching and cooking them themselves,” said Batheja. “Some individuals describe the flavor of cicadas as nutty, with a hint of asparagus taste to it. Others proclaim that they do not have a ton of flavor, so you can add different spices, flavorings or sauces.”

Slavin added that insects are considered a more environmentally sustainable source of protein than livestock like cows, pigs, chickens.

According to Batheja, “there was a push in 2013 by the United Nations to promote insects as an inexpensive and sustainable protein source, and there are a variety of bug powders and snacks that have been on the market over the past several years.”

“Eating cicadas once every 17 years won’t solve our current challenges surrounding food security and sustainability,” said Slavin, “but the novelty of it may help to educate people about edible insects being a possible way for us to address these important issues of our time.”

Margaret Slavin is an associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, and an affiliate of the Center for Study of Chronic Illness and Disability and the Krasnow Institute. Formally trained in both food analytical chemistry and clinical nutrition, Slavin’s expertise are primarily focused where food science and nutrition overlap to improve human health. She can be reached at mslavin@gmu.edu.

Sapna Batheja is term assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies. Batheja’s research interests are how to leverage technology to create dietary behavior changes and impact overweight and obesity. Batheja, a registered dietitian, has extensive experience in a variety of Washington, D.C.-based community settings, including schools, policy, and grant management. She can be reached at sbatheja@gmu.edu.

For more information, contact Jeanene Harris at jharri57@gmu.edu.

About George Mason

91�� is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. Learn more at www2.gmu.edu.

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Student unlocks hot spots for COVID cases using data analysis

ckearney — Fri, 23 Apr 2021 12:47:08 +0000

Student unlocks hot spots for COVID cases using data analysis ckearney Fri, 04/23/2021 - 08:47

Elizabeth Cheang

This spring, 91�� senior Elizabeth Cheang landed an internship that provided her with a unique opportunity to research COVID-19 cases and use public data sets to discover virus hot spots in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.

The health informatics major started in January as an intern with Lluvia Health, a start-up company that focuses on the accessibility and transparency of health care. She worked remotely on a weekly basis and plans to complete her internship on April 27.

“Throughout her internship, Elizabeth was very much a self-reliant intern who was intrigued with learning everything about start-up companies,” said Katherine Westpheling, adjunct faculty and course instructor for HAP 498 in the Department of Health Administration and Policy in the College of Health and Human Services. “She joined a small start-up team of engineers and learned quickly how to be integrated into that culture.”

“For the main project for my internship, I had collected COVID-19 cases by ZIP code specifically within the DMV area,” said Cheang. She used that data to find relationships within the certain sample populations. The result of this project was an interactive map that would show which areas were hot spots or had the most cases.

Cheang gathered data by diligently checking public data portals where data is released by Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. Once she got the data, she organized and imported the information into Lluvia Health's database.

“I highly recommend working with a start-up business,” said Cheang. “There’s comfortability, room to expand, and it’s an open-minded environment.”

Cheang’s mentor, Ricardo Rodriguez, founder of Lluvia Health, emphasized the need to make health care more “shoppable” so that consumers can make informed decisions about products and services.

Cheang found improving the user experience, or UX design, to be the one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

“User Experience Design is something I did not know anything about going into this internship,” said Cheang, whose degree concentration is in health informatics with a minor in information technology. As a result of her recent exploration of data visualization, she’s sold on UX design and plans to consider the career path post-graduation.

Cheang said the learning environment at Mason gave her the ability to make connections with peers within her area of study. She also learned the importance of collaborating efficiently and building meaningful relationships, “because that dynamic can help bridge a potential opportunity in the future,” she added.

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