Jul. 02, 2024
Food & Beverage
Bamboo shoots also known as bamboo sprouts are a culinary must-have in various dishes and soups, in Southeast Asian cuisine and in few parts of India.
Want more information on Fresh bamboo leaves for seasoning? Feel free to contact us.
Available in fresh, fermented and canned forms, bamboo shoots have become quite popular in recent years, owing to its highly impressive nutritional profile. These shoots with a crisp texture, are collected from the soil from various bamboo species including Bambusa vulgaris, Phyllostachys edulis, Bambusa oldhamil, etc.
Raw bamboo shoots are loaded with a type of natural toxin called cyanogenic glycosides. These toxins get destroyed during the cooking process, usually by boiling sliced bamboo shoots in large amounts of water for several times.
Bamboo shoots that grow across Japan, China, Taiwan are harvested during summer. In our country, these delicious shoots are a staple of sorts in states like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Jharkhand, Odisha and Karnataka.
In many ancient traditional medicine texts, bamboo shoots are described as &#;The Poor Man&#;s Timber&#;, &#;The Plant With Thousand Faces&#;, &#;The Green Gold&#; owing to its innumerable therapeutic properties. The medicinal uses of bamboo shoots were first chronicled in Chinese books dating back to 618-907 AD and in Japan, it is prized as &#;King of Forest Vegetables.&#;
Bamboo shoots are a powerhouse of proteins, carbohydrates, fiber and minerals. These shoots are very low on fat and sugar making it an ideal snack for the diabetics. The presence of fiber in large quantities known as nutraceuticals helps in dealing with gut issues.
Several studies in recent times revealed that ample amounts of antioxidants, with phenolic compounds in these shoots, help in fighting free radicals and exhibit anti-cancerous, antibiotic and anti-viral properties. Include these shoots in daily diet to reap the benefits of vitamin A, vitamin E, vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, zinc, manganese and other vital minerals.
What&#;s more? One can consume bamboo shoots guilt-free as the calorie count does not exceed 20 calories for every 100 grams. The carbohydrate count is negligible too, as it amounts to only 3 to 4 grams per every 100-gram serving. These shoots are cardiac patient-friendly, as they contain unsaturated fats that help in fighting against bad cholesterol.
Cardiologists recommend eating bamboo shoots daily as it shields the heart from various cardiac ailments. Loaded with phytosterols and phytonutrients, these shoots consumed boiled, fermented help in clearing clogged arteries and dissolve bad or LDL cholesterol. Also Read: 5 Superfoods To Keep Good Cholesterol Up
Being a storehouse of vitamins and minerals, these shoots help in boosting the immunity. Eat these during the onset of monsoon and winter to stay away from viral and bacterial infections. The healthy components also aid in the sharp functioning of the brain and prevent the risk of neurodegenerative diseases.
In India, the juice extracted from these shoots works against poisoning especially in case of snake, scorpion and bites from other venomous creatures. Ayurveda suggests drinking the juice and applying it topically for flushing out the poison.
Bamboo shoots can stimulate uterine contractions thus aiding in normal delivery. Traditional Chinese medicine recommends pregnant women in the last stage of pregnancy to include bamboo dishes in small amounts to facilitate a normal delivery. Also Read: Bring Home Bamboo Rice, Unravel Hidden Secrets of Health
The wide range of vitamins and other compounds present in these shoots strengthen the lungs and improve its functioning. To flush out phlegm from the lungs, boil washed bamboo shoots in hot water for minutes. Cool it down and mix it with honey. Drink it twice as it serves as a natural expectorant. This decoction also helps in easing breathing problems and other respiratory conditions.
Bamboo shoots are one of the best sources of potassium and phosphorus. One serving of bamboo shoots has twice the amount of potassium as a banana that amounts to about 13% of daily required levels of potassium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate. Moreover, by countering the effects of sodium, it keeps blood pressure under control. Potassium and phosphorus also maintain healthy bones and help the body build its muscle strength.
