5 Best Reasons to Eat Insects

There’s probably a long list when it comes to eating insects, but I’ll give you the top five reasons. I have done quite a bit of research on entomophagy (insect eating) and my study always brings me back to a number of core values ​​that have become the foundation of my understanding of the subject.

The criteria I used to come up with this list are logic, common sense and practicality. In fact, if you don’t normally eat insects, you’ll need a practical, logical reason to do so in order to justify munching on a fried cricket on fried chicken. So, in no particular order, here are my top five reasons to eat insects.

Reason #1 – Protein Value

To avoid getting too scientific, let me say that we all need protein in our bodies. It’s this thing that makes all kinds of other things happen to us and without it, we pass out. Typical sources of this magical body are pork, beef, chicken and fish. If you don’t eat meat, you can still get protein from eggs, cheese, yogurt, milk, and soy milk. If you don’t eat meat or dairy, you can still get some from tofu, beans, nuts and seeds. Insects, although not vegetarian, are a high source of protein when compared to traditional sources, such as meat. Crickets and mealworms, in particular, score high on the protein chart.

Reason #2 – Nutritional Value

Nutrients are substances that provide us with energy or support metabolism. Both of these goals are essential to human health. Protein is part of our needs, but our bodies also need a variety of other nutrients every day to function – even if all you do for the day is relax on the couch. Crickets provide high levels of many nutrients, including calcium (75.8 grams per 100 grams of crickets), iron 9.5 grams/100 grams, fiber 3.0 grams/100 grams, and vitamins. Beef contains only 1.0 grams of iron per 100 grams of meat.

Reason #3 – Low environmental impact

It takes 10 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of edible meat and 25 kg of animal feed per kg of live weight. Plus, you can only eat 40 percent of the cow. In comparison, crickets consume 2 kg of food per kg of edible weight and just over 1 kg of food per kg of live weight. Plus, you can eat 80 percent of the cricket. Then there is the space needed for each crop. Cattle need much more space than crickets. You can run an efficient cricket farm in a closet where you would need at least a barn to raise a few head of cattle. This brings us halfway through my top five reasons to eat insects.

Reason #4 – Variety and taste

Although there are less than a hundred different breeds of cattle, there are more than three hundred species of insects. Livestock can only be raised in certain parts of the world and generally not in urban areas (I know, it’s obvious, but I’m getting somewhere with this). Insects exist almost everywhere and although they disappear during the colder months of the year, you can grow insects in your home all year round. And then there is the taste. Beef is good, meat. On its own, it’s good, but the meat is usually prepared with many other ingredients to enhance the flavor. However, dipping it in barbecue sauce only makes the meat taste the same as meat dipped in barbecue sauce. Crickets and mealworms have a natural nutty taste and flavor similar to chicken or shrimp. By giving them certain foods in a “flavoring phase,” crickets and mealworms will taste just like what you gave them. For example, giving them apples and cinnamon produces an apples and cinnamon flavor. For the last of my top five reasons to eat insects.

Reason #5 – Variety of preparation

Meats and insects can be eaten in different types of dishes. This includes pan-fried, roasted, boiled, baked, and stir-fried foods. Where insects are superior to meat and other traditional forms of protein, there are other ways to prepare them for food. Insects can be ground into flour and baked into cookies and breads. Flour can be used in crackers and various other flour products like wrappers, shells, and doughs. The flour can also be used in protein bars, mixed into protein powder drinks, and sprinkled on other meals as a protein powder. Good luck getting a piece of meat to do that.

In short, my conclusion

There you have it, my top five reasons to eat insects. As I said before, depending on which source you reference, you will most likely find longer lists or you may be able to add a few choices to my top five reasons list. Ultimately, you no longer need to rely on meat, fish or poultry for your primary sources of protein or nutrients. Eating insects is an activity that dates back thousands of years, but is only just beginning to become more common in North America. They’re a healthy, sustainable choice and you don’t need my list of top five reasons to enjoy them.

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Originally posted 2019-12-04 10:59:21 .

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