8 Food that makes you Sick

http://beforeitsnews.com/health/2014/01/8-foods-that-speed-up-aging-while-promoting-sickness-2519868.html

Eating what’s quick, convenient, and tasty may fit your lifestyle for now, but you may be subjecting yourself to progressively worsening health. If you don’t shift to a healthier diet, someday sooner rather than later you’ll be a young person in an old person’s body, wondering what happened. Below are 8 foods you should avoid to age gracefully and avoid sickness.

Avoid These 8 Food-Like Substances

1. Despite FDA press releases announcing its ban of trans fats, trans-fatty processed hydrogenated oilsare still ubiquitous. Don’t use them for cooking or salad dressings. They’re less expensive, but they’ve been processed only for creating a longer shelf life while shortening your time with a healthy life.

A similar tip: choose butter over margarine. You’d might as well use molten plastic because plastic and margarine have molecular similarities. Real butter is better. Use only cold pressed oils, but refuse any version of Canola oil.

2. Speaking of fats, ignore the low or no fat food choices. The theory that ‘whole’ fats and cholesterol create obesity and heart problems is bogus. Don’t fall for the cholesterol myth.

The Swedish Council on Health Technology has officially abandoned this theory, which has seen cardiac and obesity issues increase while consumers frantically avoid healthy fats. Increased sugar and HFCS are at the root of issues saturated fats have been blamed for.

3. Some consider refined sugar or sucrose poison. It creates blood sugar spikes that ultimately affect you insulin response, leading to obesity and diabetes. It creates an oxidation process that, ironically, creates AGEs, or advanced glycation end-products or glycotoxins, which are diverse oxidant compounds that help create several chronic diseases. Minimize your sucrose intake.

4. Artificial sweeteners are worse than sucrose. Ignore the aspartame and diet soda trap, too. You should actually avoid all sodas, including diet soda. Aspartame is a neuron excitoxin that can excite brain cells to death, putting you in the fast lane to dementia or even brain cancer.

5. You should also shun high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). You can avoid this substance greatly by avoiding sodas and even off the shelf fruit juices that aren’t low calorie or artificially sweetened. But that’s not enough. Pastries, cookies, and candies usually contain HFCS, but often dodge the issue by using the label “corn syrup”.

Natural fructose in fruit is metabolized slowly due to other components of whole fruits. ConcentratedHFCS used in processed foods and beverages isn’t rapidly metabolized into energy like glucose. Half of it gets trapped as fat in the liver, contributing to obesity, fatty liver, diabetes 2, or cancer.

6. Wheat is getting a bad rep because it’s a source of digestive problems for many, but a Canadian study determined that many gluten sensitive folks experienced little issues with real sourdough based breads. The same could be said of sprouted grain breads as well as other whole grain choices. Simply avoid all refined wheat or grain products.

7. Soy is another controversial food. While many individuals think soy is perfectly OK, research does show how soy creates digestive problems and induces estrogen hormonal imbalances. Oriental diets use soy sparingly. Don’t bother with soy anything unless it’s fermented, the way tempeh and fermented soy sauces are.

8. Processed or refined salt has a given all salt a bad rap. But unrefined sea salt is actually a health food! Some salts sold as sea salt are bogus because they are refined. They get away with this because technically all salt is originally from the sea.

Unrefined sea salt containing vital nutrients without toxic residues from processing is generally courser and not as white as refined salt. Find a salt you’re certain is the real thing and take it with you because restaurants don’t serve real salt.

Fantastic Nutritional Value Bamboo Shoot

Nutritional Value of Bamboo Shoots

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1541-4337.2011.00147.x/full

The nutritional value of edible shoots of different bamboo species has been worked out by several workers (Giri and Janmejoy 1992; Shi and Yang 1992; Tripathi 1998; Chen and others 1999; Sharma and others 2004; Xu and others 2005; Kumbhare and Bhargava 2007;Nirmala and others 2007, 2008). Bamboo shoots are low in calories, high in dietary fiber, and rich in various nutrients. The main nutrients in bamboo shoots are protein, carbohydrates, amino acids, minerals, fat, sugar, fiber, and inorganic salts. The shoots have a good profile of minerals, consisting mainly of potassium (K), calcium (Ca), manganese, zinc, chromium, copper, iron (Fe), plus lower amounts of phosphorus (P), and selenium (Shi and Yang 1992; Nirmala and others 2007). Fresh shoots are a good source of thiamine, niacin, vitamin A, vitamin B6, and vitamin E (Visuphaka 1985; Xia 1989; Shi and Yang 1992). They are rich in protein, containing between 1.49 and 4.04 (average 2.65 g) per 100 g of fresh bamboo shoots. They contain 17 amino acids, 8 of which are essential for the human body (Qiu 1992;Ferreira and others 1995). Tyrosine amounts to 57% to 67% of the total amino acid content (Kozukue and others 1999). Fat content is comparatively low (0.26% to 0.94%) and the shoots contain important essential fatty acids. The total sugar content, 2.5% on average, is lower than that of other vegetables. The water content is 90% or more. Major advances have been made in fresh shoot production and processing and in the analysis of nutrient components of edible shoots. Based on nutritional analyses, it has been determined that bamboo shoots are a good source of food energy and are being projected as a new health food. This is because bamboo shoots are endowed with these health-enhancing properties.

