While tagging nutrient-rich ingredients as “superfoods” is usually more of a sales tactic than a scientific classification—we both know that however pushed the kale smoothie craze in the mid 2010s must have probably had investments in that type of crop—a fresh analysis of bamboo’s health perks implies this plant could actually earn the title.
cientists from around the world reviewed previous research, combining data from human experiments and lab work, to figure out the impact of consuming the shoots and other parts of this grass.
They found plenty of positives, too: the team pointed out that eating bamboo was linked to better metabolism and digestion, lower inflammation and cell toxicity, and a dropped chance of developing several different illnesses. Spoiler; take this with a pinch of salt.
Bamboo’s supposedly fantastic nutritional values
In their published report, the researchers state that their analysis of 16 studies points to various health perks for people who eat bamboo, as long as it is cooked properly.
We already knew that bamboo has a minuscule tad of protein (almost 3.9g per 100g, woohoo! /s), fiber, and vitamins while being low in fat, but this marks the first occasion where all the scientific data on eating it has been reviewed together. The researchers suggest that adding some bamboo shoots into your meal might help regulate blood sugar levels, which could assist in managing or preventing diabetes.
Another study in the review demonstrated that bamboo acts as a probiotic booster, which means it helps grow the population of good bacteria in your digestive system.
The Toxic Reality
The review does admit, though, that bamboo contains compounds that can be toxic, meaning you have to process the plant to make it safe to eat. Some of the research also pointed out problems involving lead content and thyroid gland swelling. (And let’s be honest, who wants to eat a vegetable that can give you cyanide poisoning if it’s not properly cooked? It’s not like you already vegetables that are local to your area… right?)
Lee Smith, a professor of public health at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK, notes that while bamboo is a staple in parts of Asia and offers massive promise as a healthy, “eco-friendly” food for the rest of the world, getting the preparation right is essential.
He explains that the wide range of health perks they found—such as the ability to fight modern issues like heart disease and diabetes—probably comes down to the plant’s nutritional makeup, since bamboo is packed with amino acids, carbs, minerals, and vitamins. Yes, it might have ~2.6g to 3.9g of protein per 100g, but a single large egg has 6.3 grams. Few people are able to stomach so many bamboo shoots, and would be easily satiated with a single egg.
Critical gaps in research: protein rich, yes… for a vegetable
This analysis confirms that bamboo has a wide variety of health perks—if you are a panda, we suppose. However, it is obvious that we need to study its physical effects on us more thoroughly. A lot of the research looked at here was small in scale or focused on lab tests instead of real people.
The paper is actually labeled a “call to action,” designed to spark further investigation. By running bigger and deeper studies, the researchers ought to discover the true limits of bamboo’s status as a superfood…and maybe give more back-up excuses to governments to further push a poor animal-protein diet on Western population.
Smith points out that while their review indicates bamboo has real potential to be a superfood, there are still pieces of the puzzle missing. He adds that since only four of the studies fitting their standards actually involved humans (how fitting right?), they would need need more rigorous trials with people before anyone can give solid advice.
In the meantime, we better get back to the gym, try to avoid both a sedentary lifestyle and ultra-processed foods, and not look for the next magic pill that makes us instantly slim and healthy.