Bamboo As Food and Medicine

 

Bamboo is rich in minerals and high in fibre, which can be a great addition to any healthy, balanced diet. Bamboo offers a variety of different amino acids, including eight types of amino acids that humans must obtain from a food source because the body does not make these particular amino acids within the body. While most will have to eat several different types of foods to get these eight different amino acids, by including bamboo in your diet, you can get them all in one serving! Imagine, eating one serving of bamboo versus choking on several servings of fruit and vegetables.

Most food choices focus on bamboo shoots, a tender and flavorful vegetable. Once it hardens, the bamboo becomes inedible. But the buds are used in various recipes, such as bamboo candy, beer, sauce, and even soup.

Much like fruits and vegetables, sprouts have a season, too. Since the shoot flowering season lasts only one to four months a year, the buds are not readily available all year round. Bamboo vinegar has also been produced for a variety of reasons, including medicinal purposes. Bamboo vinegar is used to treat various stomach disorders.

With bamboo shoots becoming more and more popular in western cultures, archery harvest can actually be not only a source of food, but an economic one as well. Rural communities that depend on bamboo shoots for food can now rely on bamboo shoots as a source of income and economic growth within their small communities. It's a way the whole planet can return the favour.

As a medicine, bamboo can be used for a variety of ailments, such as intestinal disorders such as diarrhoea. It is also believed to promote healthy bodily functions, such as the female menstrual cycle, while bamboo leaves are known to be antispasmodic and blood thinners. Boiling the leaves and mixing them with palm jaggery can stimulate pregnant women or cause a spontaneous miscarriage of the fetus early in pregnancy. Bamboo shoots themselves aid in the digestion of proteins and can enhance stomach functions. While most of these claims have not been fully substantiated by scientific evidence, this practice has been in place in some cultures for centuries and has proven effective over the years.

Bamboo has a rich history in Asian cultures as a strength and building material, but little is known about its nutritional and medicinal properties. However, as bamboo is further explored and researched, we are learning more about this distinctive and unique herb that pandas have been enjoying for centuries. So whether you're looking for a simple stomach-digesting aid or a nice addition to your backyard landscape, bamboo has a lot to offer you, if you're going to give it a shot. If pandas can eat buds and leaves, it's not inconceivable that we can too!