Entomophagy, which is the eating of insects, is more common than you might think. Fried silkworms are a popular snack in China; toasted chrysalis and sun-dried caterpillars are highly prized as a food in various parts of Africa; witchetty grubs are on every bush tucker menu in Australia; and according to the Roman naturalist Gaius Plinius Secundus, epicureans of ancient Rome loved eating moth larvae fattened on a diet of wine and flour.
In addition to being an excellent source of protein, insects contain high quantities of iron, calcium, zinc, copper, magnesium and manganese. The exoskeleton of insects (which are similar to lobsters and crabs) is made of chitin, a form of fibre. If you can get past the yuk factor, insects might just be the answer to the dwindling global fish stocks and high environmental cost of raising livestock.
A recent review on edible insects in the Polish Journal of Food and Nutrition Sciences says, “The supreme irony is that all over the world monies worth billions are spent every year to save crops that contain no more than 14 per cent of plant protein by killing another food source (insects) that may contain up to 75 per cent of high quality animal protein.”
But before you start herding the local cockroaches into your kitchen know that the free-range neighbourhood bugs may contain toxic pesticides and pathogens. While insects that are suitable for human consumption aren’t yet available in supermarkets, it’s possible to source farm-grown bugs online.
Superpowered Seaweed
This nutritious algae is a popular food source in Japan, and the most common variety of edible seaweed is nori, the dried form of which is wrapped around sushi rolls.
However, there are many other varieties of this “sea food” such as kombu, wakame and dulse, which can be used to add flavour, nutrients and texture to soups and stews, served as a salad vegetable, dried and eaten as a savoury snack food, or flaked for use as a salt substitute.Seaweed is high in soluble fibre, which increases the feeling of satiety after eating, making it a great option for people who are trying to lost weight. It also bulks the stool, so it can help to regulate bowel function.
However, it’s seaweed’s exceptionally high mineral content that makes it a nutritional superstar. It contains high levels of calcium, magnesium, potassium and iodine, an important – and often deficient – mineral that’s necessary for thyroid function and is particularly important during pregnancy, for the proper cognitive development of the unborn baby. Seaweed also contains significant quantities of B12, a vitamin usually found in animal food that’s vital for nerve and blood cell health. Studies have shown that a substance called fucoxanthin that’s found in wakame seaweed can help to treat insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.