Edible Insects??
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Actually the term for eating insects is 'Entomophagy'. There is this movement that is actually gaining popularity and support that promotes the benefits of eating insects. Now, don't get me wrong, I personally believe that eating insects, regardless of the nutritional value is, well at best, disturbing. But none the less the people behind the movement are trying to spread their word and claim that insects are the food of the future, and that future generation of Americans will consume a diet similar to other countries, where insects are in fact part of a daily and well-balanced diet.
I am very skeptical at this claim that instead of rack of lamb or filet mignon that in 10 or even 50 years I will be ordering from the local restaurant, maybe a few hundred crickets or beetles. However, there are quite a few people that believe I will. Surprisingly, these entomophagy experts have good reasons for eating these things we love to hate. Their main reason is based purely on nutritional value. Almost all insects are lower in fat, higher in protein, and contain more nutrients such as calcium and iron, than the traditional beef, chicken, pork, or lamb. And from their website, here is a little more info for you all:
· There are 1,462 recorded species of edible insects. Doubtless there are thousands more that simply have not been tasted yet.
· 100 grams of cricket contains: 121 calories, 12.9 grams of protein, 5.5 g. of fat, 5.1 g. of carbohydrates, 75.8 mg. calcium, 185.3 mg. of phosphorous, 9.5 mg. of iron, 0.36 mg. of thiamin, 1.09 mg. of riboflavin, and 3.10 mg. of niacin.
· Compare this with 100 grams ground beef, which, although it contains more protein (23.5 g.), also has 288.2 calories and a whopping 21.2 grams of fat!
(By the way, 100 grams is roughly 4 ounces or 1/4 pound)
Well, with all our future meal choices to ponder, I will leave you, with the conclusion of my first blog posting, with some wonderful, wonderful facts.
***The average AMERICAN eats over ONE POUND of insects in their lifetime.
***The FDA (yes, the people who regulate what goes into our food) allows 'X' amount of insect parts into processed and natural foods --- yummy!
***Flour beetles, weevils, and other insect pests that infest granaries are milled along with the grain, finally ending up as tiny black specks in your piece of bread.
***Small grubs and other tiny insects can be found in your fruit and vegetables.
***Insects are especially common in canned and other types of processed food, and even in certain beverages. Apple orchards separate the good apples from the rotten and insect-infested apples before selling them. However, they don't just throw away the bad apples (no pun intended), but rather use said apples to make Apple Cider mix. Nothing better on a cold winter day than a nice mug of instant apple insect mix.
***It is virtually impossible that you have not ingested insects in one form or another during your lifetime. And it did not harm you, but instead did you some good by providing extra protein in your meal!
Happy Eating All!!
I am very skeptical at this claim that instead of rack of lamb or filet mignon that in 10 or even 50 years I will be ordering from the local restaurant, maybe a few hundred crickets or beetles. However, there are quite a few people that believe I will. Surprisingly, these entomophagy experts have good reasons for eating these things we love to hate. Their main reason is based purely on nutritional value. Almost all insects are lower in fat, higher in protein, and contain more nutrients such as calcium and iron, than the traditional beef, chicken, pork, or lamb. And from their website, here is a little more info for you all:
· There are 1,462 recorded species of edible insects. Doubtless there are thousands more that simply have not been tasted yet.
· 100 grams of cricket contains: 121 calories, 12.9 grams of protein, 5.5 g. of fat, 5.1 g. of carbohydrates, 75.8 mg. calcium, 185.3 mg. of phosphorous, 9.5 mg. of iron, 0.36 mg. of thiamin, 1.09 mg. of riboflavin, and 3.10 mg. of niacin.
· Compare this with 100 grams ground beef, which, although it contains more protein (23.5 g.), also has 288.2 calories and a whopping 21.2 grams of fat!
(By the way, 100 grams is roughly 4 ounces or 1/4 pound)
Well, with all our future meal choices to ponder, I will leave you, with the conclusion of my first blog posting, with some wonderful, wonderful facts.
***The average AMERICAN eats over ONE POUND of insects in their lifetime.
***The FDA (yes, the people who regulate what goes into our food) allows 'X' amount of insect parts into processed and natural foods --- yummy!
***Flour beetles, weevils, and other insect pests that infest granaries are milled along with the grain, finally ending up as tiny black specks in your piece of bread.
***Small grubs and other tiny insects can be found in your fruit and vegetables.
***Insects are especially common in canned and other types of processed food, and even in certain beverages. Apple orchards separate the good apples from the rotten and insect-infested apples before selling them. However, they don't just throw away the bad apples (no pun intended), but rather use said apples to make Apple Cider mix. Nothing better on a cold winter day than a nice mug of instant apple insect mix.
***It is virtually impossible that you have not ingested insects in one form or another during your lifetime. And it did not harm you, but instead did you some good by providing extra protein in your meal!
Happy Eating All!!
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