While consumers’ reluctance to eat insects may limit their consumption, even a small increase would bring benefits, the team says.
This could potentially be achieved by using insects as ingredients in some pre-packaged foods.
Researchers say that replacing meat with crickets and mealworms could help tackle climate change
It is the first study to do so.
They said it would cut farmland use which would reduce emissions of greenhouse gases
The environmental challenges facing the global agricultural industry are increasing
Dr Peter Alexander
Beef is by far the least sustainable, the team says.
In contrast to previous studies, lab-grown meat was found to be no more sustainable than chicken or eggs, requiring an equivalent area of land but using more energy in production.