Naama Barak
June 1, 2020, Updated January 10, 2022

With all due respect to this whole coronavirus global pandemic thing, it’s not as if Covid-19 is the first airborne plague to hit the world. Just ask the locusts.

Yet back in the day, locusts were not only one of the 10 plagues immortalized in the story of Passover but also a dietary staple of none other than John the Baptist. John apparently favored them dipped in wild honey, and now you too can enjoy a similar snack courtesy of Israeli food-tech startup Hargol.

Hargol (Hebrew for “grasshopper”) is famous for producing grasshopper protein powder, but has recently come out with a line of energy bars called “Biblical Protein – Israeli Locust Nutrition.”

The locust and honey bars come in plain, apple or raisin flavors, alongside a more traditional jar of ready-to-eat locusts and a pot of Israeli wildflower honey, which can be purchased online and shipped to the United States.

In a truly Israeli combination of new and old, the folks at Hargol produced a commercial that has an actor depicting John the Baptist walking along the Jordan River and sitting down for his high-protein snack before moving on to more snazzy explanations of the benefits of eating grasshoppers.

And while you may turn up your nose at the idea of eating flying insects, it’s worthwhile keeping in mind that John knew what he was doing: grasshoppers are a healthy, sustainable and kosher source of protein that’s been making somewhat of a comeback in recent years.

We at ISRAEL21c even offer a recipe for roasted grasshoppers with zaatar.

What can we say, bete’avon (hearty appetite) to you all!

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