5 reasons why insects could be the future of food

Did you know that 80 percent of the world’s population already eats insects? Indeed, insects could become a sustainable source of protein as the global population continues to rise. Recently, the United Nations produced a report on the viability of edible insects as a source of protein. Here are five reasons why it might be a great idea.

1. It’s economical. Insects have a very high feed-conversion efficiency rate, which is the measure of how effective an organism is at converting food and water into body mass. For instance, 100 gallons of water will produce a quarter ounce of beef protein, a little over half an ounce of chicken protein and eight ounces of cricket protein.

2. It’s a high-quality protein. A single cow used to make beef is about 29 percent protein. Cricket is 69 percent protein and contains nine essential amino acids along with a host of important minerals.

3. It’s synergistic. More than half of all the fish consumed around the world is farmed, and insects are high-quality fish food. Plus, their exoskeletons contain a polysaccharide that boosts the immune systems of chickens, which could eliminate the need for antibiotics in poultry production.

4. It’s convenient. The U.N. estimates that 68 percent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050. Insects can easily be produced in warehouses and other urban buildings, which also works perfectly with the increasing interest in urban farming.

5. It’s profitable. The global insect protein market is expected to be worth $1.53 billion by 2021.

Given that it’s already become a challenge to feed the world’s population, producing and consuming insect protein could be the means of ensuring a food secure future for the planet.