Insects can be pests and some can be beneficial to our ecosystem. But would you eat them? More than 2 billion people worldwide (80% of the world’s population) eat insects, and over 1,500 species of insects have been consumed as food. There are cultures around the world that have been eating insects for thousands of years. Some of the areas in the world where insects are a popular food source are some of the countries in Asia and Africa, as well as in Mexico and Brazil.
Insects are a highly sustainable protein. With other sources of meat, such as cattle and livestock, it takes 2,000 gallons of water to get one pound of meat. However, with insects, only one gallon of water is required to get one pound of insect protein. Some of the most popular edible insects are crickets, grasshoppers, beetles and ants. If eating an actual bug really grosses you out but you want to try it, there are now many food products that contain insects. In addition to reducing greenhouse emissions and reducing water waste, eating insects can be really good for you!
Some benefits are increased brain health and reduced heart risk because they are high in omega acids and low in saturated fats. While eating products made with cricket flour can be really good for you, be sure to read the labels to make sure everything else in the product is healthy as well.
