Why some cultures eat bugs

If you have ever watched the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet or nearly any documentary about cultures around the world then you have probably seen people eating bugs and other things that most people probably wouldn’t eat. But, why? Let’s find out!

The first one is the hardest

Nearly every person that I talk to that has tried bugs says that the first one is the hardest. Why? Well, in cultures where bugs are not a natural part of our everyday diet it can be difficult to get past the tiny squirming, crunchy, thing that you once would have smashed with your shoe but now are having as a midday snack. They all say that once you have eaten your first buggy snack, you will find each additional buggy snack to be even easier.

Personally, I will be sticking with smashing them with my shoes.

Bugs are actually healthy!

• Most edible bugs are packed with quality protein. This is important for those that may have a protein deficiency or just simply may not eat enough protein.
• Many of them are also packed with vitamins and minerals. They are particularly good sources of B vitamins.
• Many bugs are great sources of antioxidants that can help protect your body and help it heal should your cells be damaged by the free radicals.
• If you suffer from digestive problems and require the help of prebiotics then you may want to consider eating bugs instead. They are great as prebiotic fiber.

I’ll also be choosing burgers, steak, multivitamins, and prebiotic gummies to get these things.

Adding bugs to your diet is cheap!

Bugs are everywhere. This means that a meal could be waiting for you right in your own backyard. There are also several products on the market that range in price and quality. It is important to do your research on edible bugs (mealworms, crickets, etc), recipes and buggy products before you commit to it. Remember, eating bugs is not for everyone.

Ready to give bugs a try?

*Not all bugs are edible, so it is important to do your research before giving them a try*

Bug Out! These Insect Chili Salts Pair Perfectly With Sour Fruits

Ingredients

• 1/2       teaspoon         grasshoppers
• 1/2       teaspoon         crickets
• 1/2       teaspoon         buffalo worms
• 1          red bird’s eye (Thai) chili, sliced (optional)
• 1/4       teaspoon         dried chili powder
• 1          teaspoon         caster (superfine) sugar, plus a little more if needed
• 2          teaspoons        fine salt
• 1          green mango, peeled and sliced
• 1          guava, peeled and sliced
• Thai basil leaves (ordinary basil works, too)

Instructions

For the salt

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Keep the insects separate from each other on a nonstick baking tray and add them one at a time based on the cooking times as follows: Grasshoppers take 8 minutes to roast; crickets take 5 minutes; worms take 3 minutes to roast. Once roasted, keep the insects separate and individually grind each one to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
2. To make the chili mix for the salt, combine the fresh chili, chili powder, sugar, and salt together in a bowl.
3. Distribute the chili mix evenly between the 3 different ground insects. Combine well. These are now ready to eat, but if they are too hot for you then add some more sugar to cool down the spice. Dip the fruit into the salts and enjoy it. The Thai basil adds an aniseed flavor to this dish that really complements the insect salts. Store the salts in a cool, dry place.

If you choose to add bugs to your diet, kudos to you! But, they are not for everyone and they are not for me.