If you don’t eat spring bamboo shoots, how can you know the feeling of spring? Here is just one reason to persuade you to eat more spring bamboo shoots!

Pickled bamboo shoots with preserved vegetables, stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat, braised spring bamboo shoots with oil, braised spring bamboo shoots with mushrooms... Spring is here, and it's a good time to eat bamboo shoots! Spring bamboo shoots are known as the "first vegetarian dish". They are not only crisp and delicious, but also rich in dietary fiber, potassium and other nutrients. In addition, spring bamboo shoots are also low in calories.

As the saying goes, "If you don't eat spring bamboo shoots, how can you know the feeling of spring?" In spring, you must get some bamboo shoots to taste.

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Nutrient-rich: high in fiber, low in calories

Bamboo shoots are the buds and young stems that are differentiated and swollen from the bamboo rhizome. Spring is the season for tasting bamboo shoots.

The spring bamboo shoots that people usually eat are mostly moso bamboo shoots and thunbergii bamboo shoots . Moso bamboo shoots are crisp, white, conical, and relatively large, and are generally harvested from late March to early May; thunbergii bamboo shoots are also relatively crisp, white, sweet, high in water content, and have a good flavor. They are named after the fact that "thunder strikes and shoots come out", and are tender and upright. The harvest period is generally from mid-February to early May.

Spring bamboo shoots are rich in dietary fiber, the mineral potassium and antioxidants. Their low calorie and high fiber characteristics make them stand out among many vegetables and they also have many benefits to health.

Some nutritional comparisons between spring bamboo shoots and winter bamboo shoots

1

Rich in dietary fiber

Spring bamboo shoots are rich in dietary fiber, with an insoluble dietary fiber content of up to 2.8g/100g, which is higher than most vegetables and 3.5 times that of winter bamboo shoots. Studies have shown that the dietary fiber content of spring bamboo shoots increases with the growth time, and the dietary fiber content of spring bamboo shoots at the end of April is close to 8%.

The intake of rich insoluble dietary fiber in the diet can promote gastrointestinal mechanical movement, promote defecation, prevent constipation , and is beneficial to intestinal health.

2

High in potassium

The potassium content of spring bamboo shoots is also remarkable among vegetables, at 300mg/100g, which is higher than that of bananas and three times that of lettuce. Adequate potassium intake not only helps regulate blood pressure , but also helps reduce neuromuscular tension and relieve fatigue.

3

Rich in antioxidant ingredients

Bamboo shoots are rich in phenolic substances, such as protocatechuic acid, hydroxybenzoic acid, catechins, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. These ingredients have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, which can eliminate excess free radicals in the body, prevent cancer and vascular damage.

4

Low in calories

Bamboo shoots are low in calories, only 25 kcal per 100g, which is lower than broccoli. Its rich dietary fiber can also enhance satiety and control appetite. If you want to lose weight but can't help eating, why not try bamboo shoots!

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Spring bamboo shoots are the most delicious at this time!

The reason why spring bamboo shoots taste delicious is mainly due to the role played by several amino acids and sugars responsible for sweetness. There are rich types of amino acids in bamboo shoots. Someone once compared the content of flavor amino acids in 8 different bamboo shoots and found that their amino acid content is higher than that of vegetables we often eat , such as Chinese cabbage and leeks. In addition, the total amount of amino acids in moso bamboo shoots is the highest.

Some researchers have also measured through experiments that in the tips, tender stems and old stems of Lei bamboo shoots, seven flavor amino acids such as glutamic acid and aspartic acid account for more than 35% of the total free amino acids. Among them, the content of flavor amino acids in the tips is higher and the taste is more delicious .

Although spring bamboo shoots are delicious and nutritious and are loved by everyone, they will become unpalatable if you buy too much at one time or leave them for a long time. This is because the spring bamboo shoots just picked are still organic and alive, with a water content of up to 90% and strong breathing.

Physiological activities will accelerate the consumption of nutrients in the bamboo shoots, causing the quality of spring bamboo shoots to decline. Spring bamboo shoots are prone to lignification (becoming harder) when left at room temperature after being picked. After 24 hours at room temperature, 60% of the bamboo shoots will become lignified, and after 48 hours, they will become more unpalatable.

So, if you like bamboo shoots, it is best to buy fresh bamboo shoots that have just been unearthed and eat them as soon as possible.

Eating spring bamboo shoots is a critical step!

