Edible Insects: Nutritious & Palatable, but Underutilized Source of Protein - Research Paper

Introduction

Edible insects are palatable and a good source of protein. Though most communities in the world, especially the western countries, have not embraced the culture of insect-eating. Creatures such as termites, caterpillars, crickets, are nutritious and can help cut on calories in the human diet. In some cultures, entomophagy looks scary, but creepy-crawlies has been used as food for human beings over thousands of years. Currently, crickets are highly consumed in various parts of the world. Bugs farming, for instance, has taken root in countries like Thailand, Kenya, South Africa, and India. They are essential in maintaining sustainability in the food chain.

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The population of the world is increasing at a high rate. The planet today has approximately 7.5 billion people, but it is estimated to be a whopping 9 billion heads on earth by 2050 (Gahukar, 2016, pp. 85-111). To feed the world, global meat production will be expected to double their efforts, to feed the increasing population. Crop and supplement production will have to increase to support livestock and our appetites, which will require more land and water: therefore, with the growing global population, demanding consumers, and overexploited agricultural land, there is a need to have an alternative to the traditional meat products. The overdependence on livestock as a source of meat and protein is the main anthropogenic cause of climate change. As a remedy, it is vital the culture by embraces an alternative sustainable source of diets.

Edible bugs are promoted as a source of human and animal food globally. In some African countries, entomophagy is already practiced. Though deforestation, environmental contamination, and overexploitation threaten this food. Sustainable harvesting need to be established and implemented. The aquatic bugs are under threat by pollution of water bodies, grasshoppers and caterpillar species in Africa are diminishing due to overexploitation and habitat change (Van Huis, Arnold, vol. 4, no. 1, 2015). Feeding on insects will help reduce their impact on the agro-ecosystem since they are pests. The edible insects can be reared and preserved in forest management systems. It is possible to keep these insects on either a small scale or large scale facilities. The main advantages of keeping and feeding of bugs over livestock are that they need less space and water, there is lower production of greenhouse gas, bugs have higher feed conversion abilities, they can convert a low-value organic by-product to high-quality nutrients; some pest can be used to feed animals or aquatic life. Capitalizing on insect production can replace the fish meal that is increasingly becoming scarce and costly. Nevertheless, these insects are supposed to be screened to ensure no risks are posed to humans, plants, and the entire ecosystem.

Bugs have comparatively low calories. Therefore entomophagy is a great ideal to lose weight by counting calories as compared to beef. These creatures require little food to produce edible meat and thus reduces pressure on environmental resources. Scholars indicate crickets are twelve times more efficient than cattle in converting feed to edible meat, four times more effective than pigs and twice efficient than chicken. Crickets can be raised in a compact, relatively little water required and can easily be prepared for food through a freezing process, unlike other farmed animals. There are over 2000 species of edible insects, each with a different nutritional profile, but they are all generally rich in carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals such as iron, calcium, and zinc (The Insect Cookbook, 2014). Mealworms are commended on omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids comparable to fish.

It is recommendable that humans change their source of protein from livestock to bugs since rearing livestock has a vast destructive impact on the environment, regardless of whether the animals belong to an industrial firm or subsistence farmers. From a local view to the global perspective livestock farming impose serious environmental problems; they emit about 18% of the global greenhouse gas. To meet the need of the growing population, bugs are the ideal choice. Researchers say grasshoppers have one-third of the fat found in beef and water insects have four times as much iron. The farming of insects has a low impact on the environment. The insects obtain much of their moisture from food and therefore little water is required to raise them. The bugs also need less food and area as compared to other vertebrate sources of protein, it is, therefore, logical to conclude that insects are viable to supplement or replace the food resources that may be scarce in future, such as fish which is overexploited, contaminated and likely to collapse.

Conclusion

Summarily, bugs are the best alternative of protein and have the ability to feed the global growing population. They have fewer calories as compared to beef and thus have health-benefits. They require less space and food to raise them reducing the overstraining of the environment; though there are no certifications, edible insects must be clean, free from toxins, handled sanitarily and specifically farmed for human consumption.

Works Cited

"Eating Insects Safely." The Insect Cookbook, 2014.

Gahukar, R.T. "Edible Insects Farming: Efficiency and Impact on Family Livelihood, Food Security, and Environment Compared With Livestock and Crops." Insects as Sustainable Food Ingredients, 2016, pp. 85-111.

Van Huis, Arnold. "Edible insects contributing to food security?" Agriculture & Food Security, vol. 4, no. 1, 2015.