Food - Drink
Big-Butt Ants Are A South American Delicacy
By NATASHA BAILEY
According to the BBC, people in South America, specifically Colombia, have been harvesting and cooking ants for consumption since the 7th century. Ants have many medicinal, spiritual, and culinary uses in the region among the indigenous peoples still residing on their native lands, and also happen to be a nutritious, sustainable food option.
Not just any ant makes the cut — there is a particular ant in South America that is renowned for its large size and big bottom that is delicious when roasted. Per Atlas Obscura, these ants are called siqui sapa by Peruvians and hormiga culona by Colombians, and depending on demand, people pay anywhere from $9-$40 for every pound of these tasty ants.
The ants are most commonly brined in salt water and then roasted, and have a salty, earthy flavor. According to Eat Your World, hormigas culonas are a particular specialty in Santander, Colombia, where they are well-loved for being a delicious and nutritious snack low in saturated fat and high in protein — they are also believed to be an aphrodisiac!
Visit Barichara, Colombia, if you want to try these crunchy, salty snacks, which are eaten fried or roasted. The ants are considered delicacies, so they may be expensive, but it’ll be worth it since this local Colombian food deserves to be cherished as the modern world expands its idea of food to encompass all things edible and nutritious.