By Patrick Faircloth
Delicious? Why yes.It’s entomophagy, the fancy name for the consumption of
invertebrates, like insects and arachnids (hello, black widow spider). Insects as a food source sounds
like an exotic practice from some far off land. Strolling through the markets
of Bangkok, you'd discover fried scorpions and water beetles for
sale.
But how about in Pismo Beach, California? Larry Peterman, owner of the
candy store Hotlix, specializes in bug candy. They carry
mealworm rice crispies (yum) and cricket pops. Hotlix
is the place to go for all
your insectivorous needs.
Why not give it a try? You might feel like a Fear Factor
contestant; but eating insects is surprisingly healthy for you and good
for the earth. Insect consumption is environmentally sound because a pound of
bugs takes up far fewer resources than a pound of pork. And insects tend to
be high in nutrients and protein and very low in fat.
Most people don’t know that our cavemen ancestors may have starved to death without them. So what if
they're creepy crawlies? Try 'em—you might like them.Take a bite out of a cricket pop. Chirp. Crunch.