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These are my thoughts exactly. While I love the idea and think it may be great for some things, I just don't see many people making the switch to eating bugs an

by Linell 12y ago

These are my thoughts exactly. While I love the idea and think it may be great for some things, I just don't see many people making the switch to eating bugs anytime soon.

GauntletWizard 12y ago
Mealworm powder is catching on in health circles. I think the essential difference is that you never have to see the legs, shells, compound eyes, etc. that scream "Insect!". Grind these up, mix them into sauce or a stew, and I doubt I'd care, even if I knew the origin, just like I can see the inside of a slaughterhouse and can still eat ground meat.
- warble 12y ago
  A lot of what we eat (steaks, chicken nuggetts, hamburger, bacon) is dissasociated with the source form of the meat. This should probably be the inroad. If people get used to the idea that they're ingesting insects anyhow, then maybe the rest gets easier? I dunno..
  - alextgordon 12y ago
    What is the point of eating insects, though? Why not just eat lentils?
    - pavel_lishin 12y ago
      An excellent question, I hope someone weighs in.
    - bullfightonmars 12y ago
      I think the proposed value here is in the quality and quantity of protein provided Boiled Lentils are around 9% protein - http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/4783?qlookup=16070&max=25&man=&lfacet=&new=1 http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/4783?qlookup=16070&ma... Where according to this thesis project presentation grubs are 42% protein.
      - alextgordon 12y ago
        I was puzzling over how 25% protein could turn into 9% protein, but then I realised: that boiled number is including 70% water. Obviously there is no protein in water. If you ignore the water, it's 29% protein. Alternatively, 25g/100kcal.
    - dsego 12y ago
      And have my teeth rot from all the phytic acid?
      - tripzilch 12y ago
        Umm what? You're supposed to cook lentils. Also, turns out lentils don't even contain that much phytic acid from the start. Finally, your teeth rot? How? I suppose if you didn't cook the lentils, you might want to chew and ruminate them in your mouth for a few hours (tip: no, you don't), which might be long enough for the acid to have some effect on your teeth. But if you consume them like normal, and apply some basic dental hygiene, you're going to have to explain to me how this could really affect your teeth worse than most other foods (which are usually also slightly acidic).
    - Klinky 12y ago
      Lentils don't agree with a lot of people due to taste, texture and/or flatulence. However, the people who don't eat lentils probably wouldn't touch ground insect meat either.
    - dikaiosune 12y ago
      Aside from the other points made here, many bugs are ecologically cheaper to produce per unit of nutrition. A quick google brings up a (probably biased) article: http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/blog/why-we-need-to-eat-bugs/ http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/blog/why-we-need-to-eat-bugs... I used to have some other references that were a bit more scientific, but I can't seem to track those down.

by Linell 12y ago

These are my thoughts exactly. While I love the idea and think it may be great for some things, I just don't see many people making the switch to eating bugs anytime soon.

GauntletWizard 12y ago

Mealworm powder is catching on in health circles. I think the essential difference is that you never have to see the legs, shells, compound eyes, etc. that scream "Insect!". Grind these up, mix them into sauce or a stew, and I doubt I'd care, even if I knew the origin, just like I can see the inside of a slaughterhouse and can still eat ground meat.

warble 12y ago
A lot of what we eat (steaks, chicken nuggetts, hamburger, bacon) is dissasociated with the source form of the meat. This should probably be the inroad. If people get used to the idea that they're ingesting insects anyhow, then maybe the rest gets easier? I dunno..
- alextgordon 12y ago
  What is the point of eating insects, though? Why not just eat lentils?
  - pavel_lishin 12y ago
    An excellent question, I hope someone weighs in.
  - bullfightonmars 12y ago
    I think the proposed value here is in the quality and quantity of protein provided Boiled Lentils are around 9% protein - http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/4783?qlookup=16070&max=25&man=&lfacet=&new=1 http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/show/4783?qlookup=16070&ma... Where according to this thesis project presentation grubs are 42% protein.
    - alextgordon 12y ago
      I was puzzling over how 25% protein could turn into 9% protein, but then I realised: that boiled number is including 70% water. Obviously there is no protein in water. If you ignore the water, it's 29% protein. Alternatively, 25g/100kcal.
  - dsego 12y ago
    And have my teeth rot from all the phytic acid?
    - tripzilch 12y ago
      Umm what? You're supposed to cook lentils. Also, turns out lentils don't even contain that much phytic acid from the start. Finally, your teeth rot? How? I suppose if you didn't cook the lentils, you might want to chew and ruminate them in your mouth for a few hours (tip: no, you don't), which might be long enough for the acid to have some effect on your teeth. But if you consume them like normal, and apply some basic dental hygiene, you're going to have to explain to me how this could really affect your teeth worse than most other foods (which are usually also slightly acidic).
  - Klinky 12y ago
    Lentils don't agree with a lot of people due to taste, texture and/or flatulence. However, the people who don't eat lentils probably wouldn't touch ground insect meat either.
  - dikaiosune 12y ago
    Aside from the other points made here, many bugs are ecologically cheaper to produce per unit of nutrition. A quick google brings up a (probably biased) article: http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/blog/why-we-need-to-eat-bugs/ http://www.rainbowmealworms.net/blog/why-we-need-to-eat-bugs... I used to have some other references that were a bit more scientific, but I can't seem to track those down.