For many people eating an insect is just the worst thing ever, because, obviously, that’s just gross. In fact, I think many of us would happily eat a bug if it weren’t so disgusting. But our cultural bias against eating bugs may be blinding us to the sustainable living solution we’ve all been looking for. When you consider the logic of insects as food from an ecological, financial, and global perspective, as this video from AsapSCIENCE does, they may start to seem a little more appetizing.
And so we bring you the top 5 reasons we should be eating bugs
5. They’re nutritious
Most edible insect species are highly nutritious. Not only do they yield more protein per gram than beef, chicken or pork, they also have higher levels of vitimanins, minerals and fibre.
4. They’re cheaper and more efficient
It is up to 20 times more efficient per gram to raise insect protein than beef. This is mainly because bugs don’t ‘waste’ food energy on things like raising their body temperature, or making bones, fur, feathers, and other stuff we can’t eat. They also require less feed, less water, less land, and less energy to produce.
3. It’s good for the environment
Because it takes less water to raise insects —up to 1000 times less, in fact, we can definitely save water. Insects require less feed, less water, less land, and less energy to produce and their production generates substantially lower environmental pollutants, such as pesticides and greenhouse gases
2. We’re eating them anyway
It sounds gross, but it’s true. You’ve probably eaten your fair share of bugs, as the Food and Drug Administration allows a certain amount of insect matter to be present in most commercial foods: an average of 150 or more insect fragments are allowed per 100 grams of wheat flour, for instance — that’s a lot of bug!
In South Africa, Zimbabwe as well as most parts of southern Africa, mopane worms are a staple part of the diet in rural areas and are considered a delicacy in the cities. Insects are also considered tasty and nutritious countries such as Thailand, Mexico and Uganda.
1. They can solve world hunger
Insects are a great, inexpensive, green source of the protein desperately needed by starving peoples. If we can help create a market and funding for it, there is the potential to help spread nourishment throughout the planet.
