Insects are considered a favorite food for many people in Asia. They are a rich source of protein and have a lower carbon footprint compared to other food sources. Insects also contain a variety of organic vitamins and minerals, making them a clean and nutritious food choice.
Today, many people are beginning to incorporate insects into their diets due to the health benefits they offer. Insects are high in fat, protein, and nutrients. While this varies among species and life stages, the protein content of insects typically ranges from 40-60%. Insects also provide all essential amino acids for humans. There are over 2,000 edible insect species. But does integrating insects into our diets truly contribute to environmental protection?
Insects are consumed in many places. (Image: Organic Authority).
Planet-Friendly Food
Research shows that adult crickets contain 65% protein by weight, which is higher than beef (23%) and tofu (8%). Insects are also rich in minerals like copper, iron, and magnesium. It’s no surprise that they are consumed by many people worldwide.
Insects convert feed into energy much more efficiently than conventional livestock. Adult crickets and mealworm larvae require 5-10 times less feed than cattle. Insects are also cold-blooded, meaning they do not use metabolism to warm or cool themselves, which further reduces energy and food consumption.
On average, only 45% of a cow’s body and 55% of a chicken’s body is consumed. In contrast, you can eat the entire body of larvae and 80% of the weight of an adult cricket. Insects also reproduce faster than vertebrates, with multiple generations possible within a year.
Crickets are often served as a snack in many countries around the world. (Image: Jeremy Bezanger).
To provide the same nutritional value, insect farming uses only a fraction of the land, energy, and water compared to conventional livestock farming. For instance, producing one kg of protein from mealworm larvae emits 14 kg of CO2, significantly less than the 500 kg of CO2 emitted during beef production. Furthermore, insects require 70 times less agricultural land than cattle.
Plant-Based Foods Should Not Be Overlooked
Food production impacts the environment. For example, beef generates greenhouse gas emissions 100 times greater than that of producing peas.
Insect-derived foods are less harmful to the environment than meat production, but they still produce higher emissions than most plant-based foods. Each kg of protein from pea production emits only 4 kg of CO2, while cultivating the land for tofu requires about half the agricultural land needed for raising insects.
Whether insects are considered environmentally friendly food depends on the type of protein they are replacing. If insect foods are used as a substitute for conventional meat, this could yield significant benefits. However, substantial advantages can also be achieved if plant-based alternatives are implemented.
Plant-based diets generally have lower carbon emissions compared to meat and dairy. (Image: Megan Thomas).
Safety in Using Insects as Food
It is estimated that up to 1.3 billion tons of food produced for human consumption is wasted each year. Insects can play a role in adding value to food production or animal feed. Black soldier flies raised on by-products like almond shells can be converted into feed for livestock or aquaculture.
However, feeding insects organic by-products requires careful management to avoid risks of chemical and microbial contamination. Some insect species can digest certain pollutants, but there is a potential for harmful bioaccumulation. Therefore, manure and food waste are prohibited from being used as feed for farmed insects in Europe.
