What Are Bamboo Shoots Made Of?

Identification

• Bamboo shoots are literally the young shoots of certain bamboo plants that are starting to grow out of the ground. These are harvested when they are only a couple of weeks old and used in Asian dishes, including stir-fries. The fresh shoot has a vaguely conical shape, with a wide stem end tapering to a point. It's wrapped in sheaths that have a pointy leaf blade at the end. The shoots come from a few species of true bamboo but not from the lucky bamboo, or Dracaeana sanderana, that you might keep on your desk.

Nutrition

• Bamboo shoots are an extremely low-calorie food that is high in fiber and potassium. The edible portion is from the core of the shoot, located toward the end that used to be attached to the bamboo plant. The shoots contain high quantities of lignans, which may hold beneficial properties such as being antifungal and antibacterial; the shoots also have phenolic acids, which may have antioxidant properties.

Know the Source

• Edible bamboo shoots are harvested from only certain species of bamboo and at particular points in the plant's life. As prolific as the bamboo in your backyard might seem, do not try to harvest the shoots. Even if you are sure the bamboo is from a bamboo species that has edible shoots, the plants may have been treated with or exposed to pesticides, especially if the plant is invading from a neighbor's yard. Stick to store-bought shoots or those from reputable farms.

Warning

• Never eat a bamboo shoot raw. The "uncooked" shoots you get in cans or vacuum-packed bags are actually pre-cooked, because bamboo in its raw state contains cyanogenic glycosides, substances that turn into hydrogen cyanide when combined with enzymes released during chewing. While you can buy raw bamboo shoots, you must prepare them in a certain way to deactivate the glycoside-enzyme reaction. Washington State University Cooperative Extension warns you to boil the shoot for at least 20 minutes in an uncovered pan after peeling the shoot and slicing it into thin slices.