Move Over Beef: These 10 Insects Pack More Protein and Less Fat
Insects are rarely considered for consumption, yet globally, insects are valued as an alternative food source. The need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock farming is creating a movement to consider insects as food, and there is a growing trend worldwide to research edible insects actively. Although still shunned as a food source due to disgust, there are many cases where insects are used as food ingredients worldwide. What kinds of insects are used for food?
In the US, various dishes appear when the red-eyed cicada appears every 17 years. Often fried in oil or mixed into salads, cicadas are non-toxic insects that do not harm crops or spread disease. Cicadas are gluten-free, contain a lot of protein, and are low in fat. There are even chefs in the US who offer fine-dining meals using red-eyed cicadas.
In Africa, termites are a well-known delicacy. Usually cooked after lightly salted, termites taste like small, crispy bacon pieces. Termites contain the highest amount of protein per unit and are considered one of the most protein-rich insects. The indigenous peoples of Africa cook and eat termites and their eggs.
In the desert areas of Morocco and Egypt in the Middle East, some tribes catch and cook scorpions. The Chinese use scorpions as a traditional cooking ingredient, making scorpion dishes easily accessible in Chinese restaurants. In China, they cut off the tail and poison sac of a poisonous scorpion, soak it in liquor, and eat it after it is stunned. The taste is like chewing a thin-shelled crab with a savory but strong aftertaste.
The mopane worm is widely popular as an edible insect. In some African countries, dried mopane worms are considered a delicacy, and there are many places where they are served as fried dishes. They are often cooked in their original form but usually are ground into a powder for use. In 2019, a South African restaurant opened specializing in insect dishes using mopane worms as the main ingredient.
Locusts are insects that have been recognized as edible in South Korea. Locusts are a high-protein resource composed of 22.5% protein and 1% fat, more than your commercial beef. They also contain 8% of the essential minerals for the body and are known to contain high amounts of iron. Like the locust, the grasshopper, which is twice as big as a regular locust, was also recognized as the tenth edible insect in our country.
In central Japan, Aichi Prefecture, there is a local dish called “Hebomeshi.” “Hebo” is the larvae of hornets that inhabit Japan, and if translated literally, it means “hornet larvae rice.” Hebomeshi is pan-fried or fresh hornet or honeybee larvae on cooked rice. The larvae are collected from the beehive with tweezers and cooked with rice to make hebomeshi. The collection of larvae from hives mainly takes place in the summer, and in Japan, hemobeshi is a high-protein, high-calorie dish that is extremely rare.
Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US experimented with crickets to use as food. The researchers recruited 20 healthy men and women between 18 and 48 and provided a group with breakfast muffins and shakes that included 25g of cricket powder. As a result of the two-week experiment, the group that consumed the cricket powder showed improved intestinal health and a possible decrease in structural inflammation.
Dragonflies are used as food ingredients in China. They consume adult dragonflies and make skewer dishes with dragonfly larvae. However, because of its sharp tail, the dragonfly can cause injuries in your mouth if you don’t chew properly, so it is considered relatively difficult to eat. Bear Grylls, a famous wildlife documentary actor, shared dragonflies “have no taste” after eating one himself.
The pupa of the silkworm moth is officially recognized as an edible insect in South Korea. Found in convenience stores as a can or served cooked with seasoning at a street market vendor, it is easily accessible and widely popular. The pupa became edible in the 1960s after large amounts of pupa were available from silk factories. Due to the lack of food after the Korean War, people ate it as an alternative source of protein.
Using the stink bug as food seems complicated due to its strong odor, but there’s a high possibility of it becoming an edible insect. The scent gland of the stink bug can be removed by grilling or drying in the sun; once prepared, the stink bug can be used as a nutritious food rich in protein, iron, and potassium. In areas where stink bugs are consumed, they cook this edible insect in various dishes such as stew and sandwiches.
By. Choi Deok Soo