Bamboo shoots are known to be rich in silica content. Silica is the third most overflowing element in the human body after zinc and iron. Silica increases tissue levels of hydroxyproline, a key amino acid required for collagen and elastin synthesis. Besides, collagen production leads to hydration of skin, a smooth texture, radiance and a youthful bounce.
The antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of Bamboo make it a powerful remedy for body rejuvenation and cell growth. Bio active compounds such as Phytosterols are extensively present in fresh or fermented bamboo shoots. These compounds are anti-allergic, antioxidants, antibacterial, antifungal, neuroprotective and have anti aging properties. This is primarily the reason that Bamboo is becoming a key ingredient in skincare products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Bamboo shoots, with their low-calorie and high-fibre content, are a unique addition to your diet. They not only aid in weight management but also promote digestive health. Moreover, their rich antioxidant profile can help combat inflammation and protect against chronic diseases.
Bamboo shoots are low in calories and fibre, which can help you feel full and satisfied, making it easier to follow a calorie-restricted diet and lose weight.
Bamboo shoots are a good source of fibre, which can support healthy digestive system functioning, improve gut health, and help prevent constipation.
Yes, bamboo shoots are tolerated and safe to eat when cooked properly. Raw bamboo shoots contain toxins that can be harmful if ingested, so cooking them thoroughly before consuming them is important.
Bamboo shoots can be used in making several delicacies like stir-fries, soups, and salads. They can also be pickled or canned for longer shelf life.
References:
The Nutritional Facts of Bamboo Shoots and Their Usage as Important Traditional Foods of Northeast India
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC/
Bamboo shoots: an exploration into its culinary heritage in India and its nutraceutical potential
Biswajeet Acharya, Amulyaratna Behera, Prafulla Kumar Sahu, Fahima Dilnawaz, Suchismeeta Behera, Bimalendu Chowdhury & Durga Prasad Mishra
Journal of Ethnic Foods volume 10, Article number: 22 ()
https://journalofethnicfoods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10./s-023--7
The content provided here is for informational purposes only. This blog is not intended to substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider for any questions or concerns you may have regarding a medical condition. Reliance does not endorse or recommend any specific tests, physicians, procedures, opinions, or other information mentioned on the blog.
Bamboo is a resource that has many benefits. It&#;s renewable, durable, and stylish. But is bamboo eco-friendly?
It certainly is the new darling of the eco-friendly movement&#;but does it live up to the almost mythical status some in the green (and traditional) media would have you believe?
The answer is: sometimes, but not always.
Bamboo is incredible when used for the proper application and manufactured in the right way.
But beware - some unscrupulous brands can use it to try to trick you into believing their products are more sustainable than they really are!
In this article, I'll discuss the pros and cons of bamboo, when you should (and shouldn't) buy it, and how to tell a genuine eco-friendly product from a fake.
What is Bamboo and Why Do We Use It?
Bamboo is a type of grass native to many parts of Asia, Africa, and South America.
There are over 1,200 different species of bamboo, with the majority being found in Southeast Asia.
The most common type of bamboo used for construction and manufacturing is Moso bamboo, which is native to China.
Humans have used bamboo for centuries, for everything from building homes and bridges to creating musical instruments and works of art.
However, in recent years, bamboo has become increasingly popular as a sustainable material for various applications, from flooring and furniture to clothing and accessories.
6 Reasons Why Bamboo Is Sustainable
Bamboo is often hailed as a miracle plant, and it&#;s easy to see why.
Here are a few reasons why bamboo has been making sustainability waves over the past decade or so.
Bamboo is one of the strongest and most durable materials on the planet. It has a higher compressive strength than concrete and a tensile strength that rivals steel!
This makes bamboo an ideal material for construction and a wide range of other applications.
Unlike many other trees, which can take decades to reach maturity, bamboo can grow up to four feet in just 24 hours. This makes bamboo an extremely renewable resource.
It can be harvested regularly without damaging the environment. Harvested bamboo can regrow from its own system of roots. No replating is required.
