Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ways to start eating insects

smithsonianmag.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

61–70 of 128 posts

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#61

Post by nyan4 »

masklinn wrote: post #37
Retric wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Government subsidies don't actually lower economic prices. They just change who pays. Removing those subsidies would double most meat prices which means there far less 'cheap'. There is increasing pressure to lower farming subsides in most of the world in part because food costs have already fallen so much. 1935 1/lb chicken $5.07 (inflation adj), 2011 1lb chicken: $1.34 But, also from a wide range of more politicall…

> Government subsidies don't actually lower economic prices. They just change who pays. Removing those subsidies would double most meat prices which means there far less 'cheap'. Removing those subsidies would not affect only meat.

Citation needed

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#62

Post by nsomaru »

adwn wrote: post #26
xefer wrote: post #22

Mechanisms for sustainability and productivity - the Haber-Bosch process, genetic engineering, the "green revolution", etc. - are a bit of a two-edge sword in that they have allowed for massive population growth. New highways ultimately increase traffic through induced demand. Is not a similar effect at play with these technologies? I don't want to have to start eating bugs just to make room for a few billion more fe…

What a cynical, inhuman, and shortsighted comment. The right way to stop population growth is not to starve poor countries to death, but to bring them to a higher level of wealth, education, and stability. Do this, and overpopulation (and a bunch of other problems) will solve itself.

How have you relegated anyone who doesn't believe that supporting indiscriminate population growth with tech is always a good thing as 'cynical, inhuman and shortsighted'?

Parent noted that these technologies are a double edged sword, i.e., having strengths and weaknesses. Nobody is asking that we starve poor countries. Population regulation through resource scarcity is a natural phenomenon and should be allowed to happen. I'm not sure what's inhuman about this? Are we expected to treat people who don't yet exist in a humane way?

The fact of the matter is that the Earth is a finite place and resources are limited. Maybe there will come a time when we're space faring that it won't matter, but we seem a little far away from that goal.

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#63

Post by noondip »

briHass wrote: post #54
PerfectElement wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, vegans are not protein deficient and many people thrive on high carb diets (see blue zones, adventist health studies, etc.) Unfortunately we've all been bombarded with the protein myth (more protein == healthier) and even the smart people of HN can't seem to question this belief objectively.

Probably because it's not a myth that high protein diets are healthful. High protein diets typically result in better maintenance of lean mass (muscle) and better health markers if compared with one that replaces protein with carbs ( http://examine.com/faq/how-does-protein-affect-weight-loss/ ) Many studies have shown that replacing fat or carbs 1:1 (by calories) with protein leads to better body composition and (som…

Please check the citations carefully.

The very first one I opened said,

> Funding sources: Illinois Council on Food and Agricultural Research, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, The Beef Board, Kraft Foods, National Science Foundation (PI: Layman). Dr Layman has participated in speaker bureaus for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and the National Dairy Council.

Another reported,

> Supported by a Medical Research grant from Meat and Livestock Australia.

Another said,

> Supported by the Dairy Farmers of Canada, The Dairy Research Institute

I am horrified some authors are brazen enough to report the following, and still be taken seriously,

> AA acts as consultant or member of advisory boards for The Global Dairy Platform, USA; McCain, USA; Pathway Genomics, USA; Dutch Beer Knowledge Institute, Netherlands; McCain, USA; McDonalds, USA.

Or how about,

> DP-J, EW, RDM, RRW, AA, and MW-P have received compensation for speaking/consulting engagements with The Beef Checkoff through the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. DP-J has received compensation for speaking engagements with the National Dairy Council. AA has received speaker's fees and/or research grants form the Danish Meat Council and Arla Foods and Campina. RDM has received speaker's fees from the National Dairy Council.

These disclosures of competing interests do not inspire confidence in the works.

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#64

Post by aparent »

pheroden wrote: post #8
phreeza wrote: post #3

So why should we eat insects? The standard answer is: it is a cheap and sustainable source of protein. But I have yet to see a convincing argument that it is cheaper and more sustainable than soy protein, aka tofu.

