ROME The United Nations says eating insects may combat global hunger and boost health worldwide by reducing malnutrition and even air pollution.
The U.N.'s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday that grasshoppers, ants and other members of the insect world are an underutilized food for people, livestock and pets.
Why you should eat more insects
According to the 200-page report released Monday at a news conference in Rome, 2 billion people worldwide already supplement their diets with insects, which are high in protein and minerals, and have environmental benefits. The practice of eating bugs is known as entomophagy
The most commonly eaten insect groups, according to FAO, are beetles, caterpillars, bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, cicadas, leaf and planthoppers, scale insects and true bugs, termites, dragonflies and flies.
Insects contain "good fats", can be rich in calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium and zinc, and are a source of fiber.
The report calls insects a healthy, nutritious alternative to mainstream staples like chicken, pork, beef and even fish.
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