Should we eat bugs? - Emma Bryce

我們該吃蟲嗎？- Emma Bryce （艾瑪‧布萊斯）

譯者: Regina Chu 審譯者: Hao-Wei Chang

[Why don't we eat bugs?]

For centuries, people have consumed bugs,

過去幾百年來

人們食用蟲子

everything from beetles

其中包含：甲蟲

to caterpillars, locusts,

到毛毛蟲

蝗蟲

grasshoppers, termites, and dragonflies.

蚱蜢

白蟻

還有蜻蜓

The practice even has a name:

這種習慣甚至還有個名稱：

entomophagy.

食蟲性

Early hunter-gatherers probably learned from animals

早期的採獵者可能

由從動物覓食

that foraged for protein-rich insects and followed suit.

高蛋白的昆蟲

學到這種行為

As we evolved and bugs became part of our dietary tradition,

隨著文明演進

蟲子變成我們飲食傳統的一部分

they fulfilled the role of both staple food and delicacy.

牠們扮演了

主食及

美饌的角色

In ancient Greece, cicadas were considered luxury snacks.

在古希臘

蟬被視為豪華的點心

And even the Romans found beetle larvae to be scrumptious.

甚至羅馬人也發現甲蟲的幼蟲

是人間美味

Why have we lost our taste for bugs?

為什麼我們失去了吃蟲的胃口？

The reason for our rejection is historical,

我們拒絕吃蟲的原因有史學根據

and the story probably begins

而這故事可能始於

around 10,000 BC in the Fertile Crescent,

史前約一萬年的新月沃土

a place in the Middle East

位於中東的一個地區

that was a major birthplace of agriculture.

那裡是農業的主要誕生地

Back then, our once-nomadic ancestors began to settle in the Crescent.

當時，我們一度為遊牧民族的祖先

開始在新月區安家落戶

And as they learned to farm crops and domesticate animals there,

隨著他們在那學會耕種作物

及馴養動物

attitudes changed,

態度改變了

rippling outwards towards Europe and the rest of the Western world.

如漣漪般向外擴展到歐洲

及其餘的西方世界

As farming took off,

隨著農業起飛

people might have spurned bugs as mere pests

人們很可能蔑視 蟲子為無用的害蟲

that destroyed their crops.

會破壞他們的作物

Populations grew, and the West became urbanized,

人口成長了

西方世界變成都市化

weakening connections with our foraging past.

減弱我們與 古老覓食習慣的關係

People simply forgot their bug-rich history.

人們完全忘記他們豐富的吃蟲歷史

今天，對不再習慣於食蟲性的人

Today, for people not accustomed to entomophagy,

bugs are just an irritant.

蟲子就只是煩人的東西

They sting and bite and infest our food.

牠們叮、咬

還騷擾食物

We feel an "ick factor" associated with them

牠們給我們一種厭惡的感覺

and are disgusted by the prospect of cooking insects.

一想到烹調昆蟲的可能性

就讓我們覺得噁心

Almost 2,000 insect species are turned into food,

將近 2 千種昆蟲被當作食物

forming a big part of everyday diets

作為世界上 20 億人口

for two billion people around the world.

每日膳食的一大部分

Countries in the tropics are the keenest consumers,

熱帶地區國家是 最熱衷的食用者

because culturally, it's acceptable.

因為文化上可接受

Species in those regions are also large, diverse,

這些昆蟲的棲地較大

品種較多

且往往聚集成團或群

and tend to congregate in groups or swarms

that make them easy to harvest.

使牠們很容易被捕抓

拿東南亞的柬埔寨為例

Take Cambodia in Southeast Asia

where huge tarantulas are gathered,

在那裡巨型狼蛛被採集

fried, and sold in the marketplace.

油炸

並在市場上販賣

In southern Africa,

在非洲南部

the juicy mopane worm is a dietary staple,

多汁的可樂豆木蟲 （天蠶蛾幼蟲）是主要膳食

simmered in a spicy sauce

可與一種辣醬同煨

or eaten dried and salted.

或曬乾灑鹽來吃

And in Mexico, chopped jumiles are toasted with garlic, lemon, and salt.

