Termite
Edible termites harvested seasonally and cooked as a protein-rich food in several African cuisines.
About Termite
Termites are insects eaten as food in some regions, but the broad name covers many species and life stages rather than one uniform ingredient. Where harvested for food, they may be gathered seasonally and eaten whole, either fresh or after cooking. Local practices and the kind of termite used vary, so a general name does not identify a particular edible product.
Cooked termites may be roasted, fried or otherwise prepared, and their texture and flavour depend on species, life stage and method. They can be eaten as a snack or incorporated into foods. Dried, powdered and whole cooked forms are not interchangeable, and the name alone does not establish processing or a consistent culinary description.
- Ingredient type
- whole food
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Where will you meet it?
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See local namesWhere termite appears
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Main dishes
Ingredient connections awaiting review · Coverage is still growing, including packaged snacks.
Name examples awaiting language review. Confirm the specific food or product.
Local names for termite
Names and romanised forms to recognise on menus and labels.
Name not available yet.
A name in English has not been added for termite. Choose another language to see its available names.
Termite nutrition & diet
Termite nutritional value
Reference: Termite, fresh, raw
Per 100 g of 100 g edible portion in the named official reference form.
- Calories
- 153kcal
- Protein
- 11.9g
- Carbs
- 3.2g
- Fat
- 9.7g
Official national food-composition reference. The displayed food form is part of the estimate; cultivar, recipe, brand, processing and preparation can change values.
Species, life stage, processing and whether termites are whole, dried or cooked affect measured nutrition. Comparisons require an identified product and preparation.
Dietary compatibility
- VeganNot established
- VegetarianNot established
- PescatarianNot established
- KetoNot established
- PaleoNot established
- Low-carbNot established
- HalalNot established
- KosherNot established
What these diet assessments mean
- Vegan · Not established
- The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
- Vegetarian · Not established
- The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
- Pescatarian · Not established
- The available profile does not establish the full composition or processing for this dietary pattern.
- Keto · Not established
- A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
- Paleo · Not established
- The ingredient form and processing have not been assessed against this dietary pattern.
- Low-carb · Not established
- A defined serving and sourced carbohydrate data are needed before assessing this dietary pattern.
- Halal · Not established
- Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish halal status.
- Kosher · Not established
- Sourcing, processing and any applicable certification have not been verified. A food name alone does not establish kosher status.
For the plain ingredient · Awaiting review. Diet compatibility is not allergy suitability or halal/kosher certification. Keto and low-carb depend on the portion.
AI-generated illustration for visual context. It does not identify a particular product or establish allergen content.
Sources & review
Nutrition reference: FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Table for Western Africa (2019) — 07_081 ↗. Values are scaled from 100 g of the recorded edible form. Individual portions have no assumed fixed weight.
Expanded overview, name examples and nutrition notes are database drafts awaiting editorial review. Numeric nutrition values, where shown, have their own source and food-form reference.
The ingredient description and dish connections come from the draft catalogue and may change after review.
Last recorded verification: .