Take six ants ...

So last week I quoted Michael Pollan’s 'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants' as straightforward advice that I’d agree with – even if I worried that his comments might be construed as an anti-scientific stance. This week I note a piece in The Guardian that suggests that even the ‘eat food’ bit might not be the trouble-free advice you might suppose. According to Tim Dowling, 80% of people on the planet regularly consume insects.

Now it seems he doesn’t mean the ‘old lady that swallowed a fly’ sort of accidental eating programme, but more along the lines of grubs in Papua New Guinea and grasshoppers in Mexico. He points out that they are generally high in protein and essential fatty acids and low in cholesterol – clearly a candidate for any healthy balanced diet. And yet…something tells me that insects aren’t and never were a candidate for the eatwell plate.

Dowling seems to think it’s simply because we don’t have the recipes. I feel I’m safe in pointing out that there’s not exactly been a huge consumer demand for that advice in any of the many routes we use to consult with consumers. Do let me know if ant pie is something that you’re missing in your life…