Bugging To Eat; Everything To Know About Entomophagy

Rob Janes

Bugging For The Benefits Of Entomophagy

Photo Credit: Bedbugs are flat and reddish-brown when fed. They can be as small as 1mm and as big as 7mm. When they are fed, they can grow more than twice their size. They make their homes in cracks and small spaces and feed on blood at night when they are most active

So what exactly are the benefits to chomping on insects? There are plenty! First of all, it requires half of a pound of feed to obtain one pound of insect meat, whereas, it costs eight pounds of feed to get one pound of beef. Insect farming is sustainable, healthy, low on greenhouse-gas emissions, requires little infrastructure and resources, and bugs can be fed compost and waste.

There are also over 1900 species of edible bugs to choose from, most of which contain as much or more iron than beef, and are high in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and can include up to eighty percent protein. With iron deficiency being the most common nutritional deficiency, turning to bugs as a food source could benefit those who are affected by anemia, which happens to be nearly thirty percent of the world’s population.

You now know bugs may help solve the anemia epidemic, but continue reading to learn about the cultivation of insects for human purposes.

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Bugging For The Benefits Of Entomophagy

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