The global food crisis is affecting half of our population. Yet, there is a general lack of awareness in many affluent cities like Hong Kong. To combat this crisis, the United Nations has advocated eating insects as part of our diet.
In fact, incorporating insects into our diet is much more environmentally friendly than eating beef and pork. Insects are incredibly efficient at converting feed to protein. They require much less space to grow and use considerably less water than cows and chickens. Overall it takes fewer resources to raise a kilogram of insects than a kilogram of beef. Besides, farming insects minimises pollution as it is estimated that 14 percent of the world’s greenhouse gas emission comes from livestock’s flatulence.
Of the 1.1 million species of insects, scientists have identified that 1 700 species are edible. They provide similar levels of protein and other nutrients but lower saturated fat content compared with pork and beef. As a matter of fact, around two billion people around the globe enjoy them as a dietary staple. For instance, some northern Thai people farm crickets and mealworms to eat as delicacies. In Cambodia, deep-fried spiders offer a crunchy treat that tastes like shrimps.
Will eating insects become the trend in the near future? For the health benefits of yourself and the planet, you may consider adopting an insect diet too.
| JPC Monthly Newsletter | |
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