People in Africa love eating 'mosquito burgers' - are they on to something?

Believe it or not, each burger patty is made with up to 600,000 mosquitoes. Be warned: this one's not for the squeamish. In a recent video, content creator Krish Ashok discussed how 'mosquito burgers' are something of a delicacy in Africa, on top of being a good source of animal protein that is. The video, interestingly, asks viewers to "rethink the aversion" given that climate change is upon us. Here's what you need to consider.

Why are 'mosquito burgers' a thing?

From pests to a reliable protein source? | Image: Unsplash/representational

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From pests to a reliable source of animal protein, mosquitoes have made quite the journey if this recent viral video is to be believed. The idea of eating insects isn't new, in fact, a popular tourist hotspot even serves these crispy critters on a stick. But could mosquitoes be taking it too far? The idea may seem counterintuitive even disgusting but there's an argument being made that states that mosquitoes might just solve the planet's food problem especially given how climate change is upon us.

In the clip, content creator Krish Ashok states, ¡°Recently, this viral video showed some people in Africa consuming a mosquito burger. Each patty is made from up to 600,000 mosquitoes that swarm the banks of Lake Victoria during the rainy season.¡±

"For those of you who are disgusted by the idea of eating insects, it¡¯s natural to assume that they are not good for health. But I¡¯m afraid you are totally wrong!¡±

In fact, many experts point to the health benefits of eating insects, with various cultures across the globe having been practising it for centuries.

"MOSQUITO BURGER: It is not surprising that most people have an immediate aversion to the idea of eating insects. Bugs have coexisted with urban civilisations, spreading disease, eating our food and sucking our blood. At the same time, those close to the production of food know how critical insects are for agriculture. No bees - no vegetables and fruits. No earthworms - no agriculture, period. But as climate change is upon us, we must rethink our aversion," Ashok captioned the video.

Trigger warning: the following video shows the consumption of 'mosquito burgers'

How did people react to the video?

Believe it or not, each burger patty is made with up to 600,000 mosquitoes | Image: screengrab

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Not surprisingly, there were a few aches and pains online about the whole idea of the video. But there were some who paused to listen and understand something that didn't quite fit the norm. The video shared on June 10, raked in a million views, 41K likes and various comments.

"People eat what they eat!! It¡¯s simple and it¡¯s the first fact about this glorious world! If you¡¯re not accultured to insects that¡¯s what¡¯s familiar to you. Indigenous communities across India eat insects. Sustainable and healthy. Judging food habits simply because they are unfamiliar is the first step to bigotry. And by the way I¡¯m a conventional egg-vegetarian and squeamish as the next person. But food diversity and diversity in general is a joy," was one user's take.

"People need to know that this is not uncommon in India," another user pointed out. "I bought cricket powder to try once. It was fine but one needs to get used to the taste. If mixed with added flavors, it'd be quite palatable," suggested a third.

What are your views?

Watch the video below

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Krish Ashok (@_masalalab)

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