ON ENTOMOPHAGY

"Eating grass-hopper is very delicious. Very crispy, crunchy and tasty. I wish I can eat it every day."

AZLAN ADNAN,
FOUNDER OF THE GREEN PARTY OF MALAYSIA,
ON ENTOMOPHAGY

I advocate entomophagy.

What?
Entomophagy is the term used to describe the process of eating insects as a food source. Currently, many universities study this process, including Illinois State University, Purdue University, and the University of Wisconsin, using the term "microlivestock" to categorize the insects that can be eaten.

Why?
Insects are delicious and the cheapest source of natural protein, requiring less land and feed than raising farm animals. By weight, termites, grasshoppers, caterpillars, weevils, houseflies and spiders are better sources of protein than beef, chicken, pork or lamb according to the Entomological Society of America.

Insects are also easy to raise, and to harvest, and they are highly nutritious to eat. For example, a termite contains approximately 14 grams of protein and 36mg of iron. In comparison, lean beef contains 27 grams of protein and only 4mg of iron. Additionally, if you are looking to add calcium to your diet, try eating crickets. One cricket contains 13 grams of protein, 10mg of iron, and 76mg of calcium. Overall, insects provide a good source of nutrients and when prepared properly, can be quite tasty as well.

While insects are high in protein, low in cholesterol and relatively low in fat, they are also a "clean" food source because many feed off fresh plants. For example, grasshoppers and crickets eat fresh, clean, green plants whereas crabs, lobsters and catfish eat any kind of foul, decomposing material as a scavenger (bottom water feeder).

Along with nutrition comes the added benefit of good taste. Taste is also a factor in selecting insects, as many can be eaten either raw or cooked, while others are used as ingredients to produce other food items, such as being used as an additive to flour.

If Malaysians could tolerate more insects in what we eat, farmers could significantly reduce the amount of pesticides applied each year. It is better to eat more insects and less pesticide residue. Besides, the only more eco-friendly alternative to getting our proteins from insects rather than from mammals is to go vegetarian.

Additionally, using insects in recipes has risen as consumers begin to realize the benefits gained by using this alternative protein source. While organizations such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continue to monitor and limit the amount of insecticides allowed on crops, some US farmers are looking to cultivate insect microlivestock as a food source. These farmers are hoping to enlighten the western countries about the advantages of using insects for food.

Where?
For now, entomophagy has yet to become a day-to-day activity for most people in Malaysia in spite of the superior nutritional content of edible insects compared to other animals. Other cultures around the world, notably in nearby Thailand, have made insects a main ingredient in their diets, providing an excellent source of protein. Insects are an inexpensive substitute for meat in many developing countries.

Although eating insects intentionally is not yet a common practice in the United States and Europe, it is popular among the peoples of many other regions of the world including Africa, Asia, Australia, Mexico and South America. These areas have developed specific recipes for certain regional insects and include the eating of insects as part of their daily diet.

There are 6 million species of insects in the world. Not all insects are edible. Some insects are toxic and may create allergy problems. Because not all insects can be eaten, it is important to know which insects are used for food and how they are being prepared. Over 1,000 insect species are eaten by humans world wide. By region, the following insects are commonly eaten:

Africa. In Africa, popular insects to eat include termites, grasshoppers, caterpillars, beetles, ants, and locusts. Termites are often eaten raw or fried, or are made into a cooking oil. Grasshoppers, caterpillars, and young beetles are fried and ants are eaten either raw or ground-up into a paste. Locusts are typically boiled and salted prior to eating.

Asia. All over Asia, the giant waterbug, which is gathered by farmers at night near water sources, is roasted whole and eaten as a delicacy. Meanwhile, in Korea, fried locusts are popular as a food source and in the Philippines, many insects including ants, beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, katydids, locusts, and larvae from the dragonfly are fried or boiled prior to eating. In Papua New Guinea, chefs typically prepare insect grubs either roasted or boiled to serve as a main meal.

Australia. Home to many large colonies of termites, some of which have termites as long as three inches in length, Australians favour these insects and prefer to fry them prior to eating.

Mexico and South America. In Mexico, grasshoppers are a popular food source especially when fried prior to eating. Fried grasshoppers are also canned commercially and sold in supermarkets and local grocery stores. The agave worm is also a popular insect to eat, whether swallowed whole in a preserved state in a bottle of tequila or eaten cooked inside of a tortilla. In Columbia, South America many insects are eaten including ants, termites and palm grubs. Insects are often cooked prior to eating or are used as ingredients in recipes.

In the United States, certain Native American tribes commonly ate insects. Specifically, in the western United States, pupae of the fly known as the Mono Lake alkali fly (Ephydra hians) was eaten. This food was called "Koo-tsabe." Nowadays, Americans can purchase insects commercially to eat from insect supply firms, bait shops, and from some pet shops. Typically, ants, crickets, mealworms, and grasshoppers are most commonly used for food although certain people enjoy eating insect larvae, especially from moths and yellow jackets. The most popular way to eat insects in the United States, however, is to deep fry pieces of them prior to serving.

Who?
As far as I know, the Iban in Sarawak are the only Malaysians that eat insects ~ sago beetle larvae. In general, insects provide a high source of protein and are relatively inexpensive to purchase in many developing countries as compared to meat products. Typically, the insects that are most popular to eat are those that can be gathered quickly and in large amounts.


I hope to remove the negative stigma associated with eating insects and to show people just how healthy, and good tasting, eating insects can be. As the popularity of eating insects grows, many chic restaurants will open to that cater specifically to those who enjoy eating insects. Already in Singapore, there are restaurants that serve larvae and scorpions and seat sell-out crowds nightly.

See also:
Edible bugs enrich Laos diet
Impoverished Southeast Asian nation turns to insect farming to overcome widespread malnutrition.
Why not eat insects?
Marcel Dicke makes an appetizing case for adding insects to everyone's diet. His message to squeamish chefs and foodies: delicacies like locusts and caterpillars compete with meat in flavor, nutrition and eco-friendliness.
Insect Sushi

Copyright 2003-2011 Azlan Adnan. This blog post is sponsored by The Green Party of Malaysia