This essay was sent unsolicited to me, and while I consider the topic pointless for western cultures, it’s worth a read just to see how other parts of the world think – Anthony
Guest essay by Sameer Pokhrel Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal
Where going vegan is suggested as one of the better alternatives to reduce GHGs emission, non vegans still can enjoy meat, blameless for the emission of GHGs – replacing insects for livestock in their diet.
Eating meat is vital to meet the nutritional requirement, on the other hand, nature has to tolerate high level of GHGs while rearing those animals; its catch 22. Nonetheless, insects based food recipe is a wise solution for this problem.
Insects as food
Image credit: SBS
Insects rank topmost species regarding abundance in the world where, some 2111 species of them are recorded to be edible. They are known for high protein and less fat diet and are rich in calories, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, minerals that makes them perfect substitute for conventional beef.
Moreover, insects have an extraordinary potential of food conversion ratio (mass of feed per mass of meat). Cricket, for instance, requires less than 2 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of meat and 80 % is edible where beef requires 8 kg of feed to produce same amount of meat and only 40% is edible.
Regarding sharply rising demand for meat, and insects as a sustainable meat source, UN estimates , by 2050, when the population of world is forecasted to reach 9 billion, meat shortage would be a reality – population depends upon insects to meet the void. Hence, it is likely that we will be consuming insects throughout the globe very sooner than we have anticipated.
Combat climate change
Vegans have been long advocating giving up meat to cut off global warming and save the planet. It holds true as 14.5 % of human produced global GHGs is contributed by livestock. It is fortunate that insects can substitute beef consumption at the same time drastically cut off global emission.
GHGs emitted by insects is very much less than those of conventional livestock. A study compared gases released by insects and livestock in weight to weight basis. The jaw dropping result shows insects emit 80 times less methane than cattle. Moreover, crickets produce 8-12 times less ammonia than pigs. It is not limited here; by the matter of fact only cockroach, termites and scarab beetles produce methane , most of the insects produce methane not at all.
Moreover, insects are far more efficient in utilizing the resources. It is estimated that to produce one kg of meat it requires 10 times more plant nutrients than to produce one kg of insect biomass. A study , for instance, found out production of 150 g grasshopper meat require very less amount of water, which in case of cattle, requires 3290 litres of water to produce same amount of beef. Insects are prolific breeders as well, have a tendency to grow very fast and can easily be adjusted within limited spaces.
Entomophagy (eating insects) is in fact an old tradition, about 80% of world’s nation are recorded to eat insects. Insects based recipe are favorite dishes in many part of the world, but most of the westerners still ‘yuck’ upon the idea of eating insects. However, with the demand of meat soaring up in a sky rocketing pace, entomophagy is simply inevitable. And again, idea of eating insects is commendable in the planet where resource conservation is quite an issue and global warming is an alarming problem.
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An outdoor humorist in my neck of the woods named Pat McManus wrote that he was out ice-fishing with the old woodsman ‘Rancid Crabtree’ who told him that a good way to warm up bait maggots was to stick a pinch of them in your lower lip. Pat told him it was a good thing to know and that he would have to try it some time when the need arose. And after thirty-years and more, the need had not yet arisen, but it was a good thing to know anyhow.
Is it true that Rancid Crabtree is a cousin of Red Green?
Another international busybody, “Sameer Pokhrel Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal”, deciding that his/her personal cultural assumptions are what everyone should be measured by.
The links provided by Sameer Pokhrel, fail to reach any appreciable research. Most reach similar opinion pieces with odd comparisons.
e.g. amount of protein efficiency crickets produce versus cattle; is a gross assumption. Where cattle endure winter temperatures quite well without constant management, there is zero comparison regarding facilities, effort required and heat supply to keep similar weights of crickets alive all winter.
Nor is there any consideration regarding commercial insect enterprise failures keeping insects contained. We still get such joy from gypsy moth caterpillars.
What the article above amounts to is people, Sameer Pokhrel in this instance, essentially dictates to others what other people life’s choices are.
Basically another supercilious government idiot boasting of their personal moral superiority to a world outside the government idiot’s experience.
