Posted on 07/28/2010 6:51:28 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
(Would those of us in the West eat bugs if they looked like a Big Mac?)
Swansea University in the UK, is the host to this year’s Royal Entomology Society conference and one of the speakers at this year’s conference will be talking about insect protein being a solution to getting rid of famine.
On the one hand I say, “Ew.” On the other, I say, “Why not? Other people should eat bugs.” I remember watching a young Christian Bale in the film “Empire of the Sun” His character is in an internment camp, and he's told that if he wants to make it through and keep up his strength, he shouldn’t pick the bugs (I believe they were maggots) out of his food, he should eat them for the protein. It was disturbing but it made sense under the circumstances.
According to BBC News, 80 percent of the world’s population eats some sort of insect as part of their diet. I’m not in that 80 percent, and I’m a long way off from being convinced to joining it, but the facts are interesting.
Professor Arnold van Huis from Wageningen University in Belgium will be presenting the case for eating insects at the conference. He says that producing one kilogram (about 2.2 pounds) of meat from a cow requires 13kg (about 28 ½ pounds) of vegetable matter as feed.
However, 1kg (about 2.2 pounds) of meat from a cricket, locust or beetle needs just 1.5 to 2kg (3.3 to 4.4 pounds) of vegetable matter as feed for the bugs. The environmental impact of raising bugs for meat protein as opposed to cow for meat protein is much less.
Those numbers are impressive, but I’m still not putting a cricket in my mouth. And, van Huis understands that most Westerners are like me in that area. Despite the fact that there is no “credible reason against eating them, taste-wise and nutritionally, there’s no difference between insect meat and that from birds, fish or mammals,” we just can’t get past the fact that in our minds insects are not food.
So grinding insect meat into patties is one option being considered to make insects more palatable to those of us with objections to seeing whole insects on our plates. I have to wonder if van Huis got the idea from “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution” when Oliver showed children exactly what gets ground up and put into chicken nuggets. The children were grossed out when they saw the process but once they saw the finished product, they wanted to eat it because it was something they were accustomed to.
Could it be the same with bug burgers?
I could do it but it might be wise to let me eat bug burgers a couple times before letting me in on the secret.
I’ve had bugs land in my beer, and I had to have more beer to wash them down. Does that count? =)
This is exactly what they want: They get to eat Wagyu beef, Heritage pork, lobster and caviar while we eat roach burgers, cricket loaf and maggot happy meals.
North Koreans wouldn’t be starving if they ate bugs, but I got a feeling the bugs all starved too. :)
So, if I am in the mood for prime rib, but I’m stuck with bugs instead, where do I cut the little slits to plant the garlic?
Now, when I put on a bbq, won’t the little guys fall through the grates?
If I start an ant farm, will I get government subsidies? Can I call myself a rancher?
There is no way on earth that I’m going to get into a fight with my 25 hens over bugs... those girls would win the fight and then those heartless predators would kill me... when it comes to food, they leave no quarter. ;>) We recently had a city gal come by to check on our chickens while we were gone camping. She made the mistake of wearing open toed shoes and red nail polish on her toes.... she is lucky to be alive!!!
Bugs are for fishing, I’ll stick to real meat.
You just couldn’t help yourself, could ya? LOL!
Back in my college days I used to live on Ramen and bug sandwiches
“She made the mistake of wearing open toed shoes and red nail polish on her toes.... she is lucky to be alive!!!”
City Girls. They’re a laugh riot. I had a party at my farm this past weekend; I could not believe some of the comments from friends of friends on how ‘primitive’ life is out here on the farm, LOL!
Dorks. Don’t know a great life when they see it! :)
Absolutely. ;>)
How about talking about capitalism and rule-of-law being a solution to getting rid of famine.
The problem with crickets is when their legs get stuck between your teeth.
Especially if they're still alive when they get stuck.
Be grateful!
It is bad enough that some do emigrate out here and worse, they stay, vowing to change us into something they like, like suburbia.
I gleefully tell these types just how far it is to the nearest mall and elaborate on surviving a power outage (includes use and cleaning of the porta potty), heating with wood (cleaning the stove), leeches in the swimming hole on the river and my deer encounters while berry picking. My best friend has a bear encounter story that I relate, as well. We tell them that the mosquitoes love their perfume, heels are not recommended for a hike and that we gathered the mushrooms in the stew. No, there is no chlorine in the well water and yes, the septic field is that area with the white pipes sticking up that is damper than the rest of the property. We will point out the cow parsnip, poison ivy and prickly ash, with suitable warnings.
We are mean!
Mostly, they are terribly anxious because it is too quiet at night, except for the coyotes, of course, and it is too dark.
“...and it is too dark.”
All the better to see the stars! I walk the dogs in the pitch dark every night. Sometimes I take a flashlight if there is no moon, but geeze! We walk the same route 2-3 times a day...we could walk it blindfolded, LOL!
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