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Chapter 1 introduces the key players currently and historically involved in what may be called the entomophagy movement towards more sustainably produced animal protein. There have also been a number of advocates for the study of edible insects in the field of biological anthropology whose contributions have not been as broadly accepted as those who reconstruct hunting and meat eating. This chapter introduces readers to the study of insects as food in the field of anthropology and the challenges of reconstructing the use of a food source in the past that does not easily leave a signal in the archaeological record.

This chapter discusses the future and sustainability of insect consumption. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that livestock is responsible for 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions; as such, it is an important contributor to global warming. Livestock also produces two-thirds of all nitrous oxide released, and of the world's ammonia emissions, which are one of the main causes of acid rain. Insects are cold-blooded; they do not need to metabolize food to maintain a constant body temperature. That is why insects are so efficient at converting feed to an edible product. But people's impression of insects as dirty, creepy, and “to be avoided” has sustained a barrier to innovation for a long time. Therein lies the challenge of the coming years: to discover the many advantages of insects and to overcome prejudices. The best way to do this is to highlight the importance of insects for life on Earth, and to let people taste how delicious they are.

This chapter distinguishes what kinds of insects can be eaten as well as their nutritional value. There are about 6 million insect species on Earth, at least 1,200 of which are edible. However, not all insects can be safely eaten. Most edible insects belong to the four major groups: beetles; hymenoptera, such as ants, bees and wasps; caterpillars; and grasshoppers, locusts, and crickets. The main nutritional components of insects are proteins, fats, and fibers. Insects are a good source of essential amino acids, and insect protein content ranges from between 20 and 75 percent. Edible insects, such as caterpillars, palm beetles, and termites, are rich in polyunsaturated—otherwise known as the good—fatty acids. They are also rich in minerals, containing iron, zinc, vitamins B1, B2, and B12, vitamin A, and vitamin E. The most common form of fiber in insects is chitin. Chitin has been associated with defense against parasitic infection and some allergic conditions.

Reconstructing the behavior of past hominins has numerous limitations. Scientific discovery requires evidence-based research and the paleoanthropological record only preserves fragments of past ways of life. However, the models created here with data collected from extant populations establish hypotheses and predictions for this hominin behavior, which is the important first step in the scientific process. This chapter investigates how future research can inform on the ancient use of insects as food. First, the models presented here were created from currently available data; more research that directly investigates the insect portion of extant diets and increased standardization for the reporting of data will help to refine these data models. Second, numerous analytical methods are available for the reconstruction of past diets and these are explored regarding their potential for informing on hominin use of edible insects. Once the dietary use of insects becomes a more established research focus, evidence will begin revealing itself.

The last chapter addresses why research on edible insects is not nearly as developed compared to meat, and why this imbalance leads to underrepresentation. In paleoanthropology, there is abundant research on hunting and meat eating while other foods are essentially ignored. This impartiality leads to the portrayal of our ancestors as being primarily carnivorous, which in recent years has been incorporated into the “paleo diet” trend. As a popular weight loss program, the paleo diet emphasizes eating real and natural foods that would have been available to our “cavemen” ancestors. The emphasis on real food is a direct response to our over-industrialized food systems, which produce widely available, inexpensive, unhealthy food options. However, another problem with our modern food system is that it is unsustainable and livestock cultivation is the primary culprit for resource waste and greenhouse gas emissions. We should be looking to reduce our meat intake, not increase it. In this regard, edible insects provide an appealing sustainability option: they are efficient to raise and provide the same nutritional benefits as traditionally raised livestock.