We need protein to function<\/strong> but we also need to protect our planet<\/strong> that is being destroyed by the production of animals, used for meat. Radek Hu\u0161ek<\/strong>, one of the co-founders of SENS bar, explains why mankind should switch to eating insects instead of beef or chicken<\/strong>. \u201cIf we compare it, to produce the same amount of protein as cattle, crickets need 12x less food, 15x less land, 2000x less water and they produce 100x fewer greenhouse gasses. And that\u2019s not even mentioning the moral reasons that are getting more and more important to many people\u201d<\/em>, he concludes.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was Daniel Vach<\/strong> who originally came up with the idea to use insects to create a sustainable change in the food industry<\/strong> and paired with Radek to make it happen. They financed themselves by selling Radek\u2019s previous company and through Daniel\u2019s salary, as he managed to work full time at the beginning of the process. Both were extremely excited about the idea to create something that is both nutritious and sustainable<\/strong> and more morally acceptable than anything we eat nowadays. The only problem was to convince Western customers to eat insects<\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople in the West have a cultural fear of eating insects<\/strong>. That\u2019s why we came up with the idea to create a bar from cricket flour and combine it with other ingredients, so that the final product tastes nothing like insects,\u201d<\/em> Radek reveals. As he continues, the company actually doesn\u2019t want its customers to eat the whole insect. \u201cHave you ever eaten flour worm? After I first swallowed it, I could still feel its tiny legs in my throat. According to us, the perfect way is to make flour from the insect and add the ingredients. Thus, you can\u2019t really feel that you are eating a cricket,\u201d<\/em> he explains.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The startup offers various flavours<\/strong>, from a combination of dark chocolate and orange to peanut butter and cinnamon<\/strong>. There are two types of SENS bar<\/strong>, a protein bar and energy bar. \u201cThe energy bar contains fiber and cricket flour, so it is a great choice for a snack. The biggest hit, however, is our protein bar. It\u2019s unique as it is the world\u2019s first pure ingredients only bar, which contains 20g of complete protein.\u201d<\/em> According to Radek, the protein bar especially appeals to athletes, namely cross fitters<\/strong>, as they focus on building their body while eating healthy.<\/p>\n Quite ironically, the duo behind SENS bar tries to catch the attention of vegans<\/strong> as well. The founders believe that if vegans ate insects, they would lessen animal suffering<\/strong>. How? \u201cWe know this might sound controversial, but there are many vegans who don\u2019t eat meat because of the reason its production destroys our environment. However, so does the production of plants. Animals lose their habitat because of vast mono-cropped fields; birds and butterflies are poisoned by chemicals and rabbits and mice are run over by tractors and other agricultural machinery. It\u2019s not possible to eat and not kill animals,\u201d<\/em> Radek develops.<\/p>\n On the other hand, the moral aspect behind SENS bar is the fact that insects don\u2019t suffer<\/strong>. Their central neutral system is so simple that they are almost certainly unable to feel pain<\/strong>. Before killing, the crickets are frozen and put into hibernation, which mimics diapause, their natural phase of sleeping. Moreover, insects can be fed from organic waste<\/strong>, which mankind cannot consume.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n And where does the cricket flour come from? There are many insect farms, as Radek explains. The one that produces cricket flour for SENS bar is located in Thailand<\/strong>. \u201cWe observed a number of farms and chose the one which offered the best conditions for our purpose.\u201d<\/em> They teamed up with a scientist who specializes in edible insects and with a chef who has 13 years of experience in cooking with insects. It was the chef Petr Ocknecht<\/strong> who gave Radek and Daniel their first insect to eat. Yes, they first came up with the business idea and actually tasted the bugs after that.<\/p>\n It\u2019s quite busy nowadays in the office of SENS bar. After their successful Kickstarter campaign<\/strong> through which 5000 bars were sold and $15.000<\/strong> were raised, the company was offered plenty of opportunities for cooperation. They chose Czech-based accelerator\u00a0UP21<\/strong>, which helps them in the business sphere and provided them with working space as well. At the moment, SENS bar is preparing for its launch. They already initiated a soft launch in April, but as they say, it was mainly a test for communication. \u201cNow, the big start is coming, to be more precise our creative campaign with plenty of videos and greater media coverage,\u201d<\/em> Radek explains.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mensikova.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/SENS-cricket-flour-bar-hands-black.jpg\")
<\/p>\nFood Revolution In The West<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhy Vegans Should Eat Insects Too<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/mensikova.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/08\/SENS-energy_pinecoco-side.jpg\")
<\/p>\nSuccessful Kickstarter Campaign<\/h3>\n
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