Eating Bugs: How Insects as Food May be on the Menu in the Future

Woody Short

7 years ago

You may be surprised with this healthy trend that is taking kitchens everywhere by storm: Why insects as food could be the next yummy thing on your menu!

While we recognize this may come as a shock to many, having insects as food saw its origins in prehistoric times, and through the years it has been practice considered normal – and even extra healthy – in many cultures throughout the World.

Entomophagy or the human consumption of insects and arachnids as food is widely popular in North, Central and South America, expanding to the corners of Africa, Australia and New Zealand. This has been such an extremely well accepted practice, that it is estimated that over 1,000 species of insects are consumed in 80% of the world’s nations.

Now, if you are even a bit curious, if you have wondered how good would it be to try crickets as food for humans, or whether or not you are inspired to add buffalo worm to your next mean, there are a number of added benefits to consuming insects that may actually appeal to you.

For example, the cricket farming industry has experienced an outstanding boom in the last few years because, research has proven that cricket flour is not only super rich in nutrients, but a single serving of this product has triple the protein amount of a serving of steak, and twice that of chicken. Impressed yet?

If you need a little bit more of our convincing power, we’ve rounded up the best benefits you can obtain when you use insects as food:

Insects are packed with protein, fiber, healthy fats and vital minerals; in many cases the amounts of these nutrients surpasses those of a more traditional food source.
Certain worms (including mealworms) provide the same amount of protein and double the minerals and vitamins of those found in fish and certain meats.
Butterflies, moths and agave worms are packed with iron and are considered to be an excellent supplement for children and pregnant women who may suffer from deficiency of this nutrient.
Insects are actually rich in good fatty acids (we are looking at you Omega 3 & 6!) zinc, calcium and amino acids.

If all these health benefits haven’t made you jump on the wagon just yet, let’s take a look at why this practice may not only be environmentally sustainable, but actually one of the resources we will need to use in the near future.

In their 2013 Report, FAO described how our current farming and food production methods are unsustainable, and that using insects as food could help meet the food demands of the ever-expanding World population.
As expressed by Jessica Buhl-Nielsen, Co-Founder of DARE To Eat, by using crickets as food for humans, or adding any other type of insect to your diet, you are relying on an alternative and climate-friendly ingredient, that is also a genuine superfood, and that is free of harmful pesticides and antibiotics.
The cricket farming industry is actually growing in the U.S. because researches and scientists have seen the true value of this protein alternative. Using insects is far more environmentally friendly than farming livestock, it uses 95% less water than practices used for the production of lean meat and whey, and reduces animal waste (80% percent of the cricket’s body can be eaten, whereas only 40%of a cow is ever made edible).

So, if you are willing to give insects as food a try, we’ve gathered up a few of our favorites (and actually delicious!) treats to open up your appetite:

If you are a chocolate lover (who isn’t?), these delicious treats from DARE To Eat will satisfy your sweet tooth. You can choose any delicious combination from chocolate and peppermint, peanut butter, to chocolate and spicy chili – for a surprisingly tasty kick!
For those that prefer their traditional nacho-style snack, these BBQ Cricket Flour Chips from Chirps will add the salty touch you crave.
These Chili Lime Roasted Crickets from Bug Bistro promised to be crispy, crunchy and packed with flavor. And they actually deliver! You can enjoy them alone or add them as a topping to your favorite dish.
For the trail mix fan and adventurer, this Sweet & Spicy Chapulines Trail Mix contained deliciously seasoned chapulines, dehydrated strawberries, organic dark chocolate chips and wasabi beans. Could you ask for anything more?