Insects: The Food of the Future

Does eating bugs seem strange to you? We should reconsider the idea because insects are an almost inexhaustible nutritional source and the most viable answer to end hunger in the world. We all know that in Mexico, insects are eaten. They are salted, squeezed with lime, sprinkled with chili powder, and then consumed. The problem is that, even when we are aware of their use as food, we have exorcised them from our culture to the point of rendering them a taboo; nothing could be further from the truth as the consumption of these small, or sometimes large, invertebrates is a pre-Hispanic heritage like few others. Their use in pre-Columbian cuisine was predominant, and they were consumed by both the general public and the high-ranking officials of politics and the clergy.   Most edible insects are pure protein without the deficit of fats or sugars. Being cold-blooded invertebrates, they have a minimal caloric process that allows them to store nutrients within their bodies; for example, crickets are rich in calcium, termites have a lot of iron, and ants, in turn, are an immense source of fiber. Another factor to consider is the number of people on the planet and the percentage of those living in extreme poverty with no means of sustenance. According to the UN, we will be 9 billion individuals on the planet by 2050, and the food currently available will not be sufficient for everyone. The number of insects available per person (in Mexico alone, there are nearly 300 edible species) is 40 tons, which is a sufficient source of nutritious food for those living during this time of overpopulation and beyond.   Mexican Dishes Made with Insects Fried Chapulines Recipe If you are adventurous in food and dare to try all kinds of dishes, this one is ideal for you. This fried chapulines recipe is perfect as a snack. Ingredients: - water - white lime - olive oil - salt to taste - 1 chili - chapulines To see the procedure for the recipe click here.   Escamoles Tacos Recipe Escamoles are an insect commonly prepared by Mexicans and eaten in tacos. Ingredients: - 1 kilo of escamoles - 5 tablespoons of oil - 2 teaspoons of salt to taste - epazote optional - serrano chilies optional - corn tortillas To see the procedure for this recipe click here.   Although it may seem strange, there are already billions of people who consider insects as a staple of their diet. Numbers don’t lie; according to research conducted by the FAO, it is estimated that insects are part of the traditional diet of at least 2 billion people worldwide. More than 1,900 species are consumed, primarily in Africa and Asia. The most consumed are beetles, caterpillars, bees, and ants. They are followed by grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, cicadas, bush crickets, pill bugs, bedbugs, dragonflies, and flies. A study by foodservicewarehouse.com states that replacing pork and meat with crickets and other crawling critters will not only result in better nutrition but also a 95% reduction in greenhouse gases worldwide. At the same time, eradicating insects is practically impossible; their rapid reproduction makes them a viable alternative to be the primary food source on the planet. Only weak ideological walls remain, which, in my opinion, will soon fall. What we all should do for ourselves, the planet, and our grandchildren is take a lesson from that childhood Disney success where a cute lion meets a warthog and a meerkat who teach him to leave worries behind, lift a log, take a handful of slimy insects, and, hakuna matata!   Dare to try them?