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Bugs and insects as food - Page 5

post #61 of 74
9/9/10 at 10:47pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard View Post
asking, which is: why do you not eat certain mammals that we know are not of "higher" intelligence? They rank below several invertebrates in intelligence, and many birds. Cows are neither self-aware in the human sense, nor remarkably intelligent in a ranking of all species on the planet. Why do you grant them special dispensation that you would not grant to an insect? Cows are clearly more intelligent than insects, and yet, they are really not very intelligent at all.

The problem you're running into is defining "higher intelligence." You create so many arbitrary distinctions that are neither backed by science nor without logical contradiction. Why don't you just come out and admit that there is no rational, biological basis for your choices?

"Common prey" means absolutely nothing. It's an arbitrary condition that you've created to suit your ethics. How are you defining "common?" And does nature agree with you on that definition? Seems to me that nature is rather indifferent; everything gets eaten by something. A shark doesn't really give half a crap if the baby dolphin it just devoured is extremely intelligent. Are sharks "evil" because of this?

Once again, this is beside any point here. Furthermore, how do dolphins "dominate their own environment?" They use sea sponges to scrounge up food, which I'll admit is rather cool.

There is rational and biological basis and I've already explained them. If you are asking for a cut off line for a level of intelligence, that I cannot provide. The higher the intelligence, the animal is going to have higher cognitive abilities and emotion. I don't eat cows because they are mammals, but I think I first stopped eating beef for health reasons a few years ago.

Common prey meaning having the most predators. Sharks cannot be evil nor can any other animal be held morally responsible for their actions because they aren't moral agents like humans are.
By built, I mean equipped in an biological sense, not "designed". Dolphins dominate by having no predatory threat within their environment.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Ambulance Chaser View Post
Are you planning to grill these at your next barbecue and call it "steak"?

I'd use it in place of chicken, or maybe if I compress enough of them together it can pass as a burger.

It was a garden party, not a barbecue by the way.
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post #62 of 74
9/9/10 at 10:50pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wetnose View Post
I tried grasshoppers in Oaxaca, Mexico - found them quite tasty actually. Kinda like nutty popcorn... similiar texture. Wouldn't mind them again.

Raw insects though - ugh. I tried a small beetle and it was the nastiest, vilest chemical taste I ever tried. And I've eaten just about everything else.

If you ever visit Bangkok, Thailand, there's street carts on Sukhumvit selling all kinds of insects. Don't know about US - I figure mail order is a good way to start?

Yeah I'd imagine raw insects being pretty difficult to eat, wouldn't want to try that. Mail order might work...
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post #63 of 74
9/9/10 at 10:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosu3 View Post
I don't eat cows because they are mammals, but I think I first stopped eating beef for health reasons a few years ago.
and apparently you stopped eating everything a few years ago. The below diet of yours seems far more unhealthy than a standard diet that includes red meat.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosu3 View Post
At my lowest point I was consuming up to 12 cups of brown rice a day. I've cut back since then and have started incorporating whole wheat pasta into my diet. I am very consistent with the foods I eat. Every day I eat the same meals and snacks with no variation and have not changed it up for months. The only difference in my daily diet is fruits and vegetable juices since I switch them from day to day.
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post #64 of 74
9/9/10 at 10:57pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gomestar View Post
and apparently you stopped eating everything a few years ago. The below diet of yours seems far more unhealthy than a standard diet that includes red meat.
I don't see anything unhealthy with eating the same thing everyday, I do it to keep track and make sure I'm getting enough calories and nutrients. The brown rice diet lasted a few months and it went well. It only became a problem when I was getting too much Niacin from it and became symptomatic. I've since replaced it with whole grain pasta, though at times I do wish to still include brown rice.
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post #65 of 74
9/9/10 at 10:58pm
I've had bees and bee larvae several times, and they were OK. They say bees (and bugs in general) are very nutritious, so you should check it out. Aren't bees intelligent though?
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post #66 of 74
9/9/10 at 10:59pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon View Post
I've had bees and bee larvae several times, and they were OK. They say bees (and bugs in general) are very nutritious, so you should check it out.

