Reasons for human aversion to insects
The study reveals that humans' aversion to eating insects is rooted in historical, environmental, and genetic factors, not just cultural ones. Insects were rarely consumed in Europe and Central Asia. Researchers found that Neanderthals ate insects more frequently, especially in tropical regions. The results also showed that contemporary humans in northern Eurasia have evolved genes that reduce their ability to digest insect shells, explaining the decline in this behavior in those areas, while the pattern persisted in tropical regions. However, modern food production techniques may enable greater insect consumption in the future, while reducing the need to digest chitin.
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