Bugs make up about 80% of the animal species. There are about 10 quintillion bugs in the world! If they make up so much of the world’s population why are they not in our diet? According to the American Heart Association “Some 2 billion people around the world already eat insects”. That’s a lot! We just don’t see it because it’s not a common cultural practice in western society mostly due to the stigma surrounding the practice of eating insects. So if you wanna save some money and level up your diet to some healthy food options, go to your backyard and look for some …worms!
“Wow! I did not know that. I’m always open to new food ideas though.” Said school mascot Mr. Hylander.
Yes, worms. They are eaten in many cultures such as south and southwest Asia and even considered a delicacy. They are “an excellent source of readily available protein and minerals” , says the National Institute of health. Earthworms for example are 70% proteim. This goes out to all the high schoolers who want to increase the protein intake. Here are detailed instructions on how to cook up some worms!
“Ay, you know I have to protect my school from those surrounding puny highschools. I’m talking about you Fridley!” Said school mascot Mr Hylander.
Step 1: Purging
Place worms in a container full of water so they expel their gut contents. This is to remove bacteria and parasites. You may also use vinegar to remove their mucus membranes.
Step 2: Cooking
There are many ways to prepare your delicious worms to eat. Some include boiling, frying, baking, and grilling or roasting them.
It is recommended to boil your worms first to prepare them for any other cooking method. This is because it removes the slimy mucus that surrounds their wormy bodies.
Make sure your worms are dry before you fry them! They may burst due to their high water content.
The last couple of methods mentioned above are used if you want to add some real flavor to your worms.
“This sounds delicious! I’m going to add all sorts of sauce and fry them so they’re extra crispy. K-mama sauce sounds like a great idea.” Said school mascot Mr hylander.
Safety
Know your worms! Unfortunately, Mr Hylander has died because he cooked and ate the larvae given to him by the mice running around the school basement. Most worms are edible but some like larvae could pose a serious threat to your health. Edible worms should always be cooked thoroughly to avoid nasty parasites and bacteria and ensure your safety.
We would like to include a taste test review. But unfortunately, Mr. Hylander is not available for comment (RIP). So be sure to tell us how it tastes and we hope this article encourages you to try more bugs.
