Bamboo shoots as a nutritive boon for Northeast India: an overview

With about 136 species, India is one among the richest countries in bamboo resources that help mankind in more than 1500 diverse ways. Although the utilization of juvenile shoots of bamboo in tribal diet of Northeast India is a very old observable fact, its numerous health benefits and potentiality remains uncharted. Apart from being delicious, the bamboo shoots are also rich in minerals and nutrient components such as carbohydrates, proteins, fiber and are low in fat and sugar which could be helpful in mitigating the problem of malnutrition. Few studies also revealed the health benefits of bamboo shoots for the treatment of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, weight loss and to improve digestion. Over and above the nutritional values of different species of bamboo shoots, the increasing inclinations towards health awareness among the consumers have emphasized its utilization in modern diet as a health food for boosting the nutritional security. Thus, in the present review, the nutraceutical potentiality of bamboo shoots is explored alongside its various qualities.