Professor urges people to eat insects

[Amizon]

I think my stomach turned when I saw this.

A Dutch professor has suggested that people should swap meat for insects in their diet to improve the environment.

Arnold van Huis of Wageningen University noted that insects are higher in protein per bite than cattle, as well as having reduced carbon and water footprints and being cheaper to raise, Reuters reports.

Van Huis said: "Children don't have a problem with eating insects, but adults with developed eating habits do, and only tasting and experience can make them change their minds. The problem is psychological.

"Meat consumption is expected to double from 2000 to 2050. We are already using 70% of our agricultural land for livestock and we cannot afford to spare more."

Van Huis has worked with a local cooking school to produce a cookbook with recipes for insects and has also organised lectures, food tastings and classes on how to use bugs, worms and grasshoppers as food.

Source: Digital Spy

I don't think I'd eat insects myself. Firstly, it's killing them and secondly, it'd be really weird. What do you make of this?

Discuss.

 

[Kandy-Sugar]

I suppose he has a point about how much land we're using in order to feed our normal meat diet, but I really doubt the whole bug eatting thing is going to catch on. =/

I personally could not eat bugs. For one, I hate anything creepy crawly and so getting it anywhere near my mouth is just absurd.

And two, how many bugs would you have to eat to feel full?

*Shudders*

Not for me. >.<

 

[Valvalis]

If they could manufacture meat substitutes out of insects, like insect burgers etc, then this could turn out to be a great idea. Technically I consider insects to be animals so I still wouldn't eat them, but if people are going to eat meat, then let it be something that would take less resources to manufacture.

It would only take maybe one or two generations for people to become naturally accustomed to it anyway--if a person started eating insects now and serving them to their family, and the tradition continued to hold up, then their grandchildren would probably think it was perfectly natural to eat them. Just like kids today think TV is perfectly natural and it would be weird not to have one, kids could eventually think it's weird not to eat bugs.

I mean plenty of people eat disgusting forms of meat already anyway--gelatin, livers, entrails, fish heads, etc. If people who eat that stuff couldn't eat insects, that'd be pretty crazy to me

 

[Rapture]

I think my stomach turned when I saw this.


Source: Digital Spy

I don't think I'd eat insects myself. Firstly, it's killing them and secondly, it'd be really weird. What do you make of this?

Discuss.

First....

Cavemen and whomever lived waaaay back in the day ate them and they were probably a good source of protein...

...and then there was Fear Factor where they made a show out of doing gross and nasty things, like eating bugs...


However, it is my opinion that with foods like peanut butter, beans, meat and other tastier forms of protein...why do we need to eat bugs???? This professor could encourage me all they want....I'm not doing it

 

[Exoskeleton]

We're already killing cows....so killing insects should be shameful while cows and chickens dying are okay? o__o XD

My kids can go and eat bugs but I sure as hell am not. I doubt eating bugs are even as filling as meat. How many stacks of crickets will equal a burger?

 

[Bambi]

we're already killing pigs and cows etc for other forms of meat, how does this differ?

In any case, fuck that, imo, how the fuck many insects would you need to feel full, and its not like they are packing much meat so I cant imagine them making a decent curry or summat. Locust lasagne

Whatever floats your boat, but I think Il be sticking with chicken

 

[Linnaete]

Eww. I already have a phobia of insects. I wouldn't go near one let alone eat one, so I'm probably not going to be this boffin's best friend then.

The professor certainly makes acceptably sensible points, although that's not going to suddenly get huge numbers of people to give up their pork and beef and go hunt for some beetles or anything like that. The vast majority of us are too comfortable with the norm, consuming meat for millennia and I agree on the psychological aspects. If you've been brought up with meat on the menu being the normal thing, you'll stick to it whereas someone who is brought up with insects regularly on theirs, they will be accustomed to what we would see as being unconventional forms of food.

 

[Big Casino]

Pound for pound insects contain more protein that beef
Though thats a lot of bugs. Thats what i heard from bear grylls anyway and hes the boy.

I think id try a bug or 2 if i was really hungry
Gotta get yer protein

The idea of eating them alive is pretty disgusying though ¬_¬ Theyre legs wrriggling about as you chew ¬________¬

 

[The Witch]

Ew.