Some soy is fine, but if we're talking as completely replacing your meat, it could be too much estrogen like compounds. Hence breasts in men and an increased risk of breast cancer in women. I haven't seen enough studies to definitively rule these out. Besides, variety is always good. It's never wise to put all your eggs in a single basket.

A small addition to noondip's reply:

"Clinical studies show no effects of soy protein or isoflavones on reproductive hormones in men: results of a meta-analysis." https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19524224

Also you say that you have not seen enough studies to rule these out; what studies have you seen to make you believe they might be an issue?

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#65

Post by aparent »

olaf wrote: post #7
phreeza wrote: post #3

So why should we eat insects? The standard answer is: it is a cheap and sustainable source of protein. But I have yet to see a convincing argument that it is cheaper and more sustainable than soy protein, aka tofu.

Tofu and soy can cause hypothyroidism, no longer recommended to eat more than 100-200g/week source: https://translate.google.de/translate?sl=de&tl=en&js=y&prev=...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16571087

"Thus, collectively the findings provide little evidence that in euthyroid, iodine-replete individuals, soy foods, or isoflavones adversely affect thyroid function. In contrast, some evidence suggests that soy foods, by inhibiting absorption, may increase the dose of thyroid hormone required by hypothyroid patients. However, hypothyroid adults need not avoid soy foods. In addition, there remains a theoretical concern based on in vitro and animal data that in individuals with compromised thyroid function and/or whose iodine intake is marginal soy foods may increase risk of developing clinical hypothyroidism. Therefore, it is important for soy food consumers to make sure their intake of iodine is adequate."

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#66

Post by alextgordon »

nradov wrote: post #58

Why bother raising maggots on food waste and then feed them to pigs? Wouldn't it be easier to just give the food waste directly to the pigs? That's what my uncle always did. The pigs didn't seem to mind.

Depends on the kind of food waste. Last thing you want to do is create Pig BSE.

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#67

Post by FoeNyx »

The Carmine [1] — a red dye most often made from boiled and dried Cochineals [2] — is frequently used in a lot of food products like ice-cream, candy, yogurt, juices, cake, sausage, etc.

So most of us probably unknowingly started to swallow insects laced food since long ago.

Only became aware of it because one of my ex-colleague has severe allergic reactions to it.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmine

[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cochineal

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#68

Post by jordigh »

KevinEldon wrote: post #28

I've eaten chapulines (grasshoppers). Their taste reminded me of what I think slightly toasted grass might taste like. I didn't care for them, but would try them again if someone who liked them recommended a different preparation and I wouldn't hesitate to eat them if I needed protein.

I find it weird that people do that with language. Did you also drink agua, breathe aire, walk on calles, or sleep on camas?

Why is it we only do this for some things but not others?

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#69

Post by kleer001 »

xefer wrote: post #22

Mechanisms for sustainability and productivity - the Haber-Bosch process, genetic engineering, the "green revolution", etc. - are a bit of a two-edge sword in that they have allowed for massive population growth. New highways ultimately increase traffic through induced demand. Is not a similar effect at play with these technologies? I don't want to have to start eating bugs just to make room for a few billion more fe…

What kind of world would it be if the Green revolution had never happened? What if Norman Borlaug hadn't increased yields?

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#70

Post by jp555 »

noondip wrote: post #52
tomp wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's just one thing I don't get... Too much carbohydrates are supposed to be bad. Too much soy is supposed to be bad. But the Japanese live the longest, so obviously they can't be that bad. So one of these assumptions must be false: - Japanese eat a lot of rice and/or soy (or products made from them) - Japanese have different genetics that allows them to avoid the negative effects of carbs/soy. We could probably t…

> Too much carbohydrates are supposed to be bad. Carbohydrates are your body and brain's preferred energy source. What makes you think consuming too many is, "bad"? If derived from whole plant sources, carbs are fantastic and shouldn't be restricted.

by the time it hits the bloodstream the carbs in an apple and those in a bowl of lucky charms are identical. it's all broken down into identical fructose and glucose molecules.
Post reply on HN