Fresh spring bamboo shoots are very crisp and tender, but I advise you not to eat them raw. You must blanch them before eating! This is because fresh spring bamboo shoots contain cyanide, cyanogenic glycosides, tannins, oxalic acid, ephedrine and other substances. Eating them raw will not only taste bitter and spicy, but also affect the absorption and utilization of minerals and increase the risk of kidney stones.

However, these ingredients are soluble in water and are not heat-resistant. Generally, blanching them in boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes can greatly reduce their content, and you can enjoy them with confidence.

Some people may worry that blanching will reduce the nutrition of spring bamboo shoots and cause the loss of heat-sensitive nutrients. In fact, there is no need to worry about this. After all , the content of heat-sensitive vitamin C and B vitamins in spring bamboo shoots is very small. Even if they are lost, it doesn’t matter. We can supplement these nutrients from other foods.

In addition, some people feel unwell after eating spring bamboo shoots. This is because spring bamboo shoots contain high levels of dietary fiber and tannic acid. Excessive intake at one time may cause stomach discomfort symptoms such as abdominal pain and indigestion. For people who already have stomach problems or indigestion , they should eat less spring bamboo shoots .

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These 5 methods will help you pick “fresh” bamboo shoots!

Many people love to eat spring bamboo shoots, but they don’t know how to choose them. The following “5 things to look at” can be a reference!

- Look at the appearance: Choose fresh bamboo shoots that are of moderate size, firm and full in appearance, with a large diameter at the bottom, a small tail, and no rot or deterioration.

- Look at the bamboo shoot shell: Choose spring bamboo shoots with complete shells, golden or light yellow in color, natural color, and light white and tender bamboo shoot flesh.

- Look at the bamboo shoot nodes: the closer and tighter the nodes are, the more tender the bamboo shoots will be and the more delicious they will taste.

- Look at the roots of the bamboo shoots: The bamboo shoots with white bead-shaped "moles" (small raised dots) around the roots are relatively tender, while the bamboo shoots with dark red or dark purple "moles" are relatively old.

- Look at the bamboo shoot core : the whiter the bamboo shoot core is, the more tender and crisp it is; yellow is second best, and green is the worst.

It is the right season to eat bamboo shoots in spring. You should eat fresh bamboo shoots and remember to blanch them before eating! You can make bamboo shoots stewed with mushrooms, stir-fried pork with bamboo shoots, stewed chicken with bamboo shoots, cold mixed bamboo shoots, etc. How do you eat bamboo shoots in spring?

References

[1] Shi Manman, Zhang Wen, Liu Feixiang, Zhang Fang, Wu Rong, Wang Huimin, Su Erzheng. Research progress on physiological and biochemical changes of postharvest bamboo shoots and storage and preservation[J]. Food Science, 2023, 44(7): 331-343

[2] Wang Xinyi, Chen Mingjue, Hu Chenyang, Li Boya, Deng Xianjun. Research progress on evaluation indexes and improvement technology of bamboo shoots taste quality[J]. Anhui Agricultural Science Bulletin, 2023, 29(4): 128-131

[3] Yang Yuexin. Chinese Food Composition Table 6th Edition Volume 1[M]. Peking University Medical Press, 2018

[4] Li Mao, Sun Jiajing, Huang Rongyan, Li Shuaidong. Study on the antioxidant properties of bamboo leaves and bamboo shoots[J]. Modern Food, 2022, 28(6): 16-18

[5] Cui Fengxin, Ding Xingcui, Li Lushuang, Zhang Zhiyuan, Cai Hanjiang. Relationship between types and contents of flavor substances in bamboo shoots and pungent taste intensity[J]. Journal of Forestry Science Research, 2017, 30(06): 1041-1049. DOI: 10.13275/j.cnki.lykxyj.2017.06.023.

[6] Li Donglin, Sun Daiyan, Sun Wei, Yu Chengjing. Analysis of nutritional components of fresh bamboo shoots from eight bamboo species of the genus Phyllostachys[J]. Journal of Bamboo Science, 2018, 37(4): 14-19

[7] Mo Runhong, Tang Fubin, Ding Ming, Qu Minghua, Ni Zhanglin, Shen Danyu, Zhong Donglian. Free amino acid content in different parts of bamboo shoots[J]. Zhejiang Agricultural Sciences, 2012, 53(7): 961-963.

[8]https://www.samr.gov.cn/spcjs/yjjl/art/2022/art_0b8f130dabb74236961fdc844cc81b74.html

Planning and production

Author: Xue Qingxin, registered nutritionist

Reviewer: Ruan Guangfeng, Director of Science and Technology Department, Kexin Food and Nutrition Information Exchange Center

Planning丨Wang Mengru

Editor: Wang Mengru