The Flexibility of Bamboo Uses in Our Surroundings
Bamboo is one of the most abundant as well as fastest-growing plants on Earth.
There are much more than a thousand types of bamboo worldwide.
But, did you know that it is also one of the most important plants?
Many studies have found many bamboo uses, which could be very beneficial to us, animals, and the environment.
Benefits for Environment
Bamboo certainly has a crucial role in our environment, as can be seen below.
Bamboo has been known for its ability to store carbon efficiently.
It can absorb carbon dioxide two times more than regular trees.
Moreover, it can produce a considerable amount of oxygen, 30% more than any other plant or tree.
Bamboo plants have a solid root system.
It can help to decrease nutrient depletion significant to the soil.
This makes the soil in the ground becomes more stable. Growing bamboo plants in areas prone to landslides will be a reasonable consideration.
Natural Food for Pandas
Pandas have been consuming bamboo plants as their natural food source for a very long time.
In fact, it has become 75% of their diet where they could eat 10 to 15 kg of bamboo in a day. Some scientists believed they do such a thing to prevent extinction.
Not to mention, there are no rivals in getting those bamboo plants.
Bamboo Uses in Daily Life
There are many bamboos uses we can find in our daily life. It can be used for construction, household needs, or simply accessories.
Buildings, Roads, and Bridges
The durability and strength of bamboo are often compared to steel or even concrete.
It is so strong we can use it to build an entire house.
Besides houses, villagers often use them to construct bridges or roads.
Due to their beautiful appearance, bamboo plants have become a popular material for furniture.
It can create an exotic nuance to our living place, like in Bali or Hawaii.
Bamboo plants can be a very eco-friendly material to use in our daily life. We can craft cutlery, cookware, or even bamboo straws to replace the plastic ones.
Thanks to its natural anti-bacterial properties, utensils made of this material do not require any chemical treatments which could be toxic to us.
Bamboo in Culinary World
Fun fact, it is pandas that discovered the delicacy of bamboo first before humans.
Nowadays, this plant has been used quite a lot for culinary, especially in southern Asia.
The edible part of this plant is bamboo shoots.
They usually sprout in the main bamboo after raining.
The shoots during winter are said to be tastier, too, in comparison.
The best time to harvest them is before they grow one foot tall.
We can cook it in many different styles.
You can braise, stir-fry, deep-fry, or even turn them into pickles. All are equally delicious.
Although bamboo stems cannot be eaten, it is still used to cook sticky rice.
This method is quite popular in Indonesia and China.
The people usually put glutinous rice and some seasonings into it and then grill it.
Bamboo As a Healthy Food
Not only is it delicious, but bamboo shoots are also very healthy for our bodies.
Here are a few reasons why to include them in our meal.
Good for Diet
Bamboo shoots have very rich in fiber yet so low in calories.
In one portion or 100gr of it, it only contains less than 20 calories.
This is a perfect option for a weight loss program.
Improve Digestive and Immune System
Due to its high amount of fiber, it helps to improve our digestion.
Moreover, the vitamins and minerals in it can boost our immunity.
Good Source of Nutrients
Bamboo shoots have a lot of good nutrients.
Potassium will ensure our cholesterol levels are in good condition.
It also maintains blood pressure and prevents colon cancer.
The lignans and antioxidants in the shoots will become anti-bacterial, anti-viral, or even anti-cancer properties.
As we can see, bamboo plants play a lot of positive roles in our surroundings.
Not only is it important to us, but also some animals and the environment.
There even might be some more bamboo uses we have not discovered yet.