You’re going to be eating crickets, so just get over it.
The UN expects the global population to grow by 2 billion people in the next 30 years, reaching 9.8 billion by 2050 — likely doubling the world’s demand for meat. That’s where munching a bunch of beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, mealworms and other bugs comes in. Insects grow faster and require fewer resources than livestock do, while emitting fewer greenhouse gasses.
And yes, there are health benefits. While every bug offers something different nutritionally, studies show crickets and mealworms can compete with or even outdo meats like beef and chicken in certain respects, depending on species and what they’re fed. The average insect is around half protein by dry weight, according to Precision Nutrition.
That ratio could become even more lopsided, says Jeffrey Swada, director of food science at Michigan State University. That’s because crickets are efficient about using what they eat, and there’s research being done on what you can feed crickets to make them even more nutrient-rich.
“We are constantly looking for more sustainable options and we are constantly looking to diversify the sources of our nutrition. If that is our ultimate goal, there’s no reason not to include insects.”
20 Delicious Bug Recipes from Chefs
Try the fried tarantula and other delicious bugs. Great photographs.
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