Eating insects shouldn’t bug us thanks to protein and other benefits

22 Aug 2017 --- Recipes for “Pest-o Pizza,” “Chocolate Mealworm Cookies” and “Insect Flour Fruit Smoothies” can be enjoyed to experience the surprising nutritional benefits of eating insects, according to a new infographic produced by the Western Exterminator pest control company in the US. The Connoisseur’s Guide to Edible Insects highlights the benefits of eating insects by comparing insect protein very favorably against traditional types of meat such as beef and chicken, among other nutritional positives.

Meeting needs
Though not yet a common diet in the Western world, entomophagy, or the eating of insects, is a practice enjoyed by at least 2 billion people across the globe, according to the Western Exterminator website.

The recommendation to eat insects meets a serious demand. With a growing population and increasing demand for meat, there is a global protein shortage. Combined with animal agriculture’s high environmental cost, this has led the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization to urge people to eat insects instead. 

The good news for those willing to try ingesting insects, the Western Exterminator website notes, is that the likes of ants, termites and wasps are not only “delicious,” but also “rich in protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.”

Popular and fun
“In my observations, the general public’s interest and fascination (especially children) in the idea of eating well-prepared and fun insect cuisine has never faded,” comments Gene White, Board Certified Entomologist, Technical Director of Rentokil North America. 

Indeed, thanks to their nutritional benefits, the eating of insects has already entered the commercial space. “Today […] start-up businesses across the globe have been producing low-cost forms of insect protein to supplement an ever-growing global need for livestock production and human consumption alike,” White continues.

“The hope to fill a nutritional void for those impoverished countries of the world through the great science of entomology is becoming a reality we can all be proud of,” White concludes.

Last week, our sister website FoodIngredientsFirst reported that Switzerland’s second-largest supermarket chain, Coop, will begin selling insect burgers for human consumption. The news came as French insect firm Jimini’s has redeveloped their insect offerings with the re-releasing of two new protein bars and two new energy bars.