The cicadas are here: How’s your appetite?
You’ve probably heard the news: Cicadas are coming. Or — wait — they’re already here.
And are they ever! Due to an unusual overlap of the lifecycles of two types (or broods) of cicadas, trillions of cicadas are expected to emerge in the US by the end of June, especially in the Midwest.
If you’d like to see where they’ve already arrived, track them here. And if you’re wondering if this cicada-palooza could help with grocery bills, read on to decide for yourself how appealing and how safe snacking on cicadas is for you. The pros and cons could change your outlook on the impending swarm.
What to know about cicadas
Don’t worry, cicadas are largely harmless to humans. In fact, their appearance is welcome in places where people routinely snack on them as a low-cost source of calories and protein.
Estimates suggest up to two billion people regularly eat insects, especially in South and Central America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. Cicadas, when available, are among the most popular. And if you thought no one in the US eats cicadas, check out this video from a May 2024 baseball game.
Are you tempted to eat cicadas?
For plenty of people, cicadas aren’t the food of choice. Some people can’t get past the idea of eating insects as food. That’s understandable: after all, the culture in which we are raised has a powerful influence on what we consider acceptable in our diets. Something some Americans might find off-putting (such as eating snakes) is common in China and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, people outside the US find aspects of the typical Western diet unappealing (such as root beer, peanut butter and jelly, and processed cheese).
But some people shouldn’t eat cicadas because it could be dangerous for them.
Why you should — or shouldn’t — eat cicadas
Eating cicadas is common in many parts of the world because they are
- nutritious: cicadas are low in fat and high in protein, including multiple essential amino acids
- inexpensive or free
- tasty (or so I’m told): descriptions of their flavor vary from nutty to citrusy to smoky and slightly crunchy.
In years when cicadas emerge, recipes for dishes containing cicadas emerge as well.
Then again, there are several good reasons to avoid making cicadas a part of your diet, including these:
- You just can’t get past the “ick” factor. Adventurous eaters may be willing to try or even embrace consuming cicadas, while others will be unable to view the idea as anything other than horrifying.
- You find the taste or consistency unappealing.
- You’re “cicada intolerant.” Some people get stomach upset, nausea, or diarrhea if they eat too many cicadas.
- You’re pregnant or breastfeeding, or are a young child. Concerns about even low levels of pesticides or other toxins in cicadas have led to recommendations that these groups not eat them. Doesn’t this suggest the rest of us should also steer clear? Well, thus far, at least, there’s no evidence that toxins in cicadas are causing health problems.
But there is one more very important entry on this list: people with a shellfish allergy should not eat cicadas. Odd, right?
The shellfish-cicada connection
Cicadas are biologically related to lobsters, shrimp, crabs, and other shellfish. So if you’re allergic to shellfish, you might also be allergic to cicadas. A particular protein called tropomyosin is responsible for the allergy. It’s found in shellfish as well as in many insects, including cicadas.
The allergic reaction occurs after eating the cicada. Just being around them or handling them won’t trigger a reaction.
Among people with a shellfish allergy, developing a reaction after eating cicadas could be a bigger problem than it seems: up to 10% of people have shellfish allergies and, as noted, insect consumption is common worldwide.
Is it okay for your dog or cat to eat cicadas?
Walking your dog after the emergence of cicadas can be a new and exciting experience for you and your pet! Dogs may chase after cicadas and eat them. Cats might, too, if given the chance. That can be a problem if your pet eats too many, as some will experience stomach upset or other digestive problems.
While the insects are considered harmless to dogs, the American Kennel Club says it’s best to steer them away from cicadas once they’ve eaten a few.
Which other insects trigger allergies?
While insect-related allergic reactions (think bee stings) and infections (like Lyme disease) are well known, the insect-food-allergy connection is a more recent discovery.
One recently recognized condition is the alpha-gal syndrome, in which a person bitten by certain ticks develops an allergy to meat. The name comes from a sugar called galactose-α-1,3-galactose (or alpha-gal) found in many types of meat including beef, lamb, pork, and rabbit. According to the CDC, up to 450,000 people in the US may have developed this condition since 2010.
There aren’t many rigorous studies of the overlap of insects and food allergies, so there are probably others awaiting discovery.
The bottom line
When it comes to eating cicadas, I’ll pass. It’s not because of the risks. I’ve never had a problem with shellfish, and for most people the health risks of eating cicadas seem quite small. It’s just unappealing to me, and I’m not a particularly adventurous eater.
But let’s go easy on those who do enjoy snacking on cicadas. Insects offer a good source of calories and protein. Just because eating them seems unusual in the US doesn’t make it wrong.
So, if you like to eat cicadas and have no shellfish allergy or other reason to avoid them, go for it! This may be a very good summer for you.
About the Author
Robert H. Shmerling, MD, Senior Faculty Editor, Harvard Health Publishing; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
Dr. Robert H. Shmerling is the former clinical chief of the division of rheumatology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), and is a current member of the corresponding faculty in medicine at Harvard Medical School. … See Full Bio View all posts by Robert H. Shmerling, MD
Power your paddle sports with three great exercises
On the Gulf Coast of Florida where I live, the telltale sign of summer is not an influx of beachcombers, afternoon storms that arrive exactly at 2 p.m., or the first hurricane warning, but the appearance of hundreds of paddleboarders dotting the inlet waters.
