Following the Paleo Diet? Chances are you’re eating the wrong foods, according to Daniella Martin, author of the book Edible.
Though traditional Paleo Diet guidelines recommend eating a variety of fresh vegetables, meats, and saturated fats–preferably from organic sources–Martin say the best way to eat “Paleo” isn’t by eating any of these foods at all.
Instead, she says that our hunter-gatherer ancestors–the Paleo diet is said to mimic the diet of our Paleolithic ancestors–ate “lots and lots of bugs,” and so should we.
“It’s just a matter of acclimation,” says Martin, who was featured as a entomophagist on several news publications prior to the release of her book. “I am a cautious person…and gastrointestinally sensitive. I’m allergic to alcohol and lactose intolerant, and breakfast cereal has been known to give me a stomachache.”
However, all of these problems seemingly go away when Martin has a taste of her own home-prepared cuisine–including wax-moth tacos and fig canapés made with grasshoppers. And it’s something she details in her book, including how each type of insect tastes like–ranging from nutty to savory.
“I truly believe we should all be eating bugs–as our ancestors did, as our global neighbors do, as our primate cousins do, and as we ourselves do constantly, by accident, without realizing it,” says Martin. “I’m not asking anyone to drastically change their diet, to give up foods they love, or to subscribe to some new overarching system. I’m not even going to suggest substituting insects in place of other foods, per se. I’m simply asking you to open your mind–just a little–to give bugs a chance and a place on your culinary palate.”
But if you think Martin may be off her rocker–most people don’t crave eating a plate of grasshoppers, after all–you’d be surprised to find out she isn’t the only Paleo enthusiast on board. In fact, many top Paleo gurus, including Paleo expert Robb Wolf, call insects the “true Paleo protein,” and even advocate that Paleo dieters try integrating it into their diet.
“If we look at the human family tree and we look to our closest primate relatives, we see that many of these species ate insects,” says Wolf. ” If we look to modern day hunter gatherer tribes, we also see a reliance on insects as part of their nutrition and diet. If we want to truly “eat paleo”, should we at least not consider bugs?”
Of course, that’s easier said than done if you’ve grown up in the Western world–a place where bug-eating is not only rarely practiced, it’s looked down upon. Yet in other modern countries such as Korea or Australia, these creatures are often a delicacy; so why can’t we make the change?
If that isn’t enough to convince you, Wolf also says that bugs are also good sources of protein as well. For instance, a giant water beetle contains around 20 grams of protein, certainly as nutrient dense as a slab of steak. Better yet, it’s cheaper too.
Readers: Would you try this “bug” diet? Why or why not?
Sources:
True Paleo Protein: Bugs – RobbWolf.com
Edible (Book) – Amazon.com
If You’re Going to Follow a Paleo Diet You Ought to be Eating Bugs – WashingtonPost.com
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