Bamboo shoots are a readily available food in mountainous regions, especially in areas with bamboo forests. From bamboo shoots,
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Bamboo Shoots (Photo: n.ec21) |
many delicious dishes can be prepared, rich in the flavors of the mountains: bamboo shoot soup, bamboo shoot noodle soup, braised bamboo shoots with pork knuckles, and bamboo shoots cooked with duck. So, how is the nutritional value of bamboo shoots assessed, and are they toxic?
The nutritional value of fresh bamboo shoots is similar to that of fresh vegetables. Bamboo shoots contain sufficient amounts of protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins, but they have a higher fiber content than regular vegetables. The older the bamboo shoots, the higher the fiber content, making them tougher and harder to digest. Dried bamboo shoots, due to the loss of water during drying, have a higher concentration of nutrients.
There are toxic substances in fresh bamboo shoots that require caution.
Bamboo shoots are a common food among our people. However, when consuming fresh bamboo shoots, we need to be cautious of poisoning because they contain a toxic substance known as glucoside that can produce cyanide acid. When exposed to digestive enzymes in the stomach or acidic substances, glucoside is hydrolyzed and releases hydrogen cyanide (HCN). This acid causes poisoning, nausea, similar to cassava poisoning. An adult can be poisoned by ingesting 20 mg of hydrogen cyanide. Children and the elderly are more sensitive.
However, you should not fear eating bamboo shoots because of this. Hydrogen cyanide is water-soluble and easily evaporates when heated. Therefore, people have traditionally boiled fresh bamboo shoots and always discarded the cooking water, rinsing the shoots again, and sometimes boiling them twice, each time discarding the water before cooking. The hydrogen cyanide dissolves in the cooking water and evaporates with the steam, leaving the bamboo shoots safe to eat and delicious. For this reason, bamboo shoot poisoning only occurs when fresh bamboo shoots are improperly processed and not detoxified. Eating pickled bamboo shoots, sour bamboo shoots, or dried bamboo shoots does not pose a poisoning risk for our people.
Nutritional composition of commonly used bamboo shoots:
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