Amaya Carrasco-Torrontegui, CASAS’ member, has published a chapter in the book “Indigenous Insights for Planetary Health and Sustainable Food Systems: Learning from International Case Studies” with Esther Katz, Carlos Andres Gallegos-Riofrío & Adela Caranqui-Pintag.
Abstract: Currently, worldwide, there is a rising interest in edible insect consumption. Insects constitute about 80% of the animal kingdom, and their protein levels range from 20–75%. From a nutritional perspective, insects’ protein content is comparatively higher than meat, so consuming them could contribute to reducing malnutrition (Van Huis et al., 2013). According to Tae-Kyung et al.(2019), insect protein content ranges from 35% to 60% dry weight or 10% to 25% fresh weight, which is higher than plant protein sources, meat, and chicken eggs. Edible insects are a good source of protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals, comparable to meat (Baiano, 2020). Insects possess antioxidant compounds that aid in reducing various pathologies and have been used to treat diseases in various parts of the world. Clinical and non-clinical approaches have validated this (Oghenesuvwe & Chinwuba, 2019). For instance, some insects have anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antimicrobial, antiulcer, antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, and cardio protective properties (Oghenesuvwe & Chinwuba, 2019). Such attributes indicate that studying and including edible insects in culinary and therapeutic areas can offer tremendous benefits
Check the book here: https://canadianscholars.ca/book/indigenous-insights-for-planetary-health-and-sustainable-food-systems/
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CASAS
The Collective of Agrarian Scholar-Activists from the Global South (CASAS) is a community of Scholar-Activists working in critical agrarian studies.