At Percuro, we like to think our novel protein dog food alternative is pretty great, but we also know feeding insects to their pets is not something everybody has thought about before, less so eating insect protein themselves.
But did you know humans have actually been eating insects as food for millennia, and the minimal environmental cost of farming insects makes them an ideal meat substitute, especially for our furry friends!
The History of Insects as Food
We’ve actually been eating bugs for around ten thousand years. Nowadays, it’s commonly known as ‘entoveganism’.
Ancient humans gathered and ate insects to supplement the meat they hunted. Later on, beetles were considered a delicacy in ancient Rome, where they were reared on flour and wine and eaten by Roman nobility.
Even in the modern age, insects continue to be a huge part of the human diet, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. In these areas, insects ranging from grubs to dragonflies are sold everywhere from supermarkets to restaurants, and by street food vendors. They are quick and easy to prepare, inexpensive, and delicious.
Insects aren’t that popular in the West. Some historians think bugs fell out of favour in the US and Europe as they were seen as pests that ate crops, and as we became more invested in agriculture, this became a cultural belief.
What Are The Environmental Benefits of Insect Nutrition?
Putting aside moral concerns many have about eating meat such as beef, chicken, and pork, raising animals for food is fundamentally terrible for the environment.
Cows, for example, require vast amounts of land and water to raise, which means less water and space for other things like forests and living space. The act of raising them also creates an immense amount of carbon, a greenhouse gas, which is released into the atmosphere and contributes to global warming.
Cows also produce an immense amount of methane, another greenhouse gas, with the average cow expelling around 200l of methane per day. In contrast, producing 1kg of crude insect protein from the Hermetiaillucens fly requires 92% less space, 99% less water, and creates 99% less carbon than making the same amount of beef. The larvae require no fertilisers or pesticides and produce far fewer emissions by themselves than cows.
Overall, insects are a far more environmentally effective protein source than beef, with essentially the same nutritional value. However, we know that making the jump to insects for dinner is a big change that most of us probably aren’t willing to make just yet - but how about your dog?
Insect Protein Dog Food
Percuro is our super sustainable dog food alternative, made from Black Soldier Fly (Hermetiaillucens) larvae instead of traditional meat. By using this green protein alternative, we’ve been able to create a dog food product that is far better for the environment while still packing in all the good stuff your dog needs.
Although insects for dinner might not sound appealing to you, your dog can’t tell the difference! In fact, they might even prefer it. We've found that many dogs have started to eat Percuro after making the choice to move away from traditional meat products, and they love it.
We’ve combined the natural benefits of insect protein with a plant-based recipe full of vitamins, minerals, and everything a healthy dog needs to thrive.
The Dog Food of the Future
