Python Protein

How ‘bout a boa burger? Or snake steak?

As the world’s population looks for more sources of protein, snakes in the constrictor family may be the perfect choice.

That’s because, over millions of years, they’ve evolved to grow and maintain a healthy body weight while eating little.

Recently, researchers studied Burmese and reticulated pythons bred for consumption in snake farms in Vietnam and Thailand.

On a diet of wild rodents, pork by-products and fish pellets, they added about half a pound of body weight a week, converting feed into edible protein more efficiently than cows, pigs, chicken, salmon or even crickets, as we discussed on another EarthDate.

They produced less feces and greenhouse gases than those protein sources, too. They drank the dew that formed on their scales and didn’t need additional water. They thrived in heat and maintained their weight during fasting. And they didn’t transmit diseases like bird flu.

The scientists concluded that, if it could be scaled up, python “ranching” could provide a sustainable protein source that supports local farmers while preserving wild snake populations and habitats.

Snake meat is already popular in Asian countries and is available in some gourmet food stores here, too. It “tastes a lot like chicken” and can be prepared using similar recipes.

So, you might consider making some python piccata or anaconda adobo to give this protein of the future a try.