United Nations urging people to eat insects "to fight world hunger"

[Zarc]

Why are some people saying they wouldn't eat it out of phopia? The question isn't wether or not you would pick up a spider and eat it or anything like that. When you eat a piece of meat you don't see the slaughtered cow hanging from the roof do you? And the disgusting intestines products labeled "E121", "E545" on the in your everyday candy wouldn't be so nice to see either. So this is all a matter of packaging. If they crush a bunch of spiders, blend them with some spices and other shit, put them in the oven and and shape them as your everyday potatoe chips and sell them as "Protein Chips" in a neat bag with "E976" (for spider) on the ingredients label and they taste good - then sure I would eat that. Healthy alternative to your high-calorie potatoe chips. Lots of people would eat them.

But would I eat a roasted spider with the whole thing intact, putting those small hairy legs into my mouth? Hell no. That's disgusting. I'm sure even that could taste good - but I could never put it down my mouth looking that way.

[Deleted]

Absolutely. Many cultures already do, and I find their food production much more humane than the current alternative.

[imabanana]

Maybe not in all cases, but in others it has everything to do with it. Do you know why fear of spiders is so common? It's because our ancient ancestors had to be careful of poisonous spiders in order to survive. We developed a fear for them in order to survive. Fear is often a sign of intelligence. Fear keeps you alive.

That's one of many theories. And even in this case, most people agrees that this would be "survival of the fittest" : people fearing them had more chance to survive -> population feared them more and more. This doesn't mean, at all, that this fear was motivated by any rational reason, just that people who feared them had more chance to survive.

[Ave07]

If its the only thing left sure.

[Deletedaccount1]

I'm going to continue to stuff myself with sugar-filled heavily produced foods from grocery stores and restaurants. Sorry UN.

[Romeo83x]

That's one of many theories. And even in this case, most people agrees that this would be "survival of the fittest" : people fearing them had more chance to survive -> population feared them more and more. This doesn't mean, at all, that this fear was motivated by any rational reason, just that people who feared them had more chance to survive.

Bigger chance of survival sounds a pretty damn good reason to me.

[imabanana]

Bigger chance of survival sounds a pretty damn good reason to me.

Well of course it is, but the question is "was THIS the actual reason ?" (or just a consequence, which seems most likely)

[Freia]

The only difference is where they live. Land vs. water.

Since when are crayfish insects? They both fall under Arthropods but crayfish are crustaceans not insects.

[Fortera]

The only difference is where they live. Land vs. water.

No. There are a slew of differences between a crab and a centipede. Is that not obvious?

Seafood and insects are not the same thing. There is no reason to eat an insect unless you're too lazy to farm consistently. If your land is not fertile, move the farm.

[Odina]

a great site to toa ke a look at with tons of info!

It's pretty interesting and could in the long run slowly start to be more nad more common place in the northern areas. Most norther areas of the world don't eat insects but most southern areas do. This is normally due to the amount of insects that the southern culters are exposed to all year round vs the norther climates normally only seeing big game all year. This has lead to norther cultures being use to eating the big game style meat > insects yet evolutionary wise we have been eating insects as a species since... well before we even evolved into homio sapien sapiens!

http://girlmeetsbug.com/

---------- Post added 2013-05-17 at 03:52 PM ----------

There is no reason to eat an insect unless you're too lazy to farm consistently. If your land is not fertile, move the farm.

In the same area you could farm far more insects, with less cost and damage to the land . IE: Manure is devistating in confinde areas from live stock as well as the amonia from urine when the live stock is confined to non traditional grasing area's of modern live stock raising. This was especially devistating back in the day around our area as so much of the runoff went right into the rivers / underground streems!

[Hooked]

I would rather become a vegetarian than eat bugs.

[Theinquisition]

I've eaten ants before, they have a very sour taste.

other than that, nope don't intend to.

[Shakari]

<<<Quorn>>>

Am i the only person that thinks it tastes nice? :S

I would think the answer would be "yes" ....

Tried it ... how anyone can think it tastes like anything resembling meat I have no idea....

And half the issue is with the texture ... its like softened shredded cardboard .....

And don't get me started on my other pet hate .... Bovril!!!!!


Guess you either love these things or hate em ... and I'm firmly in the hate em camp lol


And on topic ... I'm sure there's LOTS of things insects included that are edible but getting past that mental barrier and convince yourself that although its
edible, do you want to actually eat that thing with 6 legs is another matter entirely lol

[Felicia]

If I was desperate, sure. I'd die eventually anyway. I'm a Type I Diabetic, and if I could manage to keep my blood glucose (assuming I have no more insulin :P) down while just eating bugs/protein. It'd make my problems WAY worse. Body starts eating itself, literally. Then my liver dumps all the protein in my blood. And my glucose levels skyrocket! No thanks!

If I had my insulin, then yeah... sure. Only if I was desperate. I have a hard time enough time LOOKING at a grasshopper, cicada, or cock roach :/ The thought of eating makes me gag.

[Deleted]

I would try insects, but I would also say that UN is once again full of shit.

[Zooch]

wait, people here still thinks the UN has any power or influence?

[Deleted]

If world population trends everyone will be vegetarian in a few generations.

Vegetable farming just has a much greater yield and meat farming won't be viable. UNLESS of course people start eating insects as an alternative source of meat.

[Tokru]

What would happen, if Europe and the USA would start to eat insects, my predictions:

A: Growing insects in meaningful numbers will be too expensive in those regions and they will be imported from the poorer countries to save a few bucks -> even more exploitation of poorer countries

B: Those regions grow too much insects with government subsidies that they export it very cheap and destroy the local ecnomies in poorer countries like it happened and happens with grain


In the end nothing will change.

[Deleted]

Nah crab is a crustacean in the phylum Arthropod which also contains insects and arachnid.

Besides crabs have lungs whereas insects don't which is why they so small. Back when earth was different insects were bigger. Which begs the question what if we could create an environment like ancient times could we farm giant insects?

No. The size of those bugs was related to the amount of oxigen in the air. We now have a lot less oxigen then the insects had then. And the reserve is shrinking, as we're filling the air with chemicals and cutting the forests everywhere.

[hanketsu]

Would you eat insects?

Nope, I live in an advanced society. I'm at the top of the food chain. Sorry other nations can't evolve and keep up with the rest of us.