(End of the American Dream)—Are you ready to “eat the bugs”? For a long time, we have been told that “eating the bugs” is just a “conspiracy theory”, but as you will see below more than 2 billion people around the world already eat bugs on a regular basis. More than 2,000 types of edible insects are being consumed, and bug ingredients are increasingly being used in common foods that we purchase in the grocery stores. In fact, you could potentially be consuming products that contain insect ingredients without even realizing it. So anyone that tries to tell you that “eating the bugs” is a conspiracy theory is not being honest with you.
The following are 12 facts that prove that people all over the globe are already “eating the bugs” on a regular basis…
#1 According to the United Nations, there are over 2 billion people that eat insects as part of their normal diets right now…
More than 2 billion people worldwide consume insects regularly, according to the United Nations, which a decade ago began pushing pests as a sustainable super-protein for humans, pets, and livestock that can benefit the environment and create jobs in developing countries.
#2 A report that was recently published in a major scientific journal says that 2,205 different kinds of insects are now being consumed all over the globe…
A 2024 report titled “The global atlas of edible insects: analysis of diversity and commonality contributing to food systems and sustainability,” has identified 2205 species consumed across 128 countries. Published in the science journal Nature, it notes that Asia has the highest number of edible insects (932 species), followed by North America (mainly Mexico), and Africa. The countries with the highest consumption of insect are Mexico (452 species), Thailand (272 species), India (262 species), China (235 species), and Japan (123 species).
#3 According to CNN, Singapore has just approved 16 different types of edible insects “for sale and consumption”…
Singapore’s state food agency has approved 16 species of edible insects for sale and consumption in the country, according to a July 8 public circular addressed to food traders.
“With immediate effect, SFA will allow the import of insects and insect products belonging to species that have been assessed to be of low regulatory concern,” the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said in its release.
Insects approved by the SFA include locusts, grasshoppers, mealworms and several species of beetle. “These insects and insect products can be used for human consumption or as animal feed for food-producing animals,” SFA said, adding that insects could not be “harvested from the wild.”
#4 The largest insect farm in the entire world is located in France…
In Europe, France is the center of European insect farming for animal and plant feed; a biotechnology company, InnovaFeed owns the world’s largest insect farm at 55,000 sqm that produces 15,000 tons of protein a year.
#5 In April 2024, InnovaFeed opened an absolutely enormous “research and innovation center focused on insects” in Decatur, Illinois…
More recently, in April 2024, Innovafeed inaugurated its first research and innovation center focused on insects in North America: the NAIIC (North American Insect Innovation Center), with the presence of Illinois Governor JB Pritzker.
#6 An app that allows Germans to scan food products at the grocery store indicates that a whole host of things that Germans regularly eat have bug parts in them…
A German app called Insekten Scanner scans the barcode of a food product to tell you whether it includes insect parts in the ingredients. The app, which was first developed in late 2023 and now has over 100,000 downloads, recently went viral on X after several viral posts caused outrage among Americans.
The account Wall Street Silver (@WallStreetSilv) posted a video on May 2 of a user in a German supermarket scanning items with the app, which they captioned “‘We will NOT eat the bugs’ has become reality.”
In the video, the user repeatedly receives the message “Insekten Gefunden” or “Insects Found.” Items include pudding cups, premade meals, and even chocolate candies. “Everything has bugs,” one user replied.
#7 The very first “insect restaurant” in the United Kingdom is getting a lot of attention for the very unique dishes that it is offering to customers…
Grub Kitchen in Wales, the United Kingdom’s first insect restaurant, focuses on sustainability and is the vision of chef Andy Holcroft. The menu ranges from minced insect Bolognese to mealworm hummus and mixed insect pakoras fried with vegetables and served with mango chutney. Grub Kitchen largely has good reviews on TripAdvisor, but one reviewer was sceptical of eating insects, writing: “If this is the future, kill me now.”
#8 There are numerous websites that now offer insect-based products to U.S. consumers. One of those websites claims that “crickets contain 10 times more vitamin B12 than beef”…
Different types of insects contain different amounts of nutrients, but they tend to be dense in protein, iron and calcium among other nutrients.
MightyCricket, a US-based website that sells cricket powder, says crickets contain 10 times more vitamin B12 than beef.
#9 It is being reported that Thailand already has over 20,000 insect farms…
According to the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, Thailand can produce over 7,000 tonnes of economic insects annually. Thailand has more than 20,000 insect farms, especially cricket farms, the office said.
#10 In one region of India, silkworms are so popular that they are “available at every market”…
Silkworms are considered a delicacy in some northeastern states of India. In Nagaland, a state on the Myanmar border, silkworms are available at every market. Known as “eri puka” in Nagamese, the silkworms are fried, tossed together with spices, vegetables and bamboo shoots. Crispy fried grasshopper is also a common snack in the state.
#11 Here in the United States, more than 2 million taxpayer dollars were spent to create “the Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming”…
In 2021 the U.S. National Science Foundation awarded Texas A&M and two other universities a $2.2 million grant to establish the Center for Environmental Sustainability Through Insect Farming. Sixteen multinational companies, including Mars and Tyson Foods, also joined as member organizations.
#12 Insect protein has become a multi-billion dollar industry in North America, and it is being projected that it will experience tremendous growth during the years ahead…
The North American insect protein market was valued at nearly $48 billion in 2023, according to Data Bridge Market Research. It’s projected to reach over $274 billion by 2031.
Are you starting to get the picture?
It won’t be too long before bug parts are in most of our processed foods, and they aren’t even trying to hide what they have planned. The following comes from a Bloomberg editorial entitled “You Will Eat Bugs — and Like It”…
Picture this: It’s the year 2093. Your great, great grandaughter is hosting a dinner party for her friends tonight in honor of the total solar eclipse. She starts on the bug board, taking care to assemble the tinned locusts. The hot honey hornets are next. After that, it’s the scorpion kimchi and the ant guacamole. Then she takes the baked casu martzu — a Sardinian cheese that contains live insect larvae — out of the oven and tops it with faux caviar. Wanting to keep dessert simple, she drone-ordered some Micolino’s ice cream. Guests can top it with cricket sprinkles if they want.
Of course this fictional scenario will never become reality.
No matter how many insect farms they set up, it will only make a very small dent in the nightmarish global famines that are coming.
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Numerous long-term trends are combining to create a “perfect storm” for global food production that is unlike anything that has ever been witnessed in all of human history.
So they can keep trying to encourage everyone to eat bugs all they want, but in the end it really isn’t going to make much of a difference.
Michael’s new book entitled “Chaos” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com, and you can subscribe to his Substack newsletter at michaeltsnyder.substack.com.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
