Sunday, 17 August 2014

Meet The Weird New Food That Just Might Save The World

Meet John, Jack and Marta--a trio of friends from Austin, Texas. They look pretty normal, right?

Meet%20John%2C%20Jack%20and%20Marta--a%20trio%20of%20friends%20from%20Austin%2C%20Texas.%20They%20look%20pretty%20normal%2C%20right%3F
Like many young entrepreneurs, these three have big dreams. They want to feed the world in an affordable, eco-friendly way. 

And guess what? They've found a solution! But it’s not what we were expecting.

To meet the global demand for meat, we cram thousands of cows, pigs and other animals into crowded, unsanitary feedlots.

To%20meet%20the%20global%20demand%20for%20meat%2C%20we%20cram%20thousands%20of%20cows%2C%20pigs%20and%20other%20animals%20into%20crowded%2C%20unsanitary%20feedlots.%20
simpleandwhole.comThese factory farms aren't pretty, and what they do to the land is even worse.

But what if there was a way to produce healthy, protein-rich foods without the massive environmental footprint and animal suffering?

But%20what%20if%20there%20was%20a%20way%20to%20produce%20healthy%2C%20protein-rich%20foods%20without%20the%20massive%20environmental%20footprint%20and%20animal%20suffering%3F
insidetracker.com

That’s where John, Jack and Marta come in. They want Americans to start eating bugs. I know, it sounds GROSS, but that’s because you’re thinking about this:

That%u2019s%20where%20John%2C%20Jack%20and%20Marta%20come%20in.%20They%20want%20Americans%20to%20start%20eating%20bugs.%20I%20know%2C%20it%20sounds%20GROSS%2C%20but%20that%u2019s%20because%20you%u2019re%20thinking%20about%20this%3A
appliancesonlineblog.com

What if eating bugs actually looked way less terrifying? Like this.

What%20if%20eating%20bugs%20actually%20looked%20way%20less%20terrifying%3F%20Like%20this.

This is a Hopper Bar. Like lots of other protein bars, it’s made with nuts, honey, and berries. But it’s got one ingredient those other protein bars don’t have: Cricket flour.

This%20is%20a%20Hopper%20Bar.%20Like%20lots%20of%20other%20protein%20bars%2C%20it%u2019s%20made%20with%20nuts%2C%20honey%2C%20and%20berries.%20But%20it%u2019s%20got%20one%20ingredient%20those%20other%20protein%20bars%20don%u2019t%20have%3A%20Cricket%20flour.
This is the brilliant idea that John, Jack and Marta have been working on.

Any why put ground-up crickets in a perfectly good snack bar, you ask? Well, it just so happens that crickets are an excellent source of complete protein!

Any%20why%20put%20ground-up%20crickets%20in%20a%20perfectly%20good%20snack%20bar%2C%20you%20ask%3F%20Well%2C%20it%20just%20so%20happens%20that%20crickets%20are%20an%20excellent%20source%20of%20complete%20protein%21
They contain all the essential amino acids, and are also high in micronutrients like iron, calcium and B-vitamins. When compared pound for pound, crickets, like other insects, deliver more protein and iron than many of the meats we eat every day.

Crickets also produce virtually no methane (a dangerous greenhouse gas) and reproduce extremely quickly.

Crickets%20also%20produce%20virtually%20no%20methane%20%28a%20dangerous%20greenhouse%20gas%29%20and%20reproduce%20extremely%20quickly.
vice.comThey require very little food, water, and space. This means crickets are 20x more efficient to raise for protein than cattle.

There are over 7 billion hungry people in this world. Conventional methods of raising livestock aren’t sustainable and can’t meet the growing demand.

There%20are%20over%207%20billion%20hungry%20people%20in%20this%20world.%20Conventional%20methods%20of%20raising%20livestock%20aren%u2019t%20sustainable%20and%20can%u2019t%20meet%20the%20growing%20demand.
outlookindia.comAs a whole, the meat industry produces more greenhouse gases than the entire transport sector. The amount of water required to produce just one pound of steak is enough to keep a family of four hydrated for a full year.

That’s why, in 2013, the United Nations released a report formally encouraging the Western world to start eating bugs.exo.co

Eighty percent of the world gets a big chunk of its protein from 1,600 species of edible insects.

Eighty%20percent%20of%20the%20world%20gets%20a%20big%20chunk%20of%20its%20protein%20from%201%2C600%20species%20of%20edible%20insects.%20
theweek.comAlthough we may gag at the idea of munching on a cricket or beetle, this disgust puts us in the minority.

To be honest, we eat much grosser things every day. Ever stopped to think about what’s in a hot dog, or those mysterious chicken nuggets you love so much?

To%20be%20honest%2C%20we%20eat%20much%20grosser%20things%20every%20day.%20Ever%20stopped%20to%20think%20about%20what%u2019s%20in%20a%20hot%20dog%2C%20or%20those%20mysterious%20chicken%20nuggets%20you%20love%20so%20much%3F
YouTube

So what if, just like with hot dogs, we could eat bugs without seeing or thinking about the slightly icky parts?

So%20what%20if%2C%20just%20like%20with%20hot%20dogs%2C%20we%20could%20eat%20bugs%20without%20seeing%20or%20thinking%20about%20the%20slightly%20icky%20parts%3F

What if eating bugs just meant tossing a yummy protein bar in your backpack? Or indulging in delicious baked goods?

What%20if%20eating%20bugs%20just%20meant%20tossing%20a%20yummy%20protein%20bar%20in%20your%20backpack%3F%20Or%20indulging%20in%20delicious%20baked%20goods%3F
bittyfoods.com(Everything in this picture is made with cricket flour!)

Instead of wasting resources on proteins that take in more calories than they put out, we could raise an eco-friendly, nutrient-dense form of protein right here in the USA. No massive farm required!

Instead%20of%20wasting%20resources%20on%20proteins%20that%20take%20in%20more%20calories%20than%20they%20put%20out%2C%20we%20could%20raise%20an%20eco-friendly%2C%20nutrient-dense%20form%20of%20protein%20right%20here%20in%20the%20USA.%20No%20massive%20farm%20required%21

It just might be enough to feed--and save--the world.

It%20just%20might%20be%20enough%20to%20feed--and%20save--the%20world.
phalinnTell us: Are you willing to try it?
Hopper Foods, the company that John, Jack and Marta are hoping to launch, sources all of its cricket flour from the World Ento company located right in their hometown of Austin, Texas. Check out their crowdfunding campaign to learn more.
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