Insects for dinner?

Insects may be man's biggest enemy since ancient times. There are mainly three reasons why humans hate bugs so much.

First, bugs are ugly and we humans hate ugly things. When was the last time you heard somebody praise a grasshopper for looking so cute? Other ugly things which we dislike include the blobfish, monkfish and Rebecca Black fish.

Second, bugs are irritating creatures. Insects are always present to distract us from working, playing and well, sleeping. Other stuff which we find irritating include crows, baby cries and Jeanette Aw's voice.

Lastly, we hate bugs simply because we dare not eat them. At least more than half of us in this world would not consider putting a bug into our mouths. "I would rather be a monk and remain a vegetarian for the rest of my life than eat an insect!" you might say.

However, the last point is set to change. Bugs will still remain ugly and irritating just like how the Philippines remains unapologetic for killing a Taiwanese fisherman. But, if we change our perception of insects and pluck up the courage to consume them, the last point will cease to exist.

That is what the Food and Agriculture Organization is advocating. A diet which is rich in protein. Hang on, we are not talking about pork chops or hard-boiled eggs. It's insects! Yes, in a report released on Monday, the United Nations urged more people to supplement their diets with insects.

According to the report, there are already two billion people in this world who include creepy crawlies in their diets. Biologists have studied the nutritional value of insects and some of them like crickets and grasshoppers, can rival red meat in terms of protein per gram.

Other than keeping you full and providing a nutritional boost, the consumption of insects is also known to be environmentally-friendly. These living things emit less ammonia than pigs and reproduce very quickly unlike cows.

If eating insects becomes a norm in the neat future, we might get to see local dishes like char kway teow with cockroach topping, cheese plus worms prata and spider hor fun. Sounds disgusting? Yeah, we'll rather eat Kim Jong Un's fat belly with kimchi.