Worst of all, since so many cultures do not embrace general insect consumption, the “choice” becomes government fiat forcing a person’s food choices and sources.
Sameer Pokhrel should journey to Mongolia and inform their government and people that meat must be replaced by insects.
Having raised crickets a time or two, I can vouch for cricket food efficiency. Raising crickets for fish bait or bird feed did not once cause me to think, “Yum cricket for dinner”.
With crickets in hand, chicks grow faster, fish are easier to catch, dinner is in view and it is not cricket!
Personally, I think lobsters, shrimp, crustaceans, arthropods, molluscs, even krill are delicious. Some pompous Nepal twit pushing his favorite insects as preferred fake climate solutions is bizarre.
Let Sameer compare oyster protein conversion efficiencies instead.
Plus, one has to wonder at all this absurd moral outrage over eating livestock.
Nothing lives on Earth that does not ingest the same basic components of life, with the vast majority of those components taken from other life; whether insect, plant or animal.
Vegans are irrational; especially “organic” obsessed vegans.
It may be a personal choice to focus on exclusive food groups, it is absurd to waste so much time and effort excluding simple common foods.
While irritating and inconveniencing every person around them.
Very much reminding us of toddlers that did not mature, demanding attention for attention’s sake.
A wonderful job Anthony, allowing a climate activist or dependent thereof opportunity to post an article for discussion!
A shame though, that Sameer Pokhrel wastes such a valuable opportunity preaching cultural blindness and beliefs while singing bogus climate advocacy as their rationale. Supercilious condescension without regard for other people’s culture, lives, opportunity and situations.
Earth went through a period that insects were as big as livestock. 12 to 20 feet long centipedes if I remember it right…ect.
Put your hand up for the yeast.
Go long on Marmite!
Vegemite, please… not that watered down Marmite stuff 🙂
“Vegemite is perfect. Marmite tastes like someone tried to copy Vegemite and failed miserably.
Two different products.
I would not be surprised to see eating bugs catch on here sooner than we think. If it is rolled out right. Someone will figure out a way to prepare and present them in a way to remove the gross factor. The French consider snails a delicacy. Snails are just upscale slugs and leeches as far as I’m concerned.
It’s about getting the psychology right and the presentation. Do not underestimate people who need to believe in something higher than themselves to give their life meaning, but have abandoned traditional religions. Convincing themselves they are saving the world by eating bugs will appeal to a lot of left wingers. Then you have to position them as a delicacy the way the French consider snails a delicacy. They also have to be prepared in a way that removes the “ick” factor. Make them available in high end restaurants. That’s another part of the psychology. People naturally want to aspire to be affluent or more upscale than they are. Then get a few celebrities to endorse eating the bugs.
I’m not saying there will be a McBug’s fast food on every corner, but I can imagine a niche market of “early adopters” emerging under the right conditions. Left wingers like change. They also like thinking of themselves as do-gooders who are willing to challenge and upset existing societal norms. It’s not as crazy as it sounds.
I just remembered a story I read about lobsters. I don’t know if it is true or a mythical old wive’s tale, but supposedly when the first European settlers arrived lobsters were extraordinarily plentiful.
Very easy to catch in huge numbers. But Europeans considered them “cockroaches of the sea” and only used them for fish bait, fertilizer and even as fill to fill in holes. They didn’t eat them. Over time, because they were so plentiful and cheap, they began feeding them to slaves and prisoners. No free man from a good family would eat lobster.
I’m not sure when it all changed and lobster became a rich man’s delicacy. It can happen to bugs.
Evolution failed to provide me with the teeth of an insectivore.
Save the planet eat each other. Everyone wins
I wonder if those bugs go good with crackers? Whats next for dinner for those folks? Gheeze!
There’s a reason why meat eaters prefer cattle or pigs over insects. Figure it out.
Otherwise, this would not be news.
The headline should read, To hell with taste, texture and appeal, just go for the protein!
In a related story, last night I chased down a large roach that had crept into the eating-utensil drawer from the outside heat, using a spatula to try to corral it, brush it out of the drawer onto the floor so that I could dispense with it. … ended up removing the whole drawer, unloading it in the floor, frantically chasing the poor creature across the room, until I cornered and squashed it. The dog almost ate it. I called him off, grabbed the corpse, and trashed it.
