posted May 13, 2014 07:26 PM
Entomophagy is the official name for bug eating. That sounds so creepy but it's more common than you think. Actually we eat a lot of bugs by accident in our processed foods according to FDA allowances (vegetarians beware, there are bugs in peanut butter). In Mexico it's common to find fried grasshoppers and other insects served from street cart food vendors. There's a protein snack bar made of insects, too. We even have bug-cooking contests around the world where bug lovers show off their recipes.
Humans are omnivores so meat protein is valuable for preventing brain fog. Insects are the most abundant animal resource on earth and contain virtually no waste. They rank high in nutrition. They have the same protein or more per gram than chicken or salmon, 1/2 the fat of beef, 2-4 times more calcium, and double B12 than meat. Crickets, mealworms, waxworms are the top three. The Bible even approves eating leaping insects like crickets, grasshoppers and locusts.
If you are curious about bugs tasting good or not, pay attention to what the bugs actually eat. They say bugs taste like what they eat. For instance, a stick bug will taste very leafy because leaves are its main diet.
Waxworms are usually a good live insect with which to start your bug eating adventure. In captivity, they consume bran and honey. In the wild they live in beehives (larvae of the wax moth) eating bee leftovers and pollen while they tunnel through the wax.
The best way to eat any insects is to freeze them first. With waxworms, pick them out of the sawdust, freeze them, then rinse them in a colander and sauté them with chopped onions. In addition you could scoop up the golden larvae and wrap in a corn tortilla with salsa, avocado and cilantro.
When I was growing up my brother was given a novelty gift of chocolate covered ants, bees, grasshoppers and caterpillars, each wrapped in its own little cube with color coded foil. He gobbled them up fearlessly (must have been his courageous Aries Sun, ha!) Actually most young children have not been trained to avoid bug eating which is learned behavior. I was extremely hesitant at the time because I was older and I honestly can't say I would be willing to try them out now. You can if you want. There are many bug eating books written, the newest one is called, Edible by Daniella Martin, and is a fascinating argument in favor of insects on the menu.
Lindaland
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posted May 13, 2014 07:26 PM
posted May 16, 2014 01:37 PM