Devon Jones / Edge Columnist
Insects are one of the most common fears among people, some are terrified, and others don’t mind them. But would anybody eat them?
Why insects are the missing link in our food system – BBC Reel
Insects are the most common pests among people all over the world. Before farms and modern food methods were “were” everywhere, people ate berries, hunted, and ate bugs for a normal diet. Overtime people have stopped doing so except for some cultures. Countries in Asia eat bugs all the time as it is a popular dish in their culture. Insects have so many needed nutrients and proteins in their body, that it is classed as a superfood. Many videos have been published on this topic and many viewers have embraced entomophagy, the practice of eating insects.
With insects, people can get the proteins they need at a low price with a bunch of other nutrients. “They are super nutrient-dense, whole lot of nutrition, and a small package.” Said Virginia Emery, CEO of Beta Hatch. Emery explained that people want more protein in their diets and proteins are the more expensive foods And with insects’ people can get that protein they need. Insects are a way for people to eat all the products of vegetables and crops and get all the nutrients and minerals into one small meal; with the bonus of the protein. “Insects are a missing piece of the food system.”
Insects have been eaten in Southern Asian countries, African countries, and central American countries for a millennium. In some places eating insects is a necessity as fewer other sources of protein exist, while others it is a traditional delicacy.
“As food, caterpillars are regulars in the village, but meat is a stranger,” Said Yansi Saying.
With all this information of insects being superfoods and an extremely healthy addition to food, would anybody eat them if placed on their plate? Crickets, grasshoppers, grubs, and beetles would make somebody’s diet more nutritious. But most people would most likely say no if they were placed on a plate in front of them.
Cattle farms provide meat to people around the world, but insects are 12 to 25 times more efficient in converting what they eat into food for people. They are already a big and common animals diet.
It all comes down to whether people would eat insects or not. Most people are afraid and don’t like them, so it’s a big jump from fearing them to eating them with all of the other common food around you. So, the question is, would people eat them?