而在墨西哥 剁碎的臭蟲

與大蒜、檸檬及鹽一同烘烤而食

Bugs can be eaten whole to make up a meal

蟲子可以整隻吃當成一餐

or ground into flour, powder, and paste to add to food.

或磨成粗粉、細粉及製成糊

加進食物中

But it's not all about taste.

但這不只跟味道有關

還有健康考量

They're also healthy.

In fact, scientists say entomophagy could be a cost-effective solution

事實上，科學家說食蟲性

可能是很划算的解決方案

for developing countries that are food insecure.

對糧食來源不穩定 的發展中國家而言

Insects can contain up to 80% protein,

昆蟲含有高達 80% 的蛋白質

the body's vital building blocks,

這是身體重要的組成元素

and are also high in energy-rich fat,

而昆蟲也含大量的高能量脂肪

fiber, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals.

纖維

和微量元素 如維他命及礦物質

Did you know that most edible insects contain the same amount

你可知道大部分的可食昆蟲

與牛肉相比

or even more mineral iron than beef,

含有等量 甚至更高的鐵礦物質

making them a huge, untapped resource when you consider that iron deficiency

使牠們成為一種 量大、待開發的資源

當你考慮到缺鐵

is currently the most common nutritional problem in the world?

這目前最常見的

世界性營養問題

The mealworm is another nutritious example.

黃粉蟲是另一種 跟營養有關的例子

The yellow beetle larvae are native to America and easy to farm.

這種黃色的甲蟲幼蟲原生於美國

且很容易人工繁殖

They have a high vitamin content,

牠們有很高的維生素含量

loads of healthy minerals,

一大堆健康的礦物質

and can contain up to 50% protein,

且含高達 50% 的蛋白質

almost as much as in an equivalent amount of beef.

幾乎與牛肉所含等量

To cook, simply sauté in butter and salt

要煮食，只需與奶油及鹽同炒

or roast and drizzle with chocolate for a crunchy snack.

或烤一下再灑一些巧克力

就變成香脆的小點心

What you have to overcome in "ick factor,"

你必須克服心中的厭惡

就能得到營養

you gain in nutrition and taste.

及好味道

Indeed, bugs can be delicious.

的確，蟲子可以很美味

Mealworms taste like roasted nuts.

黃粉蟲嚐起來像烘烤過的堅果

Locusts are similar to shrimp.

蝗蟲則類似蝦子

Crickets, some people say, have an aroma of popcorn.

有些人說蟋蟀

有種爆米花的香味

Farming insects for food also has less environmental impact

人工繁殖昆蟲為食物

也對環境產生較少的影響

than livestock farms do

比之於畜牧繁殖場

because insects emit far less greenhouse gas

因為昆蟲排放的溫室氣體遠低

and use up less space, water, and food.

且消耗較小的空間及食物

Socioeconomically, bug production

從社經角度來看，蟲類生產

could uplift people in developing countries

可能有利於 開發中國家的人民

since insect farms can be small scale,

因為昆蟲養殖場的規模較小

highly productive, and yet relatively inexpensive to keep.

卻高生產力

而且維持起來相對便宜

Insects can also be turned into more sustainable food for livestock

昆蟲也可以變成

家畜的永續飼料

and can be reared on organic waste,

且可以有機廢物飼養

like vegetable peelings,

如蔬菜削去的皮

that might otherwise just end up rotting in landfills.

不然這些廚餘 都只能在掩埋場裡腐爛

Feeling hungry yet?

覺得餓了嗎？

Faced with a plate of fried crickets, most people today would still recoil,

面對一盤油炸蟋蟀

多數人今天仍退避三舍

imagining all those legs and feelers getting stuck between their teeth.

想像這些腿和觸角

卡在齒牙之間

But think of a lobster.

但想一下龍蝦

It's pretty much just a giant insect with legs and feelers galore

牠其實就像隻巨大的昆蟲

腿及觸角豐足

that was once regarded as an inferior, repulsive food.

一度被視為

次等、反胃的食物

Now, lobster is a delicacy.

現在，龍蝦可是種美食

Can the same paradigm shift happen for bugs?

這種典範轉移 可會發生在蟲子身上？

So, give it a try!

那，來試試看吧！

Pop that insect into your mouth,

就啪地把昆蟲丟進口中

and savor the crunch.

細細品嘗嘎吱的滋味