What People Can Eat

When we talk about food, in certain parts of the world people think of such things as meat at least once a day, different vegetables and fruits, various desserts and beverages.

However, hundreds of millions of people may see little or no meat in their entire lifetime. They have a steady diet of just a few foods, such as rice three times a day, with just a few vegetables. Perhaps on occasion they will have a piece of fish or other meat. Either a better diet is unavailable or they are too poor to afford it.

Yet people the world over eat many things that could help some hungry people elsewhere.

What Is Food?

Food is defined as "nutritive material absorbed or taken into the body of an organism for purposes of growth or repair." It is "anything that nourishes, develops or sustains."

In view of this definition, it seems that there is virtually no end to what can be called food in the plant, animal and insect worlds. In the plant world, for instance, mankind today unfortunately relies on just a few basic crops for food. But at one time or another in history people have eaten several thousand different plant types.

One group of scientists reported on 30 little-known species of tropical plants that could help feed people, but that are not now being utilized. An African scientist noted thousands of species of plants there, but only a few were being used, such as corn, rice and sweet potatoes. And these were "borrowed" from other cultures.

Different Foods

Some say that other little-known crops are too exotic to be eaten. But one scientist answered: "Remember, almost everything is eaten by somebody somewhere."

For example, a scientist recommended earthworms mixed with other food as a high protein source. Are you surprised at that suggestion? Well, Science Digest reported that a woman who majored in home economics at a California university "does eat insects regularly, her favorites being the termite, the grasshopper, the bee and the tribolium, or flour beetle."

A taste panel sampled some of her "delicacies." What did they think of them? After trying her termite pilaf, bee won ton soup, and jiminy bread (which includes either ground-up crickets or grasshoppers), the panel responded enthusiastically. One member said: "Termite pilaf was my favorite."

American anthropologist Aubrey Williams sampled "fish pizza" made with codfish scraps, also caterpillars, roasted grasshoppers, butterflies, earthworms and bee cookies. His response? "I know it sometimes sounds disgusting, but when you stop to think of it, it's not much different from eating snails. And peeling a locust or cockroach to eat isn't much different from peeling a shrimp."

Attitudes Vary

Since all people everywhere are biologically the same, their bodies can be sustained on the same kinds of nutrients. Why, then, is it that not all eat everything that others eat?

Well, how do you feel when you hear about people somewhere eating dog, cat, rat, mouse, snake, frog, earthworm, horse, monkey or elephant? Do you get upset? Whatever your feelings, remember that what you cherish as a favorite food may be considered loathsome by somebody elsewhere.

Therefore, the problem may not be with what is eaten as food. It may depend on where you were born and on what kind of food you have been accustomed to eating since childhood. It could also depend on your religious convictions or your cultural background.

For instance, it may seem revolting to a person raised in North America to hear that people in certain parts of Africa relish the earthworm. Likewise, it could be disgusting to an individual reared in parts of Africa to learn that some people in Europe or America enjoy the frog as meat.

A person in India may be filled with anger to hear that the Europeans and the Americans use the flesh of the cow for food. To a Moslem, it is sacrilegious to eat pork. And some Europeans would laugh at the idea of using corn for adult food, but certain varieties of corn are much desired by other people.

A Balanced View

Hence, the fact that some people eat foods that others consider unusual or revolting is largely a matter of the mind. Since people can eat these things and be sustained in one part of the world, from a physical standpoint everyone else could be nourished by them too.

Man is surrounded by all kinds of foods. But his choosy character has brought about his likes and dislikes. That may be all right in times of plenty, but in times of hunger it denies him nourishment.