• 1
  Rich in nutrients: Shoots have a high content of protein (amino acids), carbohydrate, minerals, and several vitamins.
• 2
  Function as nutraceuticals: Nutraceuticals are ordinary foods with components or ingredients imparting a specific medical or physiological benefit other than a purely nutritional effect. Bamboo shoots contain phytosterols and a high amount of fiber that can qualify as “nutraceuticals” or “natural medicines.” Phytosterols have cholesterol-lowering activity (Brufau and others 2008).
• 3
  High fiber content, almost no calories: Bamboo shoots are a good source of edible fiber (6 to 8 g/100 g fresh weight), which helps in lowering the blood cholesterol. Dietary fibers are vegetable fibers obtained from fiber-rich parts of plants. They are neutral in taste and odor free and have no calories and fats. Bamboo fiber is available as a white powder with at least 95% fiber. A number of companies market such fiber additives that are rich sources of dietary fiber.
• 4
  Low fat: Fat content is extremely low in bamboo shoots (2.46 g/100 g) that are, therefore, very good for weight-conscious and dieting people.
• 5
  Appetizer: The high cellulosic content of bamboo shoots stimulates appetite. Being crisp, crunchy, and tender with a sweet flavor, shoots have a unique and delicious taste that function as an appetizer.

Fresh shoots of 14 species have been analyzed for their nutritive value (Table 2). As can be seen, the fresh shoots have a high content of carbohydrates, proteins, and fiber but are low in fat. Protein content is highest in Dendrocalamus hamiltonii (Nees and Arn. ex Munro) (3.72 g/100 g fresh weight). Carbohydrate content ranged from 4.32 to 6.92 g/100 g fresh weight with Bambusa tulda (Roxb.) having the highest. Fiber content was maximum in B. kingiana (Gamble) (4.49 g/100 g fresh weight). Shoots of B. bambos ([Linn.] Voss) and B. tulda (Roxb.) have sweet flavor, are tender, and tasty and are the most popular, being liked by all consumers. Of the 14, 5 species, B. tulda, B. bambos, D. asper ([Schultes f.] Becker ex Heyne), D. giganteus (Munro), and D. hamiltonii are nutritionally better than the rest and have high potential for the necessary massive commercial production of shoots. Our studies indicate that there is an overall decrease in all the nutrient components in 10-d-old shoots compared to the freshly emerging juvenile shoots (Nirmala and others 2007). Freshly emerged shoots are nutritionally richer than the fermented and canned shoots. A comparison of the nutrient components of juvenile bamboo shoots with some of the commonly consumed vegetables revealed that free amino acid, protein, and dietary fiber contents in bamboo shoots was higher than all other vegetables listed in Table 3. Except for D. brandisii, all the presently studied bamboos have higher protein and fiber contents than the common vegetables. Bamboo shoots, though having lower vitamin E content, have a higher amount of vitamin C in comparison to the other green vegetables except Brassica. However, relative nutrient density on dry weight basis needs to be worked out.

Table 2–.  Macronutrients (g/100 g fresh weight), vitamin C, vitamin E (mg/100 g fresh weight), moisture, dietary fiber, and ash content in the freshly emerged juvenile shoots of various species.
egarding minerals, bamboo shoots have a comparatively higher K content than most of the vegetables except spinach, Spinacea oleracea (Linnaeus) (558 mg/100 g) and potatoes, Solanum tuberosum (Linnaeus) (421 mg/100 g). The sodium (Na) contents in cucumber, Cucumis sativa (Linnaeus), S. tuberosum, brinjal, S. melongena (Linnaeus), and ladies finger, Abelmoschus esculantus [(Linnaeus) Moench.] are lower than that of bamboo shoots (Table 4). Magnesium (Mg) is a life-supporting element and has an indispensable role in body metabolism. Its content was highest in the shoots of D. giganteus (10.09 mg/100 g) that is close to that of S. melongena (10.0 mg/100 g fresh weight). Children and women before menopause, during pregnancy or while nursing, require high amounts of Fe (Tapiero and others 2001). This can be obtained by consumption of bamboo shoots that contain a comparatively higher amount of Fe than other commonly consumed vegetables. A higher amount of selenium, commonly known as “Miracle life element,” is present in the bamboo shoots of some species compared to other vegetables.

