Why Vegans and Vegetarians Should Support Eating Insects

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Hello to a person reading this blog post. You are probably wondering, are insects vegetarian or vegan? And if they technically aren’t, are they worth making an exception for? Or should you consider insects as meat?

Actually, it depends on why you chose not to eat animal meat in the first place and if your beliefs would meet the benefits of food made from insects.

1) Ethical Reasons: Do Insects Feel Pain?

If you chose to change your diet because of ethical reasons, take a deep breath and relax. You would probably be relieved to know that insects are produced in a very humane way.

Some studies have shown that insects don't feel pain. [1] Since crickets are cold-blooded, producing them is simply just freezing them. Insects are first frozen into hibernation before they die - meaning they feel no pain in the process. Which many believe is more humane than alternative ways of slaughter.

2) Environmental Reasons: Could Eating Insects Save Even More Animals Than Having a Plant-Based Diet?

80 000 edible plants and 2000 edible insects, and people still want to eat like the same 3 animals? Talk about diversity.

Right now, livestock production accounts for 70 percent of all agricultural land use and that is expected to double by 2050. Producing 1kg. of beef requires 200 m² of land, and 1kg. of crickets requires just 15 m². [2]

Plants still need lots of water and space to produce protein compared to crickets. There’s evidence that if vegans and vegetarians replaced plants with crickets, they’d harm fewer animals. Farming plants for protein doesn’t harm animals, but it does cause animals to die because of the loss of natural habitat, chemical fertilizers, and heavy machinery. Some researchers estimate that millions of animals - mostly moles, mice, and other field animals are mostly affected by that. [3]

3) Health Reasons: Is It Safe to Eat Insects?

Crickets boast an excellent nutrient profile, providing a great source of protein, vitamins, and minerals. Crickets contain about 65% protein. Insects contain the values between 9.96 and 35.2 grams of protein per 100 grams, compared with 16.8-20.6 grams for meat”. [4] But what about plants?

Both plant and animal proteins are made from a combination of amino acids. Protein is considered "complete" when it possesses all 9 of the essential amino acids. These amino acids are very important for the proper functioning of the metabolism. While animal protein is always complete, it is not the case for all plant proteins.

Let's compare cricket powder protein with the protein found in tofu, which is a complete plant-based protein. Cricket powder has a much higher protein content (60%) than tofu (approximately 5%). Cricket powder possesses approximately 10 times more protein than tofu, on the same weight basis. [5]

4) How Many Insects Have You Eaten Already?

So, probably now you are nodding your head. There's no way you have eaten insects. Well, maybe back in kindergarten when you had to prove to your friends that you are a super cool and brave 4-year-old, or maybe by accident while playing in the sandbox. Yup, what happens in that box, stays in that box...

But you have eaten insects. Because consuming them is inevitable in grains, vegetables and fruits. It is estimated that you’re eating more than a pound (453g) of insects every year. [6] At least there are limits on how many bugs the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lets you eat unknowingly.

It is more likely that these numbers are even higher for vegans and vegetarians than for omnivores since most of the insect pieces are in a plant-based production.

Like to spice up your pizza with some oregano? Spices such as oregano can contain up to 1250 bits of insect per 10 grams. Peanut butter can contain up to 30 bits of insect per 100 grams.

Keep in mind, if you survived all of the kindergarten challenges and are still perfectly alive after eating PB&Js, insects won’t harm you.

Why Do We Not Eat Insects?

After all, you are the one who defines what being a vegan or vegetarian is and if your beliefs meet the benefits of including insects in your diet.

If you are curious to give insects a try, we would suggest go for it. And not because we have high protein snacks on board right now. Not really. Because we know, it's strange and interesting to try something new for us in the West, which is so ordinary for 2 billion people's diet in other countries.

And you don't have to eat insects in their full shape. They are indistinguishable when ground to flour and tasted in protein rich bars, brownies, pasta, smoothies, or anything really. And after all, you are still getting all the nutritional value. Sounds like a big win for animal farming, health, and the environment.