The production of food can be very demanding and destructive to our environment. The land is deforested, significant amounts of fossil-fuel-based energy are required and huge amounts of water are consumed. For example, according to the USGS it requires 1,840 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef. Animal protein isn’t the only food type that has high environmental demands. The vegan-friendly almond requires plenty of water as well at a thirsty 404 gallons to produce a similar amount of protein to what is found in a pound of beef.
Food alternatives have great potential to minimize our environmental impact while still providing necessary nutrition. Certain human populations commonly use insects as a major food source, although these people are mainly in Africa and Asia. The environmental impact of insect farming is also much lower. Some studies show that on a nutritional basis, insects require 75% fewer resources than our US conventional food supply!
You can buy insect-based foods, like cricket flour, in the USA. And now a few companies in Europe have started to produce insect-based dog foods. This could be great for the environment and for your pup. In the USA, there are no FDA approved insect-based foods or treats yet. And, more studies are needed to determine the impact on canines and felines. Because of this, the Meat Mutt jury is still out on this one for dogs, but we’ll keep a nose on it. You should do your own research on this as it evolves and possibly becomes a feed option. We’ll be updating this as we learn more!
*Note: we are not endorsing insect-based foods. We are just providing some information on current canine food trends. Enjoy...especially if you like bugs;)
Some interesting links:
Here’s Why You Should Start Eating (More) Bugs
With the environment in mind, a UK company says 40% of its new dog food consists of flies