It's time to start eating bugs, say scientists and chefs

Researchers in Scotland say that replacing beef with bugs could save the planet. (Reuters)

Want to help save the planet? Start eating bugs.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh and Scotland’s Rural College found that replacing half the world’s meat consumption with consumption crickets and mealworms would cut farmlands by one-third. This would help reduce greenhouse gases and stave off climate change.

Professor Dominic Moran, of Scotland’s Rural College as well as the University of York, wrote in a press release, “The environmental challenges facing the global agricultural industry are increasing,” adding that introducing these “alternative foods … into our diets [could] alleviate some of this pressure.”

If you needed more of an incentive, noshing on insects could help expand your palate. In "On Eating Insects: Essays, Stories and Recipes" (Phaidon Press; out now), researchers at Nordic Food Lab provide recipes to whip up at your next dinner.

For example, bee pollen is loaded with lactic acid bacteria, which can be used to make a creamy cultured butter that pairs perfectly with toast. Meanwhile, agave worms, which can be found near Mexico City, can be mixed into salsas and tamales to create a smoky, savory condiment.

Looking to whip up a unique cocktail? Adding ants to a gin and tonic adds a citrus-y kick to your drink. Or you could mix hornet liquor with whiskey and soda water for a slightly sweet alternative to a whiskey sour.

This article originally appeared in the New York Post.