NATURA
- Jul 10
- 5 min read

The science behind eating insects

Updated: Jul 19

This time, I looked into eating insects☀️☀️

In the future, as the world’s population increases, food problems will arise. Raising cattle for livestock will also contribute to methane gas emissions, which is a problem humanity will face. One potential solution is to eat insects🐞🐜!!👍👍 This movement is starting to gain traction around the world✨✨

Countries like Thailand 🇹🇭, Cambodia 🇰🇭, Mexico 🇲🇽, and Ghana 🇬🇭 have cultures of eating insects as part of daily life. In Nagano Prefecture in Japan 🇯🇵, people have been eating grasshoppers and bees since around 1600. In Korea 🇰🇷 and China, crickets and silkworms have also been consumed. In the United States 🇺🇸, some people fry and eat cicadas during mass emergence years✨✨

Looking at the world, humanity has a long history of eating insects, particularly in mountainous regions where they served as a protein source☀️☀️

However, the culture of eating insects has not taken root in urban areas, and many young people find the appearance of insects unappetizing😂. Whether or not to eat insects in the future is a personal choice, but this time I will explain the benefits of eating insects✨✨

Firstly, in terms of nutrition, insects are rich in animal protein, comparable to beef and fish. They also contain essential amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Larvae, in particular, are rich in fats and carbohydrates (fructose), making them a superfood✨✨

Currently, crickets 🦗 are the most popular edible insect in the world. They have high feed efficiency, high reproduction rates, and short life cycles. This means they require less water and land than traditional livestock and produce fewer greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Many insect food companies are developing cricket-based products✨✨

Yellow mealworms and house crickets, in particular, are reported to have antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory effects, with twice the antioxidant capacity of olive oil✨✨

In addition, experiments have shown that larvae powder (theobrio monitor) fed to mice daily resulted in weight gain and reduced visceral fat. Powdered silkworm larvae fed to flies extended their lifespan😂😂✨✨

As you can see, insect food is rich in excellent nutrients. Currently, in 2024, the countries with the most insect food companies are Japan 🇯🇵, the United States 🇺🇸, and Europe 🇪🇺. By 2050, it is said that 50% of the world’s population will be eating insect food. It is expected that more insect food companies will emerge in Europe, Australia, Asia, and America✨✨

However, insect food does have its drawbacks. Issues include bacteria, microorganisms, pesticides, heavy metals, and mycotoxins that insects may carry. There are insects that can transmit pathogens!!😱😱

Indeed, it is known that yellow mealworms often have mold, and grasshoppers can carry E. coli and Salmonella. Thus, various viruses may be present on insects. However, experiments have shown that cooking processes such as steaming, baking, and frying reduce E. coli and Salmonella. Frying, in particular, was the most effective at reducing viruses, suggesting that properly cooked insect food poses no problem✨✨

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reports that insect farming and processing methods could pose risks to humans, but these risks are lower compared to traditional livestock (cows, birds, pigs) and plants. Improving farming and processing techniques to reduce risks will be crucial✨✨

In Europe and the United States, there are regulations against collecting insects from the wild for human consumption. Instead, farm-raised insects are used, which are less likely to be contaminated with heavy metals and pesticides. However, heavy metals can still accumulate in insects through the soil and plants they consume. Research in South Africa 🇿🇦 found high levels of cadmium, lead, and manganese in mopane worms. Similarly, moths and grasshoppers in China 🇨🇳 were found to contain mercury, cadmium, and lead.

Moving forward, it will be important to review processing techniques and breeding environments to provide safer insect food. By 2050, it is expected that 50% of people will be eating insect food, so you might be eating it too in the near future😂😂✨✨

How was it??✨✨

This time, I looked into insect food. I have personally tried it, and it was quite tasty✨✨

In the future, not only insect food but also lab-grown meat🥩 and protein from soy and vegetables will become more common. Whether or not to eat insects is up to each individual✨✨

Thank you for reading☀️☀️

[My scientific recommendations]

I will introduce health foods and items with scientific evidence that I also use regularly!!

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