But now look at the overwhelming African migratory locust, and then look at the so-called madness on the Internet? China's food culture can eat anything, as soon as you arrive in China? And so on, many people can't help wondering why the ancients couldn't eat locusts to tide over the crisis of lack of food. Is it because locusts are poisonous or have parasites?
▲ African locust disaster horror scene
In fact, according to the analysis of modern nutrition, locusts are not only nontoxic, but also the species with the highest proportion of protein among wild animals, among which protein accounts for more than 50% of its own, while the proportion of fat does not exceed 5% of its own. From the perspective of modern fitness, it is simply the best food to lose weight and shape. According to nutrition experts, after cooking locusts of the same quality, protein will be three or four times higher than steak of the same quality.
Then, since locusts have such high edible value, why did the ancients prefer to be hungry rather than eat?
China's food culture is extensive and profound. In fact, no matter whether it is Han nationality or ethnic minority compatriots, there have been various ways of cooking and eating locusts in China for a long time, with various patterns and strange things. A province with a large number of ethnic minorities like Yunnan, is there? Eighteen monsters in Yunnan, three grasshoppers and one dish? Statement; For example, Hani compatriots also have a unique diet. This dish about locusts is called grasshopper pickle.
▲ Mojiang pickled grasshopper
Maybe some Han people don't know much about the diet of ethnic minorities, and even find locusts hard to swallow, but that's because after the founding of New China, our life is getting better and better, and there are fewer and fewer locusts. In fact, some cities today are rumored to have eaten a lot of locusts, such as Tianjin, a municipality directly under the Central Government of China, where there are not only? Fried grasshoppers? This practice is even unique? Pancake roll grasshopper? Our food.
Then, since we can make locusts delicious a long time ago, why do people prefer to eat people or starve to death when locusts break out? In fact, there are four reasons.
One of the reasons is superstition. In ancient times, whenever we encountered any natural or man-made disasters, the helpless ancient people blamed it on God's punishment. The sudden and sudden disappearance of the locust plague puzzled people, so it was also attributed to God's punishment.
The most typical story is that in the early years of the Tang Dynasty, a large-scale locust plague occurred, and the whole country was terrible at that time. Many people blamed the disaster on Li Shimin's immorality. The ministers didn't say anything, but they also had fears, which made Li Shimin have to find some live locusts to eat directly, which eased everyone's inner anxiety. But even so, people are still full of fear of locust plague and still dare not eat it to solve hunger.
Actually, you don't need to explain, just? Locust? How to write this word? Worm, emperor? All represent the people's fear of locust plague. After all, in traditional culture, the emperor? Words are of supreme significance. So with this superstitious fear, even if people can eat locusts at ordinary times, who dares to eat them when they are punished by heaven? An angel? And then what?
The second reason is that it is precisely because of the fear of locust plague in the hearts of the ancients that people often eat their own stored food and preserved food to maintain their lives, rather than having to. However, the plague of locusts comes and goes quickly. After they eat their food, even if they are hungry, the locusts have already eaten their food and fled, and they can only encounter the disaster of hunger.
The third reason is the species of locusts. Most ancient people lived on the small-scale peasant economy, which was extremely fragile. After all, there are only a few people who have surplus grain at home, but those who don't have surplus grain begin to fight locusts for a long time in hunger, regardless of willy-nilly. In fact, some people try to use locusts as food in history books.
▲ Horror scene of locust plague
However, in fact, the types of locusts in the locust plague are actually different from what people usually eat. People usually eat locusts commonly known as? Grasshopper? Although they are also harmful to food crops, their signs and habits make it difficult for them to form locust plagues. The locusts in the locust plague are migratory locusts, which are generally larger than grasshoppers, like to live in groups, act in unison, and fly at a speed of 15 km per hour. So in the face of this overwhelming plague of locusts, most people can't catch a few even if they want to hunt, and they all fly away.
The fourth reason is that even if someone is good at hunting locusts, they can still catch a lot, but in the absence of preservation technology in ancient times, the meat of locusts is very perishable and difficult to preserve for a long time. Some people may think that it can be preserved, but ancient salt is the foundation of people's livelihood and a luxury. Where do ordinary people get so much money to pickle locusts?