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Ways to start eating insects

smithsonianmag.com

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Re: Ways to start eating insects

#111

Post by pvaldes »

jordigh wrote: post #68
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?

And we say viva Las Vegas instead to 'cheer the river banks', also.

Is because there is not an exact equivalent to the name 'chapulin' in english, and is a distinctive name, so is useful to keep the word.

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#112

Post by jordigh »

pvaldes wrote: post #111
jordigh wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

And we say viva Las Vegas instead to 'cheer the river banks', also. Is because there is not an exact equivalent to the name 'chapulin' in english, and is a distinctive name, so is useful to keep the word.

But chapulín means exactly the same thing as grasshopper. Anything that an English speaker would call grasshopper a Mexican would call a chapulín.

I guess I understand why people do this. It's obviously not wrong, because nobody can speak incorrectly. It just strikes me as a bit of a cultural misunderstanding, but that's how things are.

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#113

Post by briHass »

noondip wrote: post #97
briHass wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Conflicts of interest are almost always present with something as fiercely debated as nutrition. On the low-protein side, much of the research is performed or reported by biased organizations like Center for Science in the Public Interest. Even if a moral case can be made for not eating animals, it shouldn't be allowed to influence nutritional science. Attacking conflicts of interest is an easy out (ad hominem); do y…

I propose the following - nutrition is only perceived to be "fiercely debated" because of research with conflict of interest. Could you cite any examples of purportedly biased "low-protein" researched funded by that group you've mentioned? I'd like to take a look. The high-protein diet fads are not new. You can find a lot of information discrediting their authors and methodology. Here is just one example, > There are…

Interesting cite, because Dr. McDougall would be a perfect example of someone who lets his dogmatism influence his research. Even from Wikipedia:

"Reviewing McDougall's book, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss, nutritionist Frederick J. Stare and epidemiologist Elizabeth Whelan criticized its restrictive regime and "poor advice", concluding that the diet's concepts were "extreme and out of keeping with nutritional reality".

The quotes you referenced were specifically talking about a ketogenic diet; not a high protein one per se. Ketogenic diets typically try to keep protein low-moderate, as protein is anti-ketogenic. Even still, or perhaps as a direct result of the protein, high protein keto diets still fare better: http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/87/1/44.abstract

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#114

Post by pvaldes »

jordigh wrote: post #112
pvaldes wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And we say viva Las Vegas instead to 'cheer the river banks', also. Is because there is not an exact equivalent to the name 'chapulin' in english, and is a distinctive name, so is useful to keep the word.

But chapulín means exactly the same thing as grasshopper. Anything that an English speaker would call grasshopper a Mexican would call a chapulín. I guess I understand why people do this. It's obviously not wrong, because nobody can speak incorrectly. It just strikes me as a bit of a cultural misunderstanding, but that's how things are.

The spanish common word for the animal is 'saltamontes', that could be translated as 'mounts-jumper'. Samely as 'grasshopper' this word (used mainly for short-horned grasshoppers) do not have any edible or culinary connotations. Is just an animal (and sometimes 'a disciple').

Chapulín have a richer meaning, can be used to name a dish, a type of insect (including some crickets), can be easily interchanged as toddler, or as 'a dishonest politic' (that jumps to another party), and is also a beloved super-antihero of a popular series for children in the mexican tv that was later photocop... parodied again in the simpsons to make fun of latino spanish speakers (bumblebee man).

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#115

Post by [deleted] »

cgh wrote: post #92
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.

Vegans may not be deficient but they certainly aren't anywhere close to optimal. That's why very few strength and power athletes are vegans or vegetarians. People who concern themselves with building lean muscle mass, like me, do not seriously entertain the thought of plant-based diets, let alone high-carb ones. All of the data says otherwise: if you want to build lean muscle, eat quality protein that the human body…

[deleted]

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#116

Post by vlehto »

nawitus wrote: post #95
vlehto wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to taste a convincing argument that tofu is actually delicious to eat. I'd rather eat fried ants.

Do you know how to perfectly prepare tofu?

I don't know how to perfectly prepare anything. Most foodstuff is still quite enjoyable.

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#117

Post by vlehto »

SwellJoe wrote: post #101
vlehto wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd like to taste a convincing argument that tofu is actually delicious to eat. I'd rather eat fried ants.

Do you live in a large city? Know a really good Thai or Chinese or Vietnamese restaurant there? Go there. Order a curry with tofu, or kung pao tofu, or lemongrass tofu. If that isn't at least as tasty and satisfying for you as the same dish with chicken or beef, I'll be very surprised. I prefer the tofu version of all of them over the meat option (I am vegetarian, but have not always been so...I remember the taste an…

It doesn't even have to taste like meat. I just don't like to eat tasteless rubber.

Then the next problem is that I'm poor bastard. I can buy groung pork for 4,50e/kg, or half a chicken for 2,50e/kg. Tofu costs 12e/kg in supermarket, I could eat pretty decent beef for that price. I usually can afford eating in a restaurant maybe once in a month. So if I find good tofu, it's really not going to change my diet.

According to some studies beef/pork/chicken production consumes resources in that order. Also they churn out CO2 and other pollutants in that order. And they cost money in that order. Price is roughly proportionate to enviromental impact. Why is tofu so freaking expencive?

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#118

Post by reqctomaniac »

dvdcxn wrote: post #23
pilsetnieks wrote: post #2

I somehow don't think this is what they mean with "eating insects is the future" with the $700 worm hive and $300 ant booze.

Well there isn't much industrialization on this front so of course these things are a luxury, and cost as such. Before pineapples were able to be cheaply grown and imported so the masses could afford them, they were revered as a treat only reserved for the upper echelon of society. Now, they're just another cheap fruit in the supermarket.

Except in the case of pineapples, it's not because of industrialisation, but because of almost slave-labour and smart tax evasions. http://www.bananalink.org.uk/pineapples-true-price-luxury-fr...

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#119

Post by thelastguy »

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.

In fact, cockroaches are even cheaper! See, the way to do it is to feed cockroaches, and only cockroaches to chicken. Then, when the chicken gets really fat (full of cockroaches protein!), you kill the chicken, give the food to human to eat. All those juice from the cockroaches.

OK. I just threw up.

Re: Ways to start eating insects

#120

Post by jordigh »

pvaldes wrote: post #114
jordigh wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

But chapulín means exactly the same thing as grasshopper. Anything that an English speaker would call grasshopper a Mexican would call a chapulín. I guess I understand why people do this. It's obviously not wrong, because nobody can speak incorrectly. It just strikes me as a bit of a cultural misunderstanding, but that's how things are.

The spanish common word for the animal is 'saltamontes', that could be translated as 'mounts-jumper'. Samely as 'grasshopper' this word (used mainly for short-horned grasshoppers) do not have any edible or culinary connotations. Is just an animal (and sometimes 'a disciple'). Chapulín have a richer meaning, can be used to name a dish, a type of insect (including some crickets), can be easily interchanged as toddler,…

I guess you believe that piscina and alberca have different meanings too...

There is a train of thought in linguistics that there is no such thing as an exact synonym.

http://linguistics.stackexchange.com/questions/2062/do-absol...

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