You a sushi lover? I like myself an occasional Anago or spicy tuna roll, and I’ve never been one to turn down an inaro-zushi (or two!). Now, what if I told you that there was a more unconventional type of sushi on the market that one Japanese author claims is high in protein, low in fat, and unbelievably tasty? Would you give it a try?

Feast your eyes on the following:

Yep. That’s one mean looking sushi roll. Stuffed with all the Yellow Hornet Larvae you can eat. The critters have been blanched in boiling water for 30 seconds, then served with soy sauce and wasabi.

Before you turn away in disgust, Shoichi Uchiyama, the brainchild behind these buggy platters says that beyond being nutritious, eating insects can help solve the world’s growing food shortages. Check out what he told the Daily Telegraph:

“In order to get 1 kg of beef, we have to raise cows on huge areas of land and give them many more kilos of fodder before they are ready to be slaughtered…insects eat the things that humans don’t and can be kept in much smaller spaces…most importantly, insects are very nutritionally balanced [and have] little fat.”

The man makes a point. He certainly isn’t alone in his argument either; plenty of academics and entomologists have spoken of the benefits of an insect diet. Plus, as one National Geographic article reports, there are plenty of people across all different cultures who eat bugs–and they’ve done it for centuries. Roman and Greek aristocrats dined on insect larvae raised on flour and wine; even the great philosopher Aristotle enjoyed himself a crunchy cicada or two, and wrote of the ideal time to harvest the bugs for a proper meal.

Still, as daring as this foodie is, if I was ever given the opportunity to try an Argentine Cockroach fried in butter, or presented a silkworm pupae to devour, I may very well choose to pass. My stomach just isn’t hardy enough.

Would you ever eat bugs or try one of Shoichi Uchiyama’s recipies? I’d love to know. Leave a comment!