Eating more insects could help fight world hunger, according to a new UN report. The report by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization says that eating insects could help boost nutrition and reduce pollution.
‘Consumer disgust’
It notes than over 2 billion people worldwide already supplement their diet with insects. However it admits that “consumer disgust” remains a large barrier in many Western countries.
“Insects are everywhere and they reproduce quickly, and they have high growth and feed conversion rates and a low environmental footprint,” according to the report.
‘Food supplement’
The authors point out that insects are nutritious, with high protein, fat and mineral content. They are “particularly important as a food supplement for undernourished children”. Insects are also “extremely efficient” in converting feed into edible meat. Crickets, for example, need 12 times less feed than cattle to produce the same amount of protein, according to the report. Most insects are are likely to produce fewer environmentally harmful greenhouse gases than other livestock.
Insects are regularly eaten by many of the world’s population, but the thought may seem shocking to many Westerners.
Have you eaten insects as delicacies? Would you be willing to include them in your daily diet?
Source: BBC News
Image: Ecofren F&B Community
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