Should Bugs be a Bigger Part of the Western Diet?

The answer to the world’s food-shortage problems may be surprisingly small. Bugs may become the planet’s newest form of meat, according to this video from Newsy. A third of the planet's humans already eats insects regularly, and it looks like it may be time for the rest of us to shelve our reservations and join the bug-eating party. It might help that it's being popularized by people like Andrew Zimmern.

But maybe eating bugs isn't so bizarre after all. According to Daniella Martin, who blogs at Girl Meets Bug, insects are delicious and are one of the eco-friendliest food sources. Though they produce the same amount of protein as many other forms of livestock, they require significantly less food, water, and land to thrive. Said Martin, “Insects are the planet’s most available, most sustainable, and most abundant form of animal protein.”

While more research is needed on bugs' protein content, consuming the critters is more mainstream than one would think: The FDA claims that items like chocolate, peanut butter, and juice may contain insect traces. That being the case, the average American unknowingly eats a pound of insects every year. 

--Shirley Mak