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Is it healthy to eat worms?

Author

Emma Payne

Published Jan 23, 2026

They're high in protein and have high levels of iron and of amino acids, which help break down food and repair body tissue. They also contain copper, manganese and zinc. Earthworms are a source of calcium as well — on a par with the amount in fresh cheese or cow's milk, says Dufour.

What happens if you eat a worm?

Eating maggots or maggot-infested food can cause bacterial poisoning. Most foods that have maggots aren't safe to eat, especially if the larvae have been in contact with feces. Some houseflies use animal and human feces as breeding sites. They also breed on garbage or rotting organic material.

Is it OK to eat a worm?

Is it safe to eat worms? Generally, studies show that it's safe to eat most commonly consumed species of worms and other insects ( 3 ).

Why you shouldn't eat worms?

Wild worms can carry parasites and germs that can be harmful. It comes down to the soil conditions they are living in and the environment. Worms that are farm raised for eating are fed pest-free food that helps keeps them clean and parasite-free.

Can you get sick from eating earthworms?

Surprisingly (or not) this isn't the first report of a patient been infected with parasites by eating earthworms. A study published in the journal Pediatrics in 2006 describes a similar infection of a 16-year-old girl after she ate an earthworm on a dare.

43 related questions found

What does earthworm taste like?

She's eaten worms as well as bugs — including fried worms and worms that are turned into candied jerky. She describes the taste as distractingly earthy — which makes sense, as it's dirt that earthworms eat. "In my experience, bugs taste like their diet," she says.

Can earthworms live in your stomach?

The worms can burrow into the walls of the stomach or the small intestine, though it is much more common to find them in the stomach, Fuchizaki said.

What happens if you eat a worm in an apple?

They are neither harmful to humans (nor animals) nor do they carry any harmful parasites. Now, worms digging into the apple will cause some rot and that can produce an off flavor, but even the bacterial and fungal species that cause rot in apples are not a hazard for humans.

What happens if you accidentally eat a worm in fruit?

Accidentally ingesting maggots does not generally cause any lasting harm. However, if a person has ingested maggots through eating spoiled food, they may be at risk of food poisoning.

What happens if a child eats a worm?

Your child may vomit once, just from the taste. There's a small risk of getting diarrhea. There's a very small risk of getting worms.

Can worms eat you alive?

Yes, and some can eat humans alive. Some kinds of worms will bite to eat; others sting with hairs to defend themselves. Some can live and move inside you.

Can a worm bite you?

Worms don't bite. They also don't sting. 3. They are cold-blooded animals, which means they don't maintain their own body heat but instead assume the temperature of their surroundings.

How do I cook worms?

Wash earthworms thoroughly and place in boiling water for three minutes. Pour off water and repeat the boiling process twice. Bake on cookie sheet at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes.

What should you do if you eat a worm?

A person should see a doctor if any of the following signs and symptoms occur after ingesting maggots:

  1. visible larvae in stools.
  2. persistent abdominal pain.
  3. symptoms of bacterial poisoning that worsen or do not get better.
  4. diarrhea lasting more than 3 days.
  5. diarrhea and a fever of more than 102˚F.
  6. bloody stools.

What happens if you eat a worm alive?

The worms are not passed from person to person. Swallowing a live parasitic worm may not cause any illness if it passes through the intestine and is excreted.

What happens if you eat a mango with worms?

Nothing will happen. The worms or larvae will just die and digested in to your stomach.

Can maggots eat you alive?

Maggots, otherwise known as fly larvae, are, of course, famous for eating the flesh of dead animals, and in this they perform a vital, if unglamorous, cleansing function in nature. But also – less often – maggots can infest and feed on the flesh of live animals and humans, a phenomenon known as myiasis.

Can fly eggs hatch in your stomach?

Intestinal myiasis occurs when fly eggs or larvae previously deposited in food are ingested and survive in the gastrointestinal tract. Some infested patients have been asymptomatic; others have had abdominal pain, vomiting, and diarrhea (2,3). Many fly species are capable of producing intestinal myiasis.

Can maggots get in your body?

Wound myiasis: occurs as a result of egg deposition on decaying flesh or pus-discharging wounds. If the maggots invade rather than staying on superficial layers of exposed tissue, subcutaneous nodules can result. Myiasis of body cavities: results from maggot infestation on the eye, nasal passages, ear canal, or mouth.

Are broccoli worms harmful?

If you're panicking because you just found a wiggly green worm crawling out of your otherwise-scrumptious head of broccoli, rest assured – broccoli worms aren't harmful to people. They're just gross.

Are there worms in avocados?

Avocado Worms

The worms that infect avocado trees are usually greenish in color, although they may also be yellow and sometimes pink. Their presence will be seen in fruit scarring, rolled leaves and occasional webbing among the leaves.

What poop looks like when you have worms?

Sometimes the worms are visible in the anal area, underwear, or in the toilet. In stools, the worms look like small pieces of white cotton thread. Because of their size and white color, pinworms are difficult to see.

Can you get worms in your poop?

Even if you don't have any symptoms, you may find signs of worms in your stool. Worms in human poop can take a number of appearances. For roundworms, you may find pieces of worms or large, live worms in your feces. For pinworms, you may see thin, white worms that appear like pieces of thread.

Can humans poop worms?

Any worms in your gut will eventually pass out in your poo. You may not notice this. To avoid becoming infected again or infecting others, it's very important during the weeks after starting treatment to wash your hands: after going to the toilet.

Can u eat worms raw?

While worms can be eaten raw in an emergency, you should cook them if at all possible. Like most of the things on this list, they can potentially carry parasites—and the parasite potential should motivate you to cook them first.