Now I feel guilty for having wasted a low-fat, high-protein, nutrient-dense, red-meat alternative.
Have a beer and some summer sausage. You’ll get over it!
Sorry all you insect lovers, I am physically sick reading what you have to say and imagining eating insects. I will stick with our emissions emitting meat producers thank you very much. I can’t stand the sight of insects much less even consider eating one. Go for it – all the more meat for us non-insect lovers.
Check THESE out, Edith:
http://time.com/3830167/eating-bugs-insects-recipes/
My favorite is “Critter Fritters” — NOT the dish, but the name.
Are insects Kosher? — only the locust, I’m afraid, and so this knocks out a whole mass of potential consumers, and, thus, the argument could be made that Jews cause climate change. Wow, another new grant idea ! Thanks a million, WUWT !
I believe I’ll stick with California’s delta smelt, condors, baby seals, polar bears, koalas and Heredia robber frog legs!
…”And again, idea of eating insects is commendable in the planet where resource conservation is quite an issue and global warming is an alarming problem.”
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Someone’s way behind the curve, She’s already got anteaters out there.
Patience.
Do they have any idea how many mosquitos it takes to replace a Big Mac and large fries?
Not sure but those ‘Black Flag’ bug zapper tennis rackets really fries ’em! Flies too. You don’t even have to swat ’em, just cover ’em up and they do all the work. But .22 rimfire birdshot is best for carpenter bees / wood borers. Fried and crunchy might be the ticket! Heavy on the salt.
I’m gonna gross out everyone. My wife was born in China a few years after Mao took control and was there during the Great ChinesvFamine. She told me she remembers the “maid” going outside after every rain to gather up crickets to then be stir fried and eaten. She tells me that some people who were desperate would save the placenta after a woman gave birth, cook it and eat it.
So, ….”But mom, I don’t want to eat my yucky Broccoli”, will now become “but mom, I don’t want to eat my crunchy roasted cock roaches” ?……D’OH !
My kids do not like pumpkin, butternut squash and all the similar veg served up like my good wife does in segments. She likes it, her mum likes it, everyone else, no! BLECH! However, kids being kids and “not liking” veggies, every “spagbol” i make has two carrots and a head of broccoli shredded in to it. Never noticed! I mash up pumpkin, butternut squash and all the similar veg, with butter and salt and pepper, the kids eat it up like no tomorrow.
Gourmet Gore
“insects based food recipe is a wise solution”
Ummmmm – NO.
As the top Image from Anthony shows, a shish kabob of big land insects (larvae) today does not look … inviting … for those of … Western … diets … shall we say.
But they could be processed into other forms, like Burger Patties, with added coloring to please the eyes and aroma to please the nose. Much like what is done to “Chicken” at Pepperidge Farm making such exquisitely sweet and scrumptious cookies from dead chickens (oh and a few 10s of dead workers who fall into the vats each year … )!
Bon Appetit 🙂
Yes, and pastified maggots make a wonderful substitute for butter on your morning toast.
Have you ever been asked to kiss someone who just ate maggot paste?
I think I know what they have in mind…eat bugs…the new chick repellent.
Works better than a titanium chastity belt.
Balut is still the king of opposite sex repellent.
I say to all those who donate to climate alarmist causes, ” Put your mouth where your money is.”
Since eating bugs is a repulsive idea to most Westerners, the way to do it is to force the critters down our throats by mandating that a certain growing percentage by weight, starting with say 1% and increasing gradually to 10% of all packaged foods have powdered bugs added. Since that worked so well with ethanol.
Soylent green anyone?
That would be more unpopular, by an order of maggotude.
not used to eat insects.
If we cut down on our grazing herds, what will happen to all that grass they won’t be around to eat?
It will die & rot down, or be eaten by termites, releasing all the CO2it has absorbed in growing.
Of course there is noting wrong, & a whole lot right to having more CO2 in the atmosphere, but reducing grazing herds will make absolutely no difference to the CO2 level.