Bamboo Shoots: Nutrition and Health Benefits

BAMBOO SHOOTS: NUTRITION AND HEALTH BENEFITS

Bamboo shoots are young stems or shoots approaching from the ground, bamboo shoots are a part of the bamboo plant and form an essential ingredient in dishes of many Asian countries, like India, Indonesia, Nepal, Vietnam, Philippines, China, Japan and Uganda. Edible bamboo shoots are of two types, namely, winter and spring shoots.

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BAMBOO SHOOTS

As compared to the winter shoots, the spring shoots are larger and tougher. They come in both fresh and canned forms although the canned bamboo shoots are easier to find as compared to the fresh ones. They are used in many recipes such as snacks, curries, stir-fries, soups, salads and fried rice. Certainly, fresh ones are better than in-cans.

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Nutritional Value

Amount of Bamboo Shoot: 1 cup

Total Weight of Bamboo Shoot: 120 g

Nutrients Amount

Water 115 g

Ash 1.0 g

Proteins 1.8 g

Calories

Total Calories 13.2

Calories From Carbohydrates 6.5

Calories From Fat 2.2

Calories From Proteins 4.5

Carbohydrates

Total Carbohydrates 1.8 g

Dietary Fiber 1.2 g

Fats & Fatty Acids

Total Fat 0.3 g

Saturated Fat 0.1 g

Poly-saturated Fat 0.1 g

Omega-3 Fatty Acids 18.0 mg

Omega-6 Fatty Acids 99.6 mg

Vitamins

Riboflavin 0.1 mg

Niacin 0.4 mg

Vitamin B6 0.1 mg

Folate 2.4 mcg

Pantothenic Acid 0.1 mg

Minerals

Calcium 14.4 mg

Iron 0.3 mg

Magnesium 3.6 mg

Phosphorus 24.0 mg

Potassium 640 mg

Sodium 288 mg

Zinc 0.6 mg

Copper 0.1 mg

Manganese 0.1 mg

Selenium 0.5 mcg

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Health Benefits

• Since bamboo shoots are high in fiber content, they help in preventing chronic constipation and promoting healthier bowel movements.

• The shoots help in removing stomach worms and reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol in the body.

• Since they are low in calories, bamboo shoots prove to be perfect for obese persons, who are trying to reduce weight.

• Being an excellent source of potassium, the shoots help in lowering high blood pressure.

• A good source of phenolic acids, with anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, bamboo shoots reduce the risk of various chronic diseases including heart disease.

• They also help in curing toxemia (internal poisoning).

• The shoots contain phyto-chemicals that are potent antioxidants and have anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.

Practical Tips

• After buying canned bamboo shoots, transfer them to a tightly sealed container, filled with water and refrigerate them immediately. This way, they can be stored for about two weeks.

• Fresh bamboo shoots can last for several days, when stored in the refrigerator.

• Peel the hard outer layer of fresh bamboo shoots, till the off-white tender part is exposed, before cooking them.

• Fresh bamboo shoots should be parboiled before cooking.

• The fresh slices can also be soaked in water for about 24 to 36 hours, to remove the bitterness of the shoots.

• For cooking bamboo shoots, cut them into cubes, sticks or slices and cook them in lightly salted water for about 30 minutes. Then cook them as per your recipe.

Frankly, I prefer the fresh and boiled version as it has less of that “tin can taste”. Besides the stir-fries, some people like to prepare this with gata (coconut milk) as a vegetable, or prawns and gata.

Reference:

http://www.marketmanila.com/archives/labong-bamboo-shoots

http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/health-benefits-of-bamboo-shoot-6590.html

Images from Google Image