Edible Insects

Planet Reimagined with Adam Met Podcast

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Today we talk about the future of food with Eugene Wang and Bill Broadbent. Eugene is the founder and CEO of Sophie’s BioNutrients. We chat about micro-algae protein, data, and why plant-based is the new vegetarian. Then later on I chat with Bill, the President of Entosense, about the many benefits of insect consumption. The food industry, from start to finish, has many practices that are harmful to people and the world. We can envision a future where everything, from food production to transportation, to sales are all done safer, cleaner, and more sustainably. I intentionally ask them some of the same questions and it’s interesting to hear their different perspectives.

Please Note: People who are allergic to shellfish may be allergic to bugs.

For an in-depth read on edible insects, check out the UN’s FAO publication “Edible Insects — Future prospects for food and feed security.”

Depending on the type of ant, you might welcome their presence.

Larger ants like carpenter ants and termites (not really ants) can damage your home but smaller ants are just there to eat what you don’t.

Most people don’t want ants of any kind in their house. But, if you see sugar ants or similar small ants, keep in mind, they’re cleaning your cupboards.

Instead of spraying poison, clean the area. Ants are an indication of unclean surfaces. They don’t spread disease like mosquitos. They’re just cleaning where you haven’t.

This is not a personal judgment. Ants can get to places you can’t. Ants clean areas you can’t reach by eating organic material before it starts a colony of mold. They do this without any thanks or even simple acknowledgment of their good deed.

There are around seven billion of us and around one million billion ants on our planet. They deserve respect.

Ants are our friends. They are an important part of our environment.

Ants are Good. Poison Bad.

You don‘t have to eat an insect to understand why our perception of insects as food needs to change

Eat an Insect? Ooh, Ich!

I know. I’ve heard it all before. People here in the West have an aversion to eating an ancient food our ancestors ate and billions of people eat today. Insects are a healthy protein-rich food source available to just about anyone anywhere. It’s environmentally friendly, raised humanely, and offers a low-tech business opportunity to people around the world.

Adding insects to our diet makes sense.

But, I know… Ich!

Despite initial reactions, I’ve witnessed many people master this mental challenge when they were sure they would never eat a bug initially. A majority of the time, once they try it, they say something like “This tastes good”.

Honey. Not all insect food tastes as good as bee vomit but you’ll surprise yourself at how good they do taste if you have the mental power to overcome your unwarranted cultural fear of eating insects.
There are around 2,000 different insects that are considered food and every one tastes different.

Insects offer real animal protein that includes all nine essential amino acids; they’re a prebiotic fiber (nutrition for probiotics), a perfect Omega 3:6 balance, high in B12, antioxidants, calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and much more. Eating insects is good for you.

But, here’s the real stickler. Because we look at insects as the food of the poor or as survival food, we’re shaming people worldwide into ignoring a readily available high protein food source. Traditional foods are being abandoned due to this attitude. We need to change.

Steak is revered and insects are reviled. This is while beef is being raised inhumanely at a great cost to our planet. Insects, in contrast, are raised humanely and offer a fraction of the environmental impact.

You can help by posting support for insects as food. Highlight traditional foods and discuss your experiences or share other’s stories about insects as food. You don’t have to eat bugs to understand why this is important worldwide.

For perspective, it took until the 1800s to hit one billion people on our planet. When I was born in 1960, there were three billion people. The world’s population doubled to six billion by the time I was forty. By 2050, when my kids are my age, there will be around nine billion people on our planet.

We’re having trouble feeding everyone now. With half again as many people on our planet, it’s only going to get worse. Food insecurity is a significant factor in the strife and wars our world faces today.

This is why I ask, whether or not you ever add insects to your diet, please support the practice by posting online. We need to banish the idea that insects are the food of the poor. Celebrate traditional food and create new dishes.

The culinary challenge of our time!

Post your support online to make edible bugs a trend here and the world will follow. It’s one step toward a better future.

Please Note: People who are allergic to shellfish may be allergic to bugs.

For an in-depth read on edible insects, check out the UN’s FAO publication “Edible Insects — Future prospects for food and feed security.”