Have you ever eaten potatoes? Tomatoes? Lobster or sushi? Without a doubt. But did you know that all these foods have been rejected by people for a long time before being routinely integrated into our diets? And insects follow the same path!

A matter of habits

Does a plate of fried crickets open you appetite ? What if crickets were replaced by shrimps? Take a look at the two pictures below. Do you really see an obvious difference between them? 

If crustaceans are such a popular commodity these days, despite their appearance, why not crickets? Although the idea of consuming insects seems inappropriate for many people, ultimately, it is only because of habits and cultural formattingissues. Western society gave us a certain disgust regarding insects. Thus, it seems unimaginable for many to find them on their plate. Yet, as previously mentioned, entomophagy is not that unusual: many African, Asian or South American cultures have always integrated insects into their diet.

Some crazy stories about our food

Did you know that some of the most consumed foods today were rejected for a long time? Here are their stories:

The potato is currently the most eaten food in the world. However, it took some time before it started being integrated in our diet: it was originally used to feed animals. It is mainly because of famines and wars that people began to add it into their diet.

Lobster, for its part, is now the king of crustaceans. But did you know that for a long time, it was only used to feed animals, poor people and prisoners? It was even nicknamed “the cockroach of the sea" because it was overpopulating the Atlantic Ocean, and was also used as fertilizer.

We could quote many other examples of dishes that have "climbed the social ladder", such as caviar and truffles.

The question of taste, on the other side, is much more questionable because very subjective. However we can argue that crickets, once the psychological barrier passed, have a pleasant taste, often close to nuts.

Everything is just a matter of habits.

But why eat insects ?

To make it short, insects are a super-food while being also one of the most eco-friendly sources of protein on the planet. For example, crickets have incredible nutritional properties : 60% of protein, a lot of iron, calcium and vitamins. And they need far less space, water and food to produce the same quantity of protein than any other farm animal. As the world's population will reach 10 billion people in 2050, edible insects are recognized to be one of the best alternatives to feed humans according to the United Nations. 

Naak bars

If you have never eaten insects before, and dread trying it, the Näak bars are a good start. Since crickets are in the form of powder, the psychological barrier is easier to cross: you cannot actually see or feel the insect.

It is only a matter of time before insects become an integral part of our diet.