Bamboo is a very low-maintenance crop. It does not require pesticides or fertilizers, and it can be grown in a wide range of climates and soil types.
Thanks to its deep roots and ability to prevent erosion, bamboo is often used to rehabilitate degraded soils.
Bamboo is a very efficient user of water. It can grow in areas with as little as 20 inches of rainfall per year and requires far less water than other crops, such as cotton.
Bamboo can be used for many applications, from construction and manufacturing to food and fuel.
It&#;s also a sustainable alternative to other materials, such as plastic, metal, and wood.
Bamboo is highly efficient at absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen.
According to the Guardian, bamboo produces 35% more oxygen than trees and can absorb 12 tonnes of carbon dioxide per hectare per year.
6 Negative Aspects of Bamboo Sustainability
Despite its many advantages, bamboo does have a few potential drawbacks. Here are a few things to consider before your next bamboo purchase.
While bamboo forests are often praised for their ability to regenerate and rehabilitate degraded soils quickly, they can also be very invasive.
Some bamboo species are classified as &#;invasive weeds&#; in many parts of the world.
Harvesting bamboo can be tricky, especially if you&#;re trying to do it without the help of machinery.
If you want to learn more, please visit our website Natural Bamboo Leaves bulk.
The best time to harvest bamboo is during the dry season when the stems are solid and less likely to break.
However, this can be a problem for farmers in areas with high rainfall, as the dry season may not last long enough for the bamboo to reach maturity.
Quality bamboo can be expensive, especially if you&#;re buying it from a country where it&#;s not native and have to pay shipping costs.
Financial cost aside, there is also an environmental impact of shipping bamboo from China (where the vast majority of the world&#;s bamboo is grown) to the U.S.
Bamboo is often grown in monocultures (all other plants, etc., are removed from the bamboo forest), which can lead to biodiversity loss.
When bamboo is grown in large plantations, it can crowd out other plants and animals.
Bamboo is not fully immune to pests and diseases.
For example, the bamboo caterpillar has recently become a problem in China.
Sustainable Uses Of Bamboo
Bamboo is slowly growing in popularity as a construction material in the U.S., but we still have a long way to go to catch up with the East.
In countries like China, unprocessed bamboo is used instead of timber and steel.
Bamboo is a popular material for housing construction due to its lightweight nature, incredible strength, and abundant supply.
Thanks to its waterproof and antibacterial properties, bamboo makes an excellent replacement for wood and plastic in bathroom essentials, such as biodegradable razors, sustainable toothbrushes, and biodegradable bamboo Sonicare heads.
Move over, quinoa. There&#;s a new superfood in town, and it&#;s here to stay.
Bamboo shoots are not only delicious but also offer numerous health benefits:
Raw bamboo shoots contain cyanogenic glycosides, so always ensure that you cook them before consumption.
My favorite way to cook bamboo shoots is to toss them in a stir fry with lots of sesame oil!
Bamboo flooring is a sustainable and beautiful alternative to hardwood floors.
It&#;s durable, easy to clean, and comes in various colors and styles to suit any home.
Make sure that if your bamboo flooring is held together with glue, it doesn&#;t contain formaldehyde, melamine, or other nasties.
Bamboo dinnerware is becoming more popular and slowly replacing more traditional options on dinner tables of my fellow tree huggers up and down the land.
There are two things to bear in mind, though, before dishing up dinner on a bamboo plate:
Looking to protect your device from drops and spills?
Ditch the wood and plastic and go for a bamboo case instead.
Yep&#;they&#;re a thing now!
As discussed earlier, bamboo plants are seriously sustainable when compared to trees. So, it stands to reason that most paper products could be replaced with a sustainable bamboo option.
This is undoubtedly the case with natural toilet paper!
Despite its softness, bamboo toilet paper is actually stronger than standard toilet paper. Your tush and the planet will thank you.
Bamboo is hypoallergenic and naturally resistant to bacteria, mold, and mildew, making it ideally suited to mattress applications.
Bamboo can produce some wonderfully comfortable, naturally temperature-regulating mattresses when mixed with natural latex. See our bamboo mattress reviews to find the best brands on the market in .
