Bamboo has entered the health food realm thanks to the first review of its dietary benefits – which include helping to regulate blood sugar, fight inflammation and improve gut health.
Researchers from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) gathered, in a study recently in Advances in Bamboo Sciencethe first review that evaluates existing scientific studies on bamboo, the fastest growing plant on the planet.
Although it is a common ingredient in many Asian diets, it is not as well known for its nutritional value in the rest of the world.
“Bamboo is already commonly consumed in parts of Asia and has enormous potential to be a healthy and sustainable addition to diets around the world”, the leader of the research, told . Lee Smithprofessor of Public Health at ARU.
“The multiple health benefits we have identified, including its potential to address modern health challenges such as diabetes and heart disease, are likely due to the nutritional content of bamboo and its extracts, with bamboo rich in proteins, amino acids, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins”, disse Smith.
In previous studies, bamboo had already stood out for its moderate levels of fiber, low fat, amino acids, selenium and potassiumas well as thiamine, niacin and vitamins A, B6 and E.
The benefits of bamboo
It has been reported that bamboo shoots can improve metabolic health and blood sugar control, and that their fiber content — cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin — can benefit intestinal function. Other reports have linked it to lower inflammatory responses and increased antioxidant activity.
Another study, cited by New Altas, concluded that bamboo compounds inhibited the formation of furan and reduced the formation of acrylamide — the toxic chemicals produced when frying or roasting some foods. Still, consumption of some species of raw bamboo has also been associated with the production of cyanogenic glycosides, which can release cyanide.
But not just any bamboo…
“Our review shows the clear promise of bamboo as a possible ‘superfood’”, praises professor Lee Smith, warning that To be ingested “it has to be prepared correctly”.
Despite the existence of more than 1,400 identified species spread across the world, So far, just over 100 species with edible shoots are known..
