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When loading up on superfoods, bamboo shoots are unlikely to make it on to your plate. But the world’s first academic review into the plant has identified a surprising range of health benefits, from boosting gut health to protecting your heart.
The ‘new’ superfood has been a staple in Asian cuisine for centuries, but new research indicates it could have an important role to play in diets worldwide.
Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth, with some varieties growing 90cm a day – leading researchers to believe it could be a hidden superfood.
Professor Lee Smith, public health researcher and study lead author, said: ‘The multiple health benefits we identified, including its potential to tackle modern health challenges like diabetes and heart disease, are likely due to the nutritional content of bamboo and its extracts.’
Aside from adding texture, bamboo shoots fit with this years wellness obsession: gut health.
Rich in protein and naturally low in fat, bamboo is a good, nutrient dense option – but, it’s also packed full of essential vitamins and minerals helping support gut health whilst reducing inflammation and oxidative stress.
In the review, conducted by experts at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, researchers analysed how bamboo consumption influenced metabolic health in human trials and lab experiments on human cells.
They found that bamboo consumption resulted in better glycemic control, meaning the plant may help regulate uncontrolled blood sugar levels, a major contributor to diabetes.
It was also linked to improvements in blood-fat, or lipid, profiles leading researchers to believe that eating bamboo could help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, by keeping so-called bad cholesterol in check.
As a good source of dietary fibre, bamboo shoots have also been shown to improve bowel functions in humans.
Eating a diet high in fibre has long been shown to reduce the risk of bowel cancer, reducing the amount of time potentially harmful toxins spend in contact with the bowel wall.
Human studies also showed an increase in anti-inflammatory activity and lower cell toxicity following the consumption of bamboo.
Lab experiments revealed probiotic effects, implying that it could increase the amount of ‘good bacteria’ within the gut.
Probiotics are thought to help restore the natural balance of bacteria in the gut, when its been disrupted by an illness or treatment. According to the NHS, there’s even some evidence that probiotics may ease symptoms of irritable bowel disease (IBS).
Compounds found in the fibrous food were also found to inhibit the formation of potentially harmful toxins such as furna and acrylamide which can be activated by roasting or air frying foods at high temperatures.
This, the researchers say, indicates bamboo could be used to make other foods safer – but further research is needed to test this claim.
There are also some health risks associated with the so-called superfood – as ingesting bamboo that hasn’t been correctly prepared can cause cyanide poisoning.
Cyanide is found in many safe-to-eat plant foods including apples, soy and spinach – but when a food hasn’t been prepared properly it can cause serious health risks.
Symptoms may appear within a few seconds or minutes and can include weakness nausea, confusion, headache, difficulty breathing and loss of consciousness.
One study also found that bamboo shoots contain compounds that could interfere with thyroid hormone production, increasing the likelihood of developing a goitre – a lump or swelling at the front of the neck.
But, experts say both risks can be avoided by pre-boiling the shoots.
Publishing their findings in the journal Advances in Bamboo Science, the team concluded: ‘Our review shows bamboo’s clear promise as a possible superfood, but there are also gaps in our knowledge,
‘We could only find four studies involving human participants that met our criteria, so additional high-quality human trials are necessary before we can make firm recommendations.’
