Trendy Female Beauty: Eating Insects
Pale, plump, half-a-thumb-long bamboo worms, resembling wingless dragonflies—water skimmers—looking like garlic cloves, bee pupae... These somewhat eerie insects have become favorites among some young women in Beijing. How? By eating them. Why? "They’re said to be good for beauty."
After interviewing several "insect-eaters," I found a few at a Yunnan-style bar named "WE" near Longbo Plaza. One woman who ordered only bamboo worms and water skimmers said she wasn't a dedicated "insect eater," just occasional. "I don’t find them disgusting at all—they actually taste good."
The bar owner said his shop opened less than three months ago, already attracting over ten regular customers—mostly women—who always order one or two insect dishes. "They claim it’s good for beauty," he said. "I don’t know for sure, but I serve them because they’re a specialty of Yunnan."
Does eating insects really help beauty? Professor Zhang Guoxi, a senior expert in health preservation at the China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine’s Xiyuan Hospital, says certain insects do offer beauty benefits. "Insects are rich in essential nutrients for humans, including proteins and fats. Studies prove regular insect consumption helps combat modern urban ailments like obesity and hypertension. In the West, eating insects is gaining acceptance—specialty stores in London sell canned products made from crickets, bees, and caterpillars, and there are even farms dedicated to breeding insects."