UN: Eat More Bugs!

What do you eat when you’re hungry? Some of you might enjoy munching on a healthy snack, like fresh fruits and vegetables. Others may grab a bag of chips or eat a cup of ramen. While all of these foods are delicious choices, the next time you’re hungry, why don’t you try a handful of insects? Not only are they low-fat and high in protein, but according to the United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)UN식량농업기구, “Insects are a highly nutritious and a healthy food source with vitamin, fiber, and mineral content.” In fact, a report recently released by the FAO encourages people to eat more insects. Their reasons are threefold. First, eating insects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and livestock pollution. Insects emit fewer greenhouse gases than most livestock. In addition, farming insects does not require the clearing of land. This may help slow deforestation. Farming insects is also low-tech, costs little money, and can be done by anyone, even by the poorest members of society. Second, insects are healthy, nutritious alternatives to chicken, pork, beef, and fish. “They provide high-quality protein and nutrients when compared with meat and fish and are particularly important as a food supplement for undernourished children,” the report stated. Lastly, the world’s population is set to grow to 9 billion by 2050. Eating more insects could combat food scarcity.

Today, an estimated 2 billion people worldwide?mostly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America? cons of their daily diet. According to the FAO, beetles and caterpillars are the ume insects as part most common meals among the more than 1,900 edible insect species that people eat. Other popular insect foods include bees, ants, grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets. The two species of insects that are among the least popular are termites and flies. 

Doug Yanega, a scientist at the University of California, Riverside and an expert on consuming edible bugs, also recommends scorpions and water bugs. “Some scorpions and water bugs are yummy, and honey bees are perfectly delicious,” he said. He also agrees with FAO’s report. “The UN report is perfectly logical, but it’s tough to convince people.”

Are you convinced? Do you think this idea will catch on in Korea?