Insect-rich diet making its way west
There was a time, not long ago, when eating insects was reserved for the hit 2000s television show Fear Factor. The show’s host, Joe Rogan – in a time long before commentating for the UFC and suffering from male pattern baldness – would serve squeamish contestants a plate full of live beetles, worms, and in one episode, buffalo testicles. Yes, that was a time where insects were reserved for extreme eating challenges, and for young kids to poke with sticks.
However, in a globalised world, cuisines from a world over are (more and more) making a splash in the North American market. Sushi restaurants abound, and shawarma shops outside of pubs and clubs – the persuasion of Asian cooking and feasts from the Middle East are a staple in communities across Canada.
So what’s next on the gastronomic agenda? Many say it is insects.
The creepy crawlers, high in protein and populations, are becoming an alternative to a growing niche among Westerners who want to ditch animal proteins.
“Insects are natural sources of protein, and in particular contain a full complement of essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein, in many of the same ways that animal products do. At the same time, their environmental impact is far less substantial,” cited Jennifer Sygo, Life columnist for The National Post.
Comparatively – per 100g – insects provide between 14 and 25g of protein, whereas chicken and fish provide between 16 and 26g. Beyond the protein, insects are a rich source of fats, such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, and have ample iron and zinc, which could assist in preventing malnutrition in areas of the world where ‘traditional’ sources for calories and minerals are lacking.
Moreover, if the world population started accepting insects as a replacement to traditional animal proteins, conservationists attest that it could reduce harm to the environment, so long as we do not over consume particular species of insects to the point where it throws off the equilibrium of insect habitats.
Unlike Fear Factor, however, insects are served in a variety of different methods depending on the culture that’s making them and the part of your meal they are being served with.
Chef David George Gordon, author of The Eat-a-Bug Cookbook, suggests grinding up bugs for the more squeamish or apprehensive crowds, but is quite fond of his Orthopteran Orzo – a pasta with cricket nymphs that Time magazine called his signature dish – as well as white chocolate and waxworm cookies, and deep-fried tarantula.
Granted, insects may not become a Canadian dietary staple overnight, but with the nutritional value that a grasshopper, mealworms, or termites provide, it is reasonable to foresee a future where your main course on a lavish night out features a grasshopper on a skewer and a cricket mummified on top of a bed of rich, dark chocolate.