Bugging To Eat; Everything To Know About Entomophagy

Bugging For The Benefits Of Entomophagy

So what exactly are the benefits to chomping on insects? There are plenty! First of all, it requires half of a pound of feed to obtain one pound of insect meat, whereas, it costs eight pounds of feed to get one pound of beef. Insect farming is sustainable, healthy, low on greenhouse-gas emissions, requires little infrastructure and resources, and bugs can be fed compost and waste.

There are also over 1900 species of edible bugs to choose from, most of which contain as much or more iron than beef, and are high in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and can include up to eighty percent protein. With iron deficiency being the most common nutritional deficiency, turning to bugs as a food source could benefit those who are affected by anemia, which happens to be nearly thirty percent of the world’s population.

You now know bugs may help solve the anemia epidemic, but continue reading to learn about the cultivation of insects for human purposes.

Cultivation Of Insects For Human Purposes

The cultivation of insects for consumption may seem like a new idea. However, insect cultivation has been in practice for centuries for both insect products and a source of food. There are over 20,000 cricket farms for human and animal consumption in Thailand alone.

The most common insects for cultivation happen to be the honey bee and silkworm, but others such as the Hemiptera, fleas, and termites are used. The silkworm produces over 90,000 tonnes of silk each year, but many other insects provide us with products or services like pollination. Bees are responsible for providing an approximate 1.2 million tonnes of honey each year, as well as Royal Jelly, used in many beauty products; Propolis, used as natural medicine; and beeswax.

Now that you know about the cultivation of bugs and the roles we play in each other's lives, keep reading to find out all about entomophagy around the world.