8 Insects That Replace Food

Insects are a common food item in Africa and Asia. Probably, their culinary geography will expand.

Insects are a common food item in Africa and Asia. Probably, their culinary geography will expand.

It is becoming increasingly difficult for people to feed themselves. The global food problem is facilitated by the growth of the global population, climate change, and the political and economic situation in the world. Insects can be an alternative to the usual food products. This idea found the support of enthusiasts from different countries of the world. In addition, in 2008, experts from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations proposed a solution to the problem of food shortage with the help of insects.

In principle, there is nothing strange in this idea. On the one hand, insects are a source of proteins and trace elements. On the other hand, it is much cheaper to breed them than, for example, cows. In addition, their breeding is much less harmful to the environment. In some countries in Africa and Asia, insects are eaten.

We invite you to familiarize yourself with the list of 8 insects that can replace food.

Grasshoppers

For the idea of ​​producing flour from grasshoppers, the authors received the Halta prize and $1 million. In 2013, students from McGill University (Montreal) took part in a competition to organize a social enterprise to provide food to malnourished communities. The students offered to breed grasshoppers in poor areas of Thailand, Mexico and Kenya and use them to make flour for baking and other products. The production technology is as follows: grasshoppers are dried, frozen in airtight bags, washed, dried again and ground into powder. The new power source will be available all year round and will be inexpensive. Capital in Halty and $1 million have been pledged to launch the program.

Larvae of peacock-eye butterflies

Dried caterpillars of peacock-eye moths (Gonimbrasia belina) are a traditional source of protein for South Africans. Perhaps collecting these caterpillars will become a common activity all over the world. To prepare caterpillars, they are gutted, boiled in salted water and dried in the sun. Caterpillars are also eaten raw. They are said to taste like dried tofu or tea leaves. They are often served with fried onions, and are also used in soups, porridges, and sauces.

Today, dried, marinated or smoked caterpillars are sold in supermarkets and markets at a price several times higher than traditional meat.

Silkworm larvae

Unpaired silkworm larvae (witchetti larvae) are a traditional food of Australian aborigines. They were roasted in coal or on an open fire. According to the descriptions, the cooked larvae taste like nuts with the taste of scrambled eggs and mozzarella cheese in puff pastry. Some gourmets eat them alive.

Mulberry silkworm larvae are popular in Asia. Caterpillars feed on mulberry leaves and are considered a healthy delicacy in Vietnam and China. They are used to prepare a popular dish of Korean cuisine - ppondegi. In Japan, tsukudani is prepared from the larvae of this insect - cooked with algae in a special marinade. In the Indian state of Assam, boiled larvae are eaten as a snack with salt or fried with pepper and herbs.

In addition, Chinese researchers suggest using the larvae of these insects as an alternative to the traditional diet of astronauts.

Ants

In poor rural areas of Thailand, dried and fried ants are used to prepare spicy rice.

Black and red forest ants are a popular food item in Colombia, Cambodia, and Laos.

Indians living in the Amazon basin eat winged female ants. Their fried bellies are said to taste like bacon.

And the aborigines of Australia eat honey-gathering ants. These insects live underground at a depth of 2 m and have a sweet taste. Escamoles, a restaurant delicacy, are made from the larvae of ants in Mexico.

Termites

Residents of African countries eat termites. Butter is also made from these insects. To do this, termites are boiled and the fat that has surfaced is collected. It is used to prepare various dishes.

Palm weevil

Larvae of the red palm weevil are an element of the traditional cuisine of Southeast Asia. They are deep-fried and served with salt and white pepper. In addition, these larvae are consumed raw and cooked. In the first case, they have a creamy taste, and in the second - meaty. In New Guinea, roasted palm weevil larvae are a festive dish.

Wooden shields

A better known name is stink bugs. In many countries of South Africa, these insects are eaten as a snack. To get rid of a sharp unpleasant smell, they are first soaked in warm water.

But in South America, wood shields are valued for their aroma, so they are added to food as a seasoning. In Vietnam, these insects are used to make spicy hot food.

Mealworms

We can say that mealworms occupy a special place in the list of 8 insects that will replace food. These insects are one of the few that have found a place in the kitchen of Western countries. Worm larvae have great nutritional value and are rich in copper, sodium, potassium, iron, zinc, and selenium.

One of the main enthusiasts for the promotion of the mealworm diet is the Dutch scientist Arnold van Huys. Together with the cooking school, he published a book with recipes for dishes made from the larvae of these insects.

As noted by supporters of the widespread inclusion of insects in the menu of people, this will partially solve the global food problem. At the same time, the environment will not be affected.