Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by martyb on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:53AM   Printer-friendly
from the how-abot-a-nice-pupae-puree? dept.

Phys.org:

Consuming insects is already an everyday practice for two billion people worldwide, largely in the global east and south. Rearing them uses less land, energy, water and produces fewer greenhouse gases than traditional meats like chicken and beef, and more of their body is digestible (80-100 percent, compared to only 40 percent for beef).

They are also better for us: they are rich in protein, fat, and energy and can be a significant source of vitamins and minerals. But the Western world has still not embraced this wonder food.

Researchers think they know why: the 'disgust' factor. Insects are gross. The more interesting question is: given the enormous benefits, how can we convince people to get over the grossness?

The article argues that eating sushi and lobster was once considered disgusting, too.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:05PM (5 children)

    by Immerman (3985) on Thursday May 16 2019, @03:05PM (#844291)

    Can I assume you also refuse to eat salads, nuts, brownies, pizza, lobster, etc. unless it can be made to taste like ribeye or catfish?

    Personally I love meat, but I don't really care if they can make insects taste like it - only if they can make them taste *good*. Like veggie-burgers - until the Impossible Burger came along it was basically impossible to get a veggie-burger that tasted like meat - and it seemed like the general rule was the harder they tried, the less tasty it actually was. The really good veggie burgers are the ones that don't try to pretend to be meat, but instead embrace that they are a plant-based food that just happen to be eaten in a similar fashion.

    We don't have to give up steaks and fish, we can get a whole lot of benefit if we just add tasty insects into the mix as a common alternative.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   2  
  • (Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Thursday May 16 2019, @04:40PM (4 children)

    They're not looking for insects to be included with meat, they're looking to have them replace meat. So that's what I addressed.

    --
    My rights don't end where your fear begins.
    • (Score: 2) by Immerman on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:39PM (1 child)

      by Immerman (3985) on Thursday May 16 2019, @05:39PM (#844365)

      And so they will - every time you eat fish, it replaces steak as your entree. Same thing with insects. Doesn't have to replace it all the time to do a whole lot of good.

      Also, headline aside, the article says nothing whatsoever about replacing anything - just about getting people to eat insects on a regular basis.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:00PM (1 child)

      by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 16 2019, @11:00PM (#844501)

      As a fellow obligate carnivore, I think we should support these misguided millennial ecotards. The more of them that eat bugs, the less demand there is for rib steaks. Economics says this results in lower priced rib steaks. So win-win... we get cheaper real food, and the ecotards get to feel virtuous while they eat centipedes.