While we consider insects more of a pest than a food source, Associate Professor Dr Nigel Andrew in a post on Abc.net.au recently spoke about Entomophagy or the practice of eating insects.
And you may think this is a practice reserved for the developing world in Asia and Africa, it appears the practice is becoming poular in developed countries including The USA and Australia.
Currently, around two billion people are into entomophagy, which represents 25 percent of the global population.
Despite being an April Fool’s Day gimmick, an Oreo mud pie cricket protein milkshake has remained in demand among insect consumers in the United States.
On the other side of the globe, there are roughly 60 edible species of insects in Australia. Many Aussies unconsciously eat a kilogram of insects annually. Vegans and vegetarians consume higher amounts.
The good news is these insects, which Aussies can source locally, are decent sources of fats and amino acids.
Beetles, moths, black flies, grasshoppers and crickets are all viable food sources both for humans and livestock according to Associate Professor Dr Nigel Andrew and they can be locally sourced and are sustainable.
Whether or not you’re brave enough to try the craze, you’ll still want to keep those harmful insects out of your home and for that you”ll need to proetct your home with flyscreens.