Buggin' Out: the Case for Eating Insects
To stay lean and healthy, every meal must contain protein, fiber and healthy fat. When I suggest quality proteins, I'm usually referring to foods such as eggs and egg whites, lean poultry, seafood, low-fat dairy and so on. I've even recommended more exotic game meats such as ostrich, bison, elk and caribou.
If you're the adventurous type, though, there is an extremely affordable, sustainable and eco-friendly -- yet high-quality -- protein option you may want to consider: bugs!
I'm not talking about the bug parts that unintentionally make it into our food in kitchens or factories; I'm talking about making them the main event. The western world hasn't seemed to catch on to what a large part of the world already knows: Insects can be a nutritious and delicious food source. More elegantly referred to as 'insect cuisine', entomophagy is the consumption of insects and arachnids as food.
Several insects are packed with protein, fiber and good fats -- all part of a healthy meal! Many countries in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe are already ahead of the game, with an estimated 2 billion people consuming insects as part of their regular diets. A recent report out of the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization encouraged nations to embrace nutrient-dense and sustainable insect food sources.
Before you go and scoop up your dinner from the basement or backyard, most experts recommend you buy insects specifically intended for consumption so you don't eat anything poisonous or tainted by chemicals or pesticides. There are a bunch of retailers online, or if you live in a culinarily adventurous city, you may be surprised by how many establishments serve a variety of insects.
Check out some of these popular insect cuisine choices:
Grasshoppers, crickets and locusts. Grasshoppers (and their relatives: crickets and locusts) are the most highly consumed insect in the world. These hopping insects are easy to find (often occurring in swarms), easy to catch and have been reported to be quite delicious and nutritious. A 3.5-ounce serving of raw grasshoppers contains between 14 and 28 grams of protein and is rich in calcium and iron.
Grasshoppers and their relatives have been reported to be neutral in flavor. Internationally, this makes them an ideal complement to a variety of dishes -- including stews, stir-fries and other recipes with strong flavors. A popular way to prepare grasshoppers is by roasting them and seasoning them with soy sauce, garlic, onions and/or chiles.
[Read: 5 Reasons to Eat Insects .]
Caterpillars. Caterpillars are another commonly consumed insect globally. They are popular in many countries, including Botswana, Northern South Africa and Zimbabwe. With 53 grams of protein and about 15 percent fat per 100 grams of dried caterpillars, this insect has been considered to have a higher proportion of protein and fat than beef and fish.
[Read: Meat Is Murder: America's Deadly Beef Obsession .]
Beetles. Beetles are another very popular insect in the diets of many worldwide. There are tons of different types of beetles, with 78 edible aquatic beetle species reported. While it depends on which beetle you select, you can ingest up to 36 grams of protein from a single serving of palmworm beetle. These insects also provide a great source of minerals, such as calcium, iron and zinc.
If you're not quite ready to dive in headfirst with a grasshopper skewer, start out slow with one of these items, all debuting in the U.S. and made with insect flour:
-- Exo Protein Bars -- made with nuts, fruit and cricket flour.
-- Chirps from Six Foods -- a baked chip made with beans, rice and cricket flour.
-- Chapul Cricket Bars -- feature tempting flavor combinations such as dark chocolate, coffee and cayenne, and coconut, ginger and lime.
[Read: Eating Insects: A Healthy Solution to Food Shortages .]
Ready to take it to the next step? Try:
-- Chocolate-covered scorpions or silkworms from Thailand Unique.
-- Weaver Ants, Eggs and Larvae or Weaver Ant Infused Rock Salt from Edible Unique.
Would you try insect cuisine? Tweet me @harleypasternak.
[Read: Meals of the Future: Will Soylent and Ambronite Make Food Obsolete? ]
Harley Pasternak, M.SC., is a celebrity trainer and nutritionist who holds a master of science in exercise physiology and nutritional sciences from the University of Toronto. He has served as an exercise and nutrition scientist for Canada's Department of National Defense, and he's a New York Times Bestselling Author whose books include "5-Factor Fitness," "5-Factor Diet" and "The Body Reset Diet." Harley's titles have attained global bestseller status, which has led to translation in 14 languages in more than 25 countries around the globe. As a fitness and nutrition specialist, Pasternak has trained many celebrities, including Lady Gaga, Rihanna, Halle Berry, Katy Perry, Megan Fox, Robert Downey Jr., Robert Pattinson, Jessica Simpson, Ke$ha, Hilary Duff and Jennifer Hudson. He has appeared on MTV, "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Dr. Oz" and others, and he's been covered in publications from The Washington Post to Shape Magazine. Pasternak has made speaking appearances in more than 30 countries for a diversity of Fortune 500 companies, health and fitness organizations, and government entities. He's a Toronto native and resides with his wife and daughter in Los Angeles.