No.

I didn't eat bugs as a kid, either. That's just gross. Who really does that?

I'm getting so tired of this environment stuff. I'm all for saving the animals... but seriously, this is getting ridiculous. You can't expect people to not eat foods we've all evolved with.

The idea of eating them alive is pretty disgusying though ¬_¬ Theyre legs wrriggling about as you chew ¬________¬

*shiver*

 

[Valvalis]

The thing that sucks for everyone who eats livestock meat though, is this:

"Meat consumption is expected to double from 2000 to 2050. We are already using 70% of our agricultural land for livestock and we cannot afford to spare more."

If this means that by 2050, we would require 140% of our agricultural land for livestock, then that would require a substantial amount of imaginary land. I think the main point the professor is trying to make is that people should not take for granted the ability to go out and get a burger everyday, because very soon it might not be possible anymore.

Scientists are working very hard to find sustainable resources for us, it's true, but they also can't just pull stuff out of a hat. If the population keeps growing and demanding conventional meat, then people are going to have to either cut down on it, or start eating alternatives like insects, or whatever other strange things scientists can come up with in the near future. It's a bleak outlook, but those before us didn't manage the planet well enough, so there's not a whole lot that can be done about it unless people are willing to have fewer or no children.

 

[Meds]

Definitely not open to this idea.. I could never eat a bug. The proposition just sounds retarded.
But I wouldn't worry at all about the land usage. I'm sure we'll be using Mars soon enough before this becomes a life or death issue.

so there's not a whole lot that can be done about it unless people are willing to have fewer or no children.

The idea of people having fewer or no children sounds simple enough, it is an often suggested solution by many people in their musings, but this would also require a complete change in the way the entire world works. Economy, the government, all that political stuff is affected by population. They all depend on population growth, so reversing population growth would mean the world would have to use a completely new way to manage itself (which I personally would be fine with, I don't like following the party line as it is, it's just a huge step that isn't quite as simple as people controlling their birthing.)

 

[Sepalcure]

Jesu-Christi, these scientists . . .

If meat consumption is such a heinous and worrying issue, then why not turn to a simple alternative: vegetables, grains, legumes, and the like? Why don't scientists ever think of advising people to do that . . . ugh. No one said that eating insects wouldn't give you proteins but certain beans and legumes can give you protein just as well as beef or any other meat product.

While it is true that we slaughter more meat than we could possibly estimate that accurately is true, we must lessen our consumption of it. Instead I'd urge you guys to read this: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/weekinreview/27bittman.html?_r=1&pagewanted=2

^ That article explains the problems this society--no better yet, this world is facing in regards to mass consumption, mass production, and mass destruction. Yep, those are big things, but the resources given to us are not expendable.

Even if we were to eat insects at some point to subsidize the costs of feeding cattle, slaughtering, and then packaging them, wouldn't that also be harmful in some way? Insects are a part of the ecological system, they're not meant for us to eat. Personally, I feel that we were meant to eat and drink grains and vegetables and clean water . . . meat is only a bonus, you don't NEED it, just like you don't NEED insects.

I could go much deeper into this in regards to the anatomical aspects and physiological facets of our bodies. But . . . I'll keep it shorter. But these are just my opinions . . . somewhat.

 

[10th Doctor]

I don't care how healthy it may be. I wouldn't eat bugs if it allowed me to live forever. Never, ever, EVER would I eat one! I'll stick to steak and eggs, thank you very much.

But, cheers to anyone who does eat them. That takes guts.

 

[Infelious Zalez]

It is true it is a source of protein, but still, I can't do it. I'm a vegetarian anyways.
It's a good idea, but, insects would hardly be appetizing...considering how small most of them are. But, alas, only time will tell if it will come to that drastic measure of insect eating. Until then, I'll stick with my soy and carrots.

 

[Rydia]

Yeah, I've had a bug fly into my mouth while playing soccer... and it did not taste good at all. I think I even gagged. So I would not change my diet to eating bugs...

I did hear that they were recommended to eat if you are stranded somewhere and have no hunting or fishing skills. I remember the movie Far From Home where the boy and his dog would eat bugs for protien. Still I couldn't do it.