Were the prepared a certain way? What kind of nutrients are to be expected aside from the protein?
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post #67 of 74
9/9/10 at 11:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosu3 View Post
I don't see anything unhealthy with eating the same thing everyday


Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosu3 View Post
It only became a problem when I was getting too much Niacin from it and became symptomatic.


Quote:
side effects [of large doses of niacin] can include dermatological conditions such as skin flushing and itching, dry skin, skin rashes including acanthosis nigricans. Gastrointestinal complaints, such as dyspepsia (indigestion) and liver toxicity [fulminant hepatic failure], have also been reported. Side effects of hyperglycemia, cardiac arrhythmias and "birth defects in experimental animals" have also been reported
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post #68 of 74
9/9/10 at 11:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosu3 View Post
Were the prepared a certain way? What kind of nutrients are to be expected aside from the protein?
I think they were made into Japanese "tsukudani" (marindated in soy sauce and mirin?). I don't know the exact nutrients, but in Japan eating honey and honey comb is thought of as very good for your health, and eating the actual bees and larvae is supposed to be very good as well. I think they are supposed to be rich in amino acids. Here is something I found after a quick search: http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/con...ent=a725623392 I think in general, bugs are prepared in this marindated style or fried to make them crispy.
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post #69 of 74
9/9/10 at 11:21pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by gomestar View Post


I don't think I was getting enough to the point of toxicity, that would probably need to be done with supplements. The symptoms were just the dermatological ones.
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post #70 of 74
9/10/10 at 8:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nosu3 View Post
Common prey meaning having the most predators.

This is an entirely arbitrary distinction. I bet you can't even name the animal on the planet that has the most natural predators. I bet none of us can. It may even be some form of mammal, for all I know. Most likely, it's the larval forms of beetles ("grubs"). But still. This is a retrograde determination of the value of a species (i.e., "Species X is prey because Y and Z consider it prey").

In reality, as I keep telling you, everything is prey. Nature does not make any distinctions between what animals will and will not be killed for food under any given circumstance.

Quote:
Dolphins dominate by having no predatory threat within their environment.

Large sharks, and even the occasional orca, prey on dolphins. Yeah, I'm sure you've heard stories about how dolphins will band together and protect themselves or their young from sharks, etc. But that tactic isn't always successful, and regardless, attempting to defend oneself from predation does not = not having predators. Pretty much every prey animal of the great white tries to put up a fight. Even seals do a pretty decent job fighting back, though it's extremely rare that they get away.
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post #71 of 74
9/10/10 at 8:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard View Post
This is an entirely arbitrary distinction. I bet you can't even name the animal on the planet that has the most natural predators. I bet none of us can. It may even be some form of mammal, for all I know. Most likely, it's the larval forms of beetles ("grubs"). But still. This is a retrograde determination of the value of a species (i.e., "Species X is prey because Y and Z consider it prey").

In reality, as I keep telling you, everything is prey. Nature does not make any distinctions between what animals will and will not be killed for food under any given circumstance.



Large sharks, and even the occasional orca, prey on dolphins. Yeah, I'm sure you've heard stories about how dolphins will band together and protect themselves or their young from sharks, etc. But that tactic isn't always successful, and regardless, attempting to defend oneself from predation does not = not having predators. Pretty much every prey animal of the great white tries to put up a fight. Even seals do a pretty decent job fighting back, though it's extremely rare that they get away.

Actually, and you'd have to look it up yourself, I seem to recall seals getting away most of the time when preyed upon. When in doubt wait for shark week.
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post #72 of 74
9/10/10 at 10:53am
In Sydney they have what are called "Balmain Bugs". I liked them.
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post #73 of 74
9/10/10 at 1:04pm
I have to admit, the fried crickets you can eat by the handful in Mexico are pretty good. I wish I could bring some into a movie theater as snack food, just to freak people out.
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post #74 of 74
9/10/10 at 1:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Arrogant Bastard View Post
I have to admit, the fried crickets you can eat by the handful in Mexico are pretty good. I wish I could bring some into a movie theater as snack food, just to freak people out.
I think you'd be better off with live crickets. During a 3D showing would probably be your best bet. Although, I don't know how chirping would sound in THX.
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