With claims of incredible nutritional value, low environmental impact and delicious ‘new’ flavours, edible insects have had a lot of hype recently. What’s the truth behind the headlines? And why is an ingredient eaten by two billion worldwide so ‘new’ in the west?
Why should I eat insects?
Do insects taste good?
It seems that there’s actually a huge range of extraordinary flavours and tastes that people are missing out on, just because western societies aren’t big on edible insects. See all posts →
An Escamoles Extravaganza
by Ben Kempas · 29 Apr 2016
Around the world premiere of BUGS at the Tribeca Film Festival, two impromptu insect tastings took place in New York City – and both involved escamoles, our current Bug of the Week.
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Are insects healthy?
As with any foodstuff, the key to healthy eating is balance, not ‘superfood’ magic solutions. See all posts →
Fact check: Are insects better for you than meat?
by Jen Stout · 03 May 2016
There’s a big hype growing around edible insects, and with hype come bold claims. Insects, low in fat and high in nutrients, are going to revolutionise food on a global scale!
Is it true? BUGSfeed went fact–finding, and found some academics working on exactly this question. They recently published a paper, and we’ve delved into the science (so you don’t have to). Here’s what we found…
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Can edible insects save the world?
Huge environmental problems are created by the intensive production of soya and grain for livestock feed. Could insects be the answer?
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Feed the World
by Jen Stout · 29 Aug 2016
If the phrase ‘Feed the World!’ provokes in you a sense of hopeless cynicism and unwelcome Bob Geldof memories, you’re probably not alone. But the idea that edible insects might be the ‘solution’ has been gaining notoriety in recent years, since the UN published its rallying cry in 2013. Packed with healthy fats, nutrients and protein and easy to rear, bugs are a potential answer to food shortage, or so the argument goes.
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Insects as food is one thing – but how about insects as feed?
by Jen Stout · 23 Aug 2016
BUGSfeed explores insects as food for people. It’s a huge topic with enough interesting facts and stories and questions to fill ten books, let alone one website. But here’s one aspect we’ve not looked at yet: what about insects as feed?
A key argument of entomophagy’s proponents is that the monumental environmental challenges we face are made much worse by the meat industry. Billions of cattle, poultry and pigs are raised and slaughtered for food.
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Who eats insects?
Two billion people can't be wrong! See all posts →
Uganda: No stings attached – the most delicious honey
by BUGSfeed · 08 Sep 2016
“How can any species have something so delicious and not have a sting?”
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North America's entomophagists are teaming up
by Jen Stout · 11 Jul 2016
Surely one of the signs of change is the welcome appearance of sensible, balanced articles in food trade magazines on the topic of edible insects.
Covering the founding of the North American Edible Insects Coalition (NAEIC), the story in Food Navigator USA doesn’t even feature the usual sexy-lady-eating-scorpion stock photos that seem to be de rigueur in so much media coverage of entomophagy. Instead, cheery pictures of the founding members illustrate the story – Exo, Chapul, Chirps and other startups that have seen success in the US in recent years.
Co-founder of the new coalition, Robert Nathan Allen, thinks the tide is turning. The era of ‘Gross, bugs!’ is giving way to curiosity and enthusiasm. It’s a critical time in this fast-growing industry, and Allen wants to bring together its many disparate parts to form a professional association which will, he hopes, shape the future of edible insects in North America.
Allen is a pal of BUGSfeed; a few months ago we grilled him on Aspire’s ambitious palm weevil projects in Ghana. This time we chatted about the new coalition and what the future could hold.
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Eating insects is nothing new – but it's also the future. Still, many of us find it disgusting. We’re on a mission to find out more – not to sell you anything. Share our curiosity and join us in exploring a taste of insects!
Bug of the Week (22)
Stingless Bee
Delicious honey with no sting: the perfect bee? Meet our BUG OF THE WEEK. Read →
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Brug BUGS i under-visningen
"Fascinerende, underholdende, lærerig. Genial for større børn." Sådan skriver Filmmagasinet EKKO i deres anmeldelse af dokumentarfilmen BUGS. Ekstra Bladet supplerer: “Oplagt som pensum i folkeskolens ældre klasser.” Læs →
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