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KyleIsThisTall on scored.co
13 days ago2 points(+0/-0/+2Score on mirror)2 children
Let's not convolute things.
This is just a pigment.
They are using the word "parasitic" because most people don't understand what parasitism is, and they associate it with always being a bad thing. It is not, and it has many forms and functions.
Further, as stated, this is just pigment. It is not what is bad about eating bugs, which is chitin, which I will explain.
Chitin is the protein which forms the carapice of insects. When companies pushing eating bugs because they have a high amount of protein by volume they are referring to chitin. The problem is thaonly are humans incapable of digesting chitin into a metabolic form, but chitin is also toxic to humans. Chickens can digest chitin, and insects are important part of the diet of chickens. Chitin is toxic to humans and not able to be used by humans in their diet.
Sure, there are other proteins in insects, but adult insects which have a carapice made of chitin are low in digestable proteins. That is why survivalists instruct those in need of nourishment to seek out larval insects such as grubs, or ant hills, or other such sources of insect protein.
This is just a pigment.
They are using the word "parasitic" because most people don't understand what parasitism is, and they associate it with always being a bad thing. It is not, and it has many forms and functions.
Further, as stated, this is just pigment. It is not what is bad about eating bugs, which is chitin, which I will explain.
Chitin is the protein which forms the carapice of insects. When companies pushing eating bugs because they have a high amount of protein by volume they are referring to chitin. The problem is thaonly are humans incapable of digesting chitin into a metabolic form, but chitin is also toxic to humans. Chickens can digest chitin, and insects are important part of the diet of chickens. Chitin is toxic to humans and not able to be used by humans in their diet.
Sure, there are other proteins in insects, but adult insects which have a carapice made of chitin are low in digestable proteins. That is why survivalists instruct those in need of nourishment to seek out larval insects such as grubs, or ant hills, or other such sources of insect protein.
In fungus, chitin levels decrease when heated, converting the chitin to a dietary fiber.
Even mushrooms with the highest levels of chitin have at most less than 2/3 the amount of chitin by weight compared to insects.