Eating Bamboo Shoots - Does the Asian Delicacy Benefit Your Health?

Eating bamboo shoots is a regular choice in Asian households. The tradition of eating bamboo shoots has been going on for centuries. Bamboo shoots are popular for their high nutritional content along with their unique flavor and their crispy texture.

Bamboo shoots can be enjoyed in soup, salads, and curries after softening their woody exterior that is by cooking them. They can be highly nutritious when consumed properly and taking proper precautions.

In this article, we will discuss more about bamboo shoots along with their nutritional benefits and what risks they might carry.

---

Eating Bamboo Shoots: What are Bamboo Shoots?

What are bamboo shoots and how can you inculcate it into your diet? (Image by Montian Noowong on Vecteezy)

Bamboo shoots are obtained from the bamboo plants. It is the edible shoots present in the bamboo plants. Shoots are packed with nutrients as they are collected at the stage when the plant is about to reach its maturity. This provides it with high nutrition content.

The most common species used for the consumption of shoots are Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis.

Originally the shoots are quite hard in nature due to the woody texture in its exteriors. So for proper consumption, the shoots are peeled, soaked, boiled, and cooked.

What makes bamboo shoots special is its high nutritional value. Bamboo shoots consist of a significant amount of proteins, calories, fiber, and copper. Along with this it also has significant amounts of vitamin B6 and E.

Thus, adding these shoots to your diet can be a healthy addition to your daily routine.

---

Health Benefits of Eating Bamboo Shoots?

The health benefits of bamboo shoots (image by Freepik on Freepik)

There are various health benefits that bamboo shoots come with, they help in effective cholesterol management and can also support in weight loss.

It has been found that eating bamboo shoots can help you control your cholesterol levels in the body. There have been studies conducted where it has been found that regular consumption of it can significantly reduce your cholesterol levels.

This is possible due to the presence of soluble fibers in the bamboo shoots which are known to reduce cholesterol in the body.

In addition to this, the consumption of shoots can also help you with your low carbohydrate diet. Since they are rich in minerals, vitamins and low in carbs, it will enable you to follow the low carb diet which in turn is beneficial for the heart and may prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Stimulating hunger is another thing bamboo shoots can help with. It is due to the high concentration of cellulose that helps the food move through the digestive system effectively, increasing appetite and preventing constipation.

---

Risks related to Bamboo Shoots

Bamboo shoots raw (Image by Freepik on Freepik)

With all the benefits of eating bamboo shoots, there are some precautions that should be taken before the preparation of it.

Bamboo trees when cut, consist of cyanide in it. Which when consumed in significant amounts can act as a poison for the body. Boiling and soaking the shoots can reduce the cyanide contents and make it suitable for consumption.

Moreover, bamboo shoots can also affect thyroid function by hindering its production. The presence of goitrogens can do this. However, proper preparation of it can make it safe for consumption.

For proper preparation removing the peels of bamboo shoots and boiling them in salted water for 20 minutes can make it ready for cooking.

---

In conclusion, eating bamboo shoots can be a great addition to your diet as it provides you with nutritional as well as health benefits. However, it should be prepared with proper precautions in order to avail all the health benefits of it.