I eat a lot of these.
They are prepared in any number of ways, as described in previous posts, but lately I’ve been having them as bamboo-shoots-rice or as English pickles for a cheese sandwich.
Nutty and crisp, moso shoots are simply a delicious vegetable which I can enjoy in abundance.
Now it turns out that bamboo shoots, and those of moso (phyllostachys edulis) in particular, are being taken seriously as a source of Chlorogenic acid. This phenol or anti-oxidant, now marketed as the product Svetol, has a role in the dietary treatment of diabetes. Apparently, it slows glucose release.
Chlorogenic acid also has potential in other areas of medicine. This is the kind of thing I usually ignore, but it’s good to know that, once I’ve boiled out the toxic elements from moso shoots, what’s left is doing me some good.
Wiki’s article would suggest it’s not just a fad. There are many other sources of Chlorogenic acid, but moso shoots are the best way to take it on board. So eat ‘em up!