From afar, paddleboarding looks almost spiritual — people standing on nearly invisible boards and gliding across the surface as if walking on water.
But this popular water sport offers a serious workout, just as kayaking and canoeing do. While floating along and casually dipping a paddle in the water may look effortless, much goes on beneath the surface, so to speak.
As warm weather beckons and paddle season arrives, it pays to get key muscles in shape before heading out on the water.
Tuning up muscles: Focus on core, back, arms, and shoulders
“Paddling a kayak, canoe, or paddleboard relies on muscles that we likely haven’t used much during winter,” says Kathleen Salas, a physical therapist with Spaulding Adaptive Sports Centers at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Network. “Even if you regularly weight train, the continuous and repetitive motions involved in paddling require endurance and control of specific muscles that need to be properly stretched and strengthened.”
While paddling can be a whole-body effort (even your legs contribute), three areas do the most work and thus need the most conditioning: the core, back, and arms and shoulders.
- Core. Your core comprises several muscles, but the main ones for paddling include the rectus abdominis (that famed “six-pack”) and the obliques, located on the side and front of your abdomen. The core acts as the epicenter around which every movement revolves — from twisting to bending to stabilizing your trunk to generate power.
- Back: Paddling engages most of the back muscles, but the ones that carry the most load are the latissimus dorsi muscles, also known as the lats, and the erector spinae. The lats are the large V-shaped muscles that connect your arms to your vertebral column. They help protect and stabilize your spine while providing shoulder and back strength. The erector spinae, a group of muscles that runs the length of the spine on the left and right, helps with rotation.
- Arms and shoulders: Every paddle stroke engages the muscles in your arms (biceps) and the top of your shoulder (deltoids).
Many exercises specifically target these muscles, but here are three that can work multiple paddling muscles in one move. Add them to your workouts to help you get ready for paddling season. If you haven’t done these exercises before, try the first two without weights until you can do the movement smoothly and with good form.
Three great exercises to prep for paddling
Wood chop
Muscles worked: Deltoids, obliques, rectus abdominis, erector spinae
Reps: 8–12 on each side
Sets: 1–3
Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
Starting position: Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell with both hands. Hinge forward at your hips and bend your knees to sit back into a slight squat. Rotate your torso to the right and extend your arms to hold the dumbbell on the outside of your right knee.
Movement: Straighten your legs to stand up as you rotate your torso to the left and raise the weight diagonally across your body and up to the left, above your shoulder, while keeping your arms extended. In a chopping motion, slowly bring the dumbbell down and across your body toward the outside of your right knee. This is one rep. Finish all reps, then repeat on the other side. This completes one set.
Tips and techniques:
- Keep your spine neutral and your shoulders down and back
- Reach only as far as is comfortable.
- Keep your knees no farther forward than your toes when you squat.
Make it easier: Do the exercise without a dumbbell.
Make it harder: Use a heavier dumbbell.
Bent-over row
Muscles worked: Latissimus dorsi, deltoids, biceps
Reps: 8–12
Sets: 1–3
Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
Starting position: Stand with a weight in your left hand and a bench or sturdy chair on your right side. Place your right hand and knee on the bench or chair seat. Let your left arm hang directly under your left shoulder, fully extended toward the floor. Your spine should be neutral, and your shoulders and hips squared.
Movement: Squeeze your shoulder blades together, then bend your elbow to slowly lift the weight toward your ribs. Return to the starting position. Finish all reps, then repeat with the opposite arm. This completes one set.
Tips and techniques:
- Keep your shoulders squared throughout.
- Keep your elbow close to your side as you lift the weight.
- Keep your head in line with your spine.
Make it easier: Use a lighter weight.
Make it harder: Use a heavier weight.
Superman
Muscles worked: Deltoids, latissimus dorsi, erector spinae
Reps: 8–12
Sets: 1–3
Rest: 30–90 seconds between sets
Starting position: Lie face down on the floor with your arms extended, palms down, and legs extended.
Movement: Simultaneously lift your arms, head, chest, and legs off the floor as high as is comfortable. Hold. Return to the starting position.
Tips and techniques:
- Tighten your buttocks before lifting.
- Don’t look up.
- Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears.
Make it easier: Lift your right arm and left leg while keeping the opposite arm and leg on the floor. Switch sides with each rep.
Make it harder: Hold in the “up” position for three to five seconds before lowering.
About the Author
Matthew Solan, Executive Editor, Harvard Men's Health Watch
Matthew Solan is the executive editor of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. He previously served as executive editor for UCLA Health’s Healthy Years and as a contributor to Duke Medicine’s Health News and Weill Cornell Medical College’s … See Full Bio View all posts by Matthew Solan
About the Reviewer
Howard E. LeWine, MD, Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing
Dr. Howard LeWine is a practicing internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Chief Medical Editor at Harvard Health Publishing, and editor in chief of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. See Full Bio View all posts by Howard E. LeWine, MD