Thanks, but no thanks, I’ll just pass up on those crunchy grasshoppers, locusts, crickets and scorpions.
CREEPY-CRAWLY CUISINE IS COMING
Science Uncovered
December 2013
Insects are highly nutritious and heading to a dinner plate near you.
The idea of eating tangles of muscle from a Petri dish may be unpalatable to some. Even less appealing, however, may be the idea of devouring insects, deep-fried or otherwise.
Yet in restaurants from London to Sydney, insects are proving quite a hit with a niche audience keen to eat delights such as grasshoppers, locusts, crickets and scorpions (heat-treated, of course, to remove the toxins).
Insects actually form part of the traditional diets of at least two billion people worldwide, according to The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
There’s no escaping the fact that they are good for you. A recent FAO report points to the benefits of eating insects.
They are high in fat, protein, fiber, and key minerals and vitamins, from iron and calcium to B vitamins and vitamin E.
Crucially, insects have a negligible impact on the environment. They are cold-blooded and very efficient at converting feed to protein, not using energy to maintain their body temperature.
They can also be fed on organic waste. So-called mini livestock also offer ‘livelihood opportunities’, says a recent FAO report on edible insects, meaning they could also be an ethical choice.
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