The practice of eating insects is called entomophagy and for millions of people around the world it is part of daily food. If you wrinkle your nose or frown at the thought of insect eating practice, know that many of them are sources of vitamins, proteins and mineral salts.
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understand the practice
When it comes to food, each culture has its own way of choosing and preparing food. In countries in Asia and Africa, it is common to consume insects in daily meals, mainly beetles and caterpillars, responsible for more than 50% of the world's consumption of insects.
In nutritional terms, the practice of eating insects is positive, because these animals are sources of proteins, mineral salts, vitamins, omega 3 and other essential amino acids. For the environment, even more, because its cultivation is less harmful to the planet.
In some western countries, especially in Europe, there is not much biodiversity when it comes to insects, due to the cold climate. It is estimated that there are only 2% of edible insects in the Old Continent, which removes these animals from dishes in the West.
Cigar-sized bugs
In Zimbabwe, Africa, the insects are often large, such as mopane tree caterpillars. These trees are present in several forests located in several African countries, such as Namibia, Botswana and even in South Africa.
In the rainiest periods, which happen twice a year, between the months of December and January, and April to May, the trees are teeming with edible worms, caterpillars the size of cigars.
Local residents remove the caterpillars from the trees, which can reach a length the size of the palm of a hand and the circumference of a cigar. After harvesting, the caterpillars are prepared to be marketed.
How the insect is cooked depends on the preference of those who are going to eat it, it can be smoked and even fried. In smoking, for example, the flavor of the caterpillar is close to that of well-done meat or even dried meat.
But, if the person wants to fry, the insect's crispness is reminiscent of fried potatoes, which can be served with different sauces, as a side dish or as a main dish.
