Edible Chopsticks Are the Perfect Way to Ruin Dinner

Edible chopsticks are a thing that exists now, and the phrase “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” comes to mind. People have been getting along just fine using their chopsticks and not eating them for thousands of years, but a Tokyo-based company called Marushige Confectionery is changing the game. Marushige’s new product is now available for use and consumption, reports Rocket News 24.

Instead of being formed out of wood, stone, metal, or plastic, these utensils are made from igusa, a type of reed that is typically used in the production of floor mats. And guess what, the chopsticks apparently taste like floor mats. According to Rocket News:

While Japanese cuisine can make use of some very surprising ingredients, igusa isn’t something that most Japanese people consider a food. Making the edible chopsticks an even harder sell is that Marushige openly bills them as “tatami-flavored,” which brings to mind a bitter, dried grass taste.

Chowing down on these chopsticks doesn’t sound like the most delectable way to end a meal, but Marushige does deserve credit for coming up with a creative way to help the environment: eating chopsticks is better for the planet than throwing them in the trash. As an added bonus for anyone who needs to consume more fiber, they contain 60 times the dietary fiber of lettuce, according to this video.

Still, there has to be a better way to improve one’s diet and save the earth. Perhaps carpooling to work every now and then and eating more leafy greens would be more practical.

• Japan’s New Edible Chopsticks Have a Special Flavor, but Don’t Taste Like “Food” [RN24 h/t Munchies]