Versatile Uses of Young Bamboo Shoots in India: An Appraisal

Saumyasree Pathak

Abstract

Bamboos are popularly recognized as ‘Bio-Steel, ‘Green Gold’ or appropriately termed as ‘the poor man’s timber’ due to its availability, resourcefulness, and invariable uses. Bambusoid grasses are much talked about for their contribution to the environment. Nevertheless, the food potentiality of the bamboo shoots remained unexploited and investigations on their nutritional, pharmaceutical, and medicinal potentiality is also scarce. The present paper attempts to provide an assessment of its versatile properties, various uses as food for their huge nutritional content, the raw shoots toxicity and its side effect on human health amalgamated with pharmaceutical uses and traditional medicines of young bamboo shoots in India with special reference to North-Eastern states, where the maximum bamboo population is established. Lastly, due to the enormous use of bamboo’s young shoots, further investigation is required to make novel findings and nutraceutical products to benefit society.

Abstract

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