When produced by ethical companies, using eco-friendly closed-loop manufacturing practices, bamboo is a perfect material for bedding, as you'll see from these 100% organic bamboo sheets. They're wonderfully cooling and ideal for hot sleepers.
Bamboo can be an excellent non-toxic and sustainable material for both men's and women's bamboo pajamas.
It&#;s soft, naturally absorbent, and keeps you cool and comfortable all night.
A Less Sustainable Use Of Bamboo
Ok. I know I mentioned bedding and pajamas above. Let me explain.
When done ethically and sustainably with minimal chemicals, bamboo fabric can be a sustainable snuggly wonder.
However, greenwashing is rife in industrial textile production, and, unfortunately, ethical and sustainable bamboo fabric is still the exception and not the rule.
Turning tough bamboo fibers into silky bamboo clothes is not easy and often involves a lot of questionable chemicals, such as sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide.
This is why Global Organic Textile Standards (GOTS) don&#;t certify chemically processed bamboo fiber or fabric (even when made with organically grown bamboo).
Mechanically processed bamboo fabric (also called bamboo linen) is much more sustainable because it&#;s produced using a chemical-free process. However, the end product is rough and not very popular with consumers.
You can read my detailed take on all things bamboo clothing and sustainable fabric here.
Can You Grow Your Own Bamboo?
You can buy bamboo plants at most garden centers, or you can find them online.
Once you have your bamboo plant, all you need to do is water it and give it some sunlight. In no time, you&#;ll have a beautiful bamboo forest in your backyard!
There are some things to keep in mind when growing bamboo, however:
Despite these potential drawbacks, bamboo is a great plant to grow. It&#;s easy to care for and a beautiful addition to any yard.
Also, if you&#;re planning to grow bamboo in your yard, be sure to research the local laws and regulations first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, bamboo is more sustainable than plastic. Bamboo grows quickly and doesn&#;t require harsh chemicals or pesticides to thrive, making it a much more eco-friendly option than traditional plastics made from oil and other petrochemicals.
Bamboo is a grass, not wood, so you cannot always recycle it with wood products and wood pulp.
However, some companies are working on developing recycling processes for bamboo products. Untreated bamboo products will happily break down on your backyard compost heap, though.
As things currently stand in the textile industry, I feel the answer to this question is two-fold.
Bamboo fabric is generally a more eco-friendly material than traditional cotton. Organic cotton is generally more eco-friendly than bamboo fabric.
This depends on numerous factors, such as the thickness of the bamboo and if there are any other materials present (such as coatings, etc.).
However, given the right conditions, a piece of untreated natural bamboo will decompose in around eight weeks.
According to ABC Australia, &#;Monastery Bamboo (Thyrostachys siamensis), like all bamboos, produces an amazing amount of leaf litter, so it&#;s very wise not to put it next to a gutter. It makes fantastic compost, and you can rake it up and use it on beds as mulch&#;.
Bamboo has no respect for boundaries, but there are steps you can take.
According to jacksonville.com, &#;because it&#;s virtually impossible to stop bamboo from spreading, the American Bamboo Society recommends installing a concrete or fabric barrier that works like an underground fence. Also recommended is a trench 18 inches deep and 12 inches wide filled with small pebbles or pea gravel&#;.
The Final Word
So, is bamboo eco-friendly? The answer is a resounding yes, but there are a few things to consider before filling your home and office with bamboo products.
Bamboo is a solid, durable, and versatile material, making it ideal for many applications.
But it&#;s also a product full of unsustainable and unethically manufactured pitfalls.
My advice would be to go for products where the bamboo has gone through the minimal amount of processing possible.
Are you onboard with bamboo? Do you appreciate the environmentally friendly benefits of bamboo production? Or are you still on the fence? Drop me a line and let me know.
Are you interested in learning more about Green Bamboo Leaves factory? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
Previous: None
If you are interested in sending in a Guest Blogger Submission,welcome to write for us!
All Comments ( 0 )