This is a topic i thought i would never write on nor read about. Wrong! I have been purchasing the Edible Series by Reaktion Books for a few years . I have a collection of all their books. The topics are interesting especially Edible Insects by Gina Louise Hunter.
The human consumption of insects is called entomophagy , while the dietary patterns of non-human animals is called insectivory. Non-human animals are insectivorous there are even some plants that consume insects as the Venus Fly Traps. These plants are even called Carnivorous plants as Pitcher Plants, We as human are omnivorous. The consumption of insects is widespread worldwide
Insects are eaten by more than 3,000 different ethnic groups in 130 countries. This is amazing. I have seen insects consumed on reality television shows, but to read about it as an everyday practice was astounding. Many insects are more nutritious gram for gram than c9ontemporary protein sources as beef and chicken. For example, one hundred grams (about 3 1/2 oz.) of cricket protein offers the same protein content gram for gram as beef or pork.
More amazing is that chitin from the exoskeleton of insects is not absorbed as it is insoluble fiber. Yet some people from societies that consume insects possess an enzyme called chitonase that is able to degrade chitin.
The 6-chapter book is a quick read of 148 pages. The insect recipes at the end of the book are worth looking at
So have a bowl of escamoles from Mexico. I don’t know if you will get this larvae and pupae dish of thew Liometopum apiculatum ants at your local restaurant
Until tomorrow…