Book excerpt: Bamboo is an ordinary plant with extraordinary properties. With its high growth rate and self-renewing ability, bamboo’s sustainability is unparalleled. Bamboo is an important resource for a healthy planet, and its shoots hold manifold nutritional benefits. Based on 18 years of research, Bamboo Shoot: Superfood for Nutrition, Health and Medicine details health-promoting bioactive compounds found in bamboo and offers practical guidance on how this vegetable, bamboo shoot, is used for food fortification. Already a delicacy in many Asian countries, bamboo shoots aid in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension and obesity. Exploring the tradition and culture of bamboo in Asian countries, this book also provides information on the science behind the nutritional value of bamboo shoots. Written by individuals with expertise in bamboo shoot nutrition and fully illustrated in colour, this book reveals the antioxidant activity of bamboo shoots and discusses the potential for bamboo to be used as an ingredient in functional foods and nutraceuticals. This highly practical book discusses processing and packaging of shoots for long term storage and using bamboo in the development of novel food products. Features: Elucidates the nutrients and phytochemicals in over 30 bamboo species and includes a glossary of scientific names Highlights the nutraceutical and antioxidant properties of bamboo Describes novel healthy food products fortified with bamboo shoots and provides food recipes using bamboo Explains how bamboo can help countries achieve their sustainable development goals, from poverty reduction, food security, improved nutrition and prevention of diseases to climate change mitigation and inclusive green economic development Aimed at professionals in the nutrition and food processing industry, this book appeals to those with an interest in incorporating bamboo into a healthier lifestyle. Endorsements This is a unique book interestingly crafted to highlight the important nutritional, health and medicinal aspects of Bamboo, an area that is greatly underexplored. It will bring awareness that bamboo shoots are a low calorie, high fibre nutritious vegetable packed with vitamins and minerals. - Prof. Cherla Sastry, Founding Director General INBAR and Adjunct Professor, University of Toronto, Canada This book brings a series of answers to all questions related to bamboo as a superfood [and will] enlighten readers how to transform bamboo shoots using either traditional or modern techniques, how to package them and how to use them as a functional and nutraceutical food. It also provides a series of cooking recipes for healthy eating while we enjoy our food. - Ximena Londoño, Founder, A Bamboo and Guadua Paradise, Colombia