Here is Why it’s Time to Consider Insects as Future Food
Two billion people around the world eat insects regularly. The Chinese keep warm in the winter months with hot ant soup! Processed cockroaches have been used to cure illnesses for centuries! Their natural taste is sour or like vinegar. Cooking them, especially with herbs, spices, and other ingredients makes them more palatable. Some entrepreneurs think it’s time to consider insects as future food.
Ants
According to Edible Insects for Humans, ants can be roasted, toasted, stir-fried, baked, served in salads, chocolate-covered or honey-coated. Most species of ants are safe to eat, but it's usually best to terminate them first, otherwise, they might bite back.
Among the most common varieties of edible hymenoptera are the honeypot or honey ants. Those who practice entomophagy (eating insects) can count on a remarkable and complete nutritional intake. And this is one of the main reasons why it is worth starting to include insect-based foods in your diet.
Like other edible insects, ants have considerable nutritional value.
One idea could be to follow the example of Colombian cooks and toast them to make an inventive decoration for desserts and ice cream cups. Or, to accompany a mixed salad or a plate of grilled vegetables with a crunchy dressing high in protein. Again, for a tasty insect dish, crispy ants can complement delicious canapés stuffed with vegetable-based sauces, such as guacamole and chickpea hummus. You can also opt to have them with yogurt, onion and mint, for a fresh and delicate flavor.
Cockroaches
No, you don’t want to roast the cockroach you caught roaming around your home. But yes, you totally can eat some cockroach species! You can cook them in numerous ways, from boiling to toasting. An especially delicious cockroach delicacy is said to exist in Madagascar.
In some countries around the world eating cockroaches is entirely normal, and a regular dish.
There’s actually about 1700 types of bugs eaten in 113 different countries but here’s a bucket list of edible bugs that will get you started.
Crickets
For a quality source of protein try cricket. You might not know it, but 100-grams of cricket contains 12.9-grams of protein. So, if you’re in need of food, crickets are a healthy and tasty insects you can eat. A meal of cricket can be fixed by dry roasting, frying, or simply added as an additional source of protein to any meal.
Cicadas
For those living on the East Coast there’s good news. If you ever need survival food consider the cicada. Nymphs or adults make for a tasty bugs you can eat and can be fixed to perfection by roasting, frying or boiling. These insects offer high levels of protein and vitamins, making them precious survival food.
Silk Worm Larvae
While their mothers are busy spinning future garments for humans, the larvae of a silk worm makes for an excellent, nutty-flavored snack. In fact, in various Asian countries namely Korea, China, Japan and Thailand, silkworm larvae is offered as a side dish in restaurants or sold as quick snacks by street vendor.
Locust
Much like grasshoppers and crickets, locusts are found all over the world. They are relatively easy to catch and are among the most common edible bugs. Annually, locusts wreak havoc to vegetation in countries that may already be struggling with food security. The next time you see a swarm of these bugs settle near you, gather your neighbors for an eating competition. You’ve got to save your vegetation man. Dig in.
Pillbugs
With a cute name and looking like…well pills, these insects can be eaten without a prescription. Consider them protein supplement pills. Also known as woodlice or roly-polies, Pillbugs are a terrestrial crustacean related to lobster, shrimp and crab. You’ll find them under rotting wood, stones and dry grass. You might be having a beautiful meal wasting in your backyard right now. It is said that the yummiest ones are the ones that quickly roll up into a ball when approached. So get your chop sticks and go out tonight.
Scorpions
Yummiee…and ouch! Scorpions are common street food in China. Due to their venomous nature I recommend picking your scorpions from a tacos stand. These guys have a lot of experience catching, preparing and cooking them right.
Tarantulas
Want a leg, or arm? If you’re hoping to enjoy some fried tarantula, head over to Cambodia where it’s popular street food. The golden brown legs will remind you of crab, but this crunchy, tastiest insect tastes nuttier. Again, I’d recommend having a “professional” make it, but if you choose to have some homemade tarantula, remember to remove the fangs and as much hair as possible before munching the arachnid. Curled legs will tell you how well cooked your spider. Enjoy.
Which insect inspired you the most? Do you want to taste any of them? Let us know in the comment section, we will bring wine.
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