We do not expect a man to shriek at the sight of cockroaches? But, neither do we expect him to wipe the species from this earth just for the sake of his taste buds.
Getting amazed? There are few souls who have overtaken the responsibility of
educating the world on sensible bug eating. Most of us will give a perturbed look once we are told to do so. But, who gave us the idea of eating chicken or lamb? Did they ever come up to a man and offered themselves for satiating a man’s hunger? And, as Buckminister Fuller once said, “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you that it’s going to be a butterfly.” So, expect the unexpected from this bug world.
You already had it
Despite being highly hygiene conscious, most expectedly we all must have then and now unknowingly munched leg pieces of some bug as they are inhabitants of the fruit and vegetable world. But, whatever we do, it cannot be insured that all the members of the bug world are cleared off from their breeding grounds.
Dictionary reads
Ever heard of Etymophagy? It’s the term that explains the phenomenon of eating bugs. So, now it’s time to widen your culinary options by giving these plant lovers some respect. Even some medicines have insects, but the lack of knowledge makes you skip the bugging thought.
List of Edibles
Do you know how wide your eating options can jump up to by incorporating bugs in your menu? There are around 1,462 types of insects or bugs that are already declared edible. These extremely nutritious bugs have much more that needs to be checked for their edible status.
For many people, bug eating was a lesson on survival in wilderness, but once you know the taste it can be more than just a matter of survival. Crawling cuisines have been on the world cuisine for long. Moth, grasshoppers, bees, wasps, crickets all are well accepted ingredient in many parts of the globe. But, it can be a torture to the unacquainted too.
Nutrient list
With so many creatures being gobbled on by the man, the chances are pretty bleak that man on being abandoned in the wilderness will ever die of hunger. Even live termites can be eaten as they have nearly 350 calories per 100 gms, 23% protein, 28% fat and 44% of water. An amazing nutrient list for that small creature, isn’t it? This was just to tell you how to survive in case one gets struck in the jungles.
Tasty treat?
There are many freaky bug-eating options. And, most of the bug members can be crushed and added to flour or stews. Here are just a few from the thousands.
Termites – Queen ants are put in frying pan and Thailand is the most known for this recipe.
Bees and wasp – Are they crunchy? Don’t know, but adults are not preferred over their larvae. You are expected to find canned wasp in Japan. Rice cooked with wasps was a favorite dish of the late Emperor of Japan, Hirohito.
Grasshoppers have been sautéed and roasted in many cuisines of the world. Add onion, garlic, and cayenne, and the dish is ready to munch.
Cockroaches are the least changed creatures that still rule the earth in large numbers. People in China are known to relish them. Whether it’s for taste or nutrition? We doubt.
But, there are substantial chances of opening doors to another world of crawling cuisines.