Minerals

Juvenile bamboo shoots have a high content of minerals such as K, P, Na, Mg, Ca, and Fe. The shoots are labeled as a heart protective vegetable because of its high content of K that helps to maintain normal blood pressure and a steady heart beat. Potassium, an essential macroelement is a heart friendly mineral that helps to maintain normal blood pressure and a steady heart beat. The K content in bamboo shoots ranges from 232 to 576 mg/100 g fresh weight. People prone to high blood pressure are often advised to increase K intake and decrease Na consumption. The daily recommended intake of K is 2.0 to 5.5 g/d (Belitz and Grosch 1999). Trace elements present in bamboo shoots include cadmium, cobalt, copper, nickel, manganese, selenium, and zinc. These minerals are required by the human body for many metabolic activities. Selenium is incorporated into proteins to make selenoproteins that are important antioxidant enzymes. The antioxidant properties of selenoproteins help prevent cellular damage from free radicals, which are natural by products of oxygen metabolism.