Cicadas: The Seafood Substitute
After watching your favorite cooking show maybe you decide that you would like to indulge in a unique culinary adventure. With the inspiration you just got from watching ‘Ugly Delicious’ on Netflix, you go out in your backyard, and you’re thinking, “Hey, why not try something new?” As the sun is beaming down on your face you notice the Brood X cicadas emerging after 17 years from underground. You see this as an opportunity to impress your friends with a unique dinner entrée that you will label ‘a fine dining experience.’
Cicadas Taste Like Shrimp
Did you know that cicadas were being dubbed the “shrimp of the land?” I am a big fan of seafood so I can not help but to be intrigued by this free dinner I can make by collecting cicadas on my property. Who wouldn’t want to try the land version of one of their favorite foods?
Who Shouldn’t Eat Cicadas
As I was googling recipes for a yummy deep-fried cicada dish, I came across this article from CBS with a warning from the FDA: “Don’t eat cicadas if you’re allergic to seafood.” It turns out, these buzzing critters share a family relation to shrimp and lobsters. For someone like me, , this news was not too concerning because I do not have any food allergies. But for those who do have seafood allergies, you need to definitely take this warning seriously.
Other Safety Concerns
It is not just about allergies, according to the FDA. The agency also points out that there are potential food safety risks associated with consuming wild-harvested insects like cicadas, especially when eaten raw. I have to admit that I am tempted to try one raw. The FDA says with so many cicadas popping up in places like Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Michigan, and beyond, it’s important for people to be aware of these risks before they decide to munch on a cicada snack.
While the idea of trying cicadas might be tempting for some, it is important to consider the risks, especially for those with seafood allergies. As for me, I do not have any allergies and I do love shrimp, so I may pick a few off the trees and ground and pop them in my mouth out of curiosity.
Signs You'll Live a Long Life
1. You Eat These Healthy Things
According to a University of Michigan study (via TheHealthy.com), “Women who consumed the most veggies and fruit had a 46 percent lower chance of dying over a five-year period compared with those who ate them infrequently. The study involved 700 participants in their 70s.
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2. You Workout (Specifically, Run 40 Minutes a Day)
According to NBCNews.com, “Scientists in California found that middle-aged people” who ran “for a total of about 5 hours per week lived longer and functioned better physically and cognitively as they got older.” They state that the “researchers tracked runners and nonrunners for 21 years.” Aside from running, CNBC.com states that, “Strength training twice a week and aerobic exercise three times a week, even if for just 10 minutes a day” also helps.
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3. For Women, You Had a Baby After Age 44
For women, if you were pregnant and had a baby naturally after age 44, “you’re about 15 percent less likely to die during any year after age 50 than your friends who had their babies before age 40, reports a recent University of Utah study,” via NBCNews.com. Lead researcher Ken R. Smith, PhD, professor of human development at the university, tells NBCNews.com, “If your ovaries are healthy and you are capable of having children at that age, that’s a marker that you have genes operating that will help you live longer.”
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4. You Socialize
The National Library of Medicine states that people with bigger social networks and who socialize tend to live longer. In the study, Dr. Freeman states, “People who have more social support tend to have enhanced mental health, cardiovascular health, immunological functioning, cognitive performance, resilience, life satisfaction, stress response and more.”
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5. You're Slim in the Waist
TheHealthy.com states that, “Women with a waist of 37 inches or more had a life expectancy that was five years lower after age 40 than did women with a waist of 27 inches or less, found one study. For men, a waist of 43 inches or more was linked to a three-year decrease in life expectancy compared with those with a waist of 35 inches or less.”
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6. You Drink Tea Each Day
Apparently, drinking one or two cups of tea a day is good for your health. “Both green and black tea contain catechins, which relax blood vessels. However, you should be making the tea yourself; in ready-to-drink teas, most of the catechins have probably dissolved already, so they don’t have quite the same heart-healthy power,” says TheHealth.com.
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7. You're Careful with Your Calories
“Researchers in St. Louis reported that men and women who limited their daily calories to 1,400 to 2,000 (about 25 percent fewer calories than those who followed a typical 2,000-to 3,000-calorie Western diet) were literally young at heart — their hearts functioned like those of people 15 years younger,” says NBCNews.com. So, make every calorie count, and keep calories low.
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8. You Get Your Sleep
Getting a good night’s sleep is important to overall health. According to CNBC.com, getting good sleep is one of the factors to make it to age 90. So, turn off Netflix and get some shut eye.
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9. You Have a Purpose in Life
Do you wake up each day with a purpose? Do you feel needed in this world? According to a 2014 study in the journal of Psychological Science, having a sense of purpose means you’ll have a longer life. In the study, they report that people in the study who passed away, about 10% of the participants, had reported lower scores for purpose in life.
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Bonus - Take This Longevity Test
The experts at Media.nmfn.com actually have a lifespan test that you can take online. I took it, and I won’t divulge the age is says I’ll make it to, but I was happy and pleasantly surprised by the result. It asks you some basic health and family questions. Take the test here, and hopefully you’ll be happy with the result.
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