Bamboo Shoots and Human Health

Bamboo shoots have been regarded as a traditional Chinese medicinal material for more than 2000 y, and according to archaic Chinese medicinal books, such as “Ben Chao Qui Zheng,”“Ben Jing Feng Yuan,”“Yao Pin Hua Yi,” and “Jing Yue,” were proclaimed to be beneficial to human health, by promoting motion and peristalsis of the intestine, helping digestion, and preventing and curing cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and cancers. In South Asian countries, bamboos have been utilized for traditional medicine treatments to relieve hypertension, sweating, and paralysis. However, little scientific evidence has supported such claims until now. Modern research has revealed that bamboo shoots have a number of health benefits, from cancer prevention and weight loss to lowering cholesterol level, improving appetite and digestion (Table 5). It is also low in sugar and therefore can be used by persons on sugar-restricted diets. The shoots also contain anticarcinogenic agents, and making them a regular part of a diet effectively reduces the free radicals that can produce harmful carcinogens. It is believed that bamboo extract may have antioxidant activities and provide antiinflammatory effects (Hu and others 2000; Lu and others 2005). Furthermore, bamboo-derived pyrolysates have been proposed to have antimicrobial and antifungal activities (Fujimura and others 2005) and to protect neurons from oxidative stress (Akao and others 2004). Hong and others (2010) studied the effects of pyrolysates-derived from 3 bamboo species, Phyllostachys bambusoides (Siebold et Zucc.), P. nigra ([Lodd. ex Lindl.] Munro), and P. pubescens (Mazel ex J. Houz.), and indicated that pyrolysates may have antiapoptotic effects and can be useful as a supplement for ischemic injury treatment. Several antimicrobials and antioxidants have been isolated by supercritical CO₂ and subsequent hydrothermal treatment of the residues from moso bamboo, including an ethoxyquin, a sesquiterpene, and a cyclohexanone derivative (Quitain and others 2004). Bamboo shoots are also reported to have anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral activity due to the presence of lignans that are an important component of fiber (Shi and Yang 1992; Fujimura and others 2005). Because of its high content of K, bamboo helps to maintain normal blood pressure and is labeled as a heart-protective vegetable. Its relatively high content of up to 4% cellulose increases the peristaltic movement of the intestines and helps digestion. It also prevents constipation and decreases body fat.

Table 5–.  Bamboo shoots and its beneficial effects on human health.

S. Nr.	Potential activities on human health	Reference
1.	Antioxidant and antiinflammatory effects of bamboo shoot extracts	Hu and others (2000); Lu and others (2005)
2.	Antimicrobial and antifungal activities of bamboo shoot pyrolysates	Fujimura and others (2005)
3.	Protect neurons from oxidative stress	Akao and others (2004)
4.	Antiapoptotic activities of bamboo shoot-derived pyrolysates and as a supplement for ischemic injury treatment	Hong and others (2010)
5.	Anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral activity of bamboo shoot fiber	Shi and Yang (1992); Fujimura and others (2005)
6.	Antifatigue activity	Zhang and others (2006)
7.	Cholesterol lowering properties	Park and Jhon (2009)

Macronutrients

Bamboo shoots are low in calories, one cup of half-inch long slices containing a mere 14 to 15 g of fat. The macronutrients present in the shoots include amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat. Some of the nutrient components in bamboo shoots are higher than those contained in commonly consumed vegetables (Table 3).

Protein

Protein is an indispensible requirement for the growth and maintenance of all biological organisms. Every cell in our body needs protein to carry out the metabolic actions that sustain us. The amount of protein required for normal health is variable depending on many factors, mainly body weight, age, physical activity, health condition, environment, among others. Growing children and pregnant and lactating women, however, require more protein per unit weight than adults in normal conditions. Bamboo shoots are rich in protein containing between 1.49 and 4.04 g (average 2.65 g) per 100 g of fresh bamboo shoots. In our studies of 14 bamboo species, the protein content in the juvenile shoots ranged from 2.31 to 3.72 g/100 g fresh weight, the highest being in D. hamiltonii followed by B. bambos. Similar values were also reported by other workers (Sundriyal and Sundriyal 2001; Bhatt and others 2005). Shoots contain 17 amino acids, 8 of which, serine, methionine, isoleucine, leucine, phenyalanine, lysine, and histidine are essential for the human body (Qiu 1992). Lysine is beneficial for a child's growth and development, and it is lacking in cereals. The recommended dietary allowance for protein is 0.8 g/kg of body weight for adults. In general, 1 g protein provides 4.2 kcal of energy to the body. If the diet does not contain sufficient amounts of carbohydrate and fat, then dietary protein may be broken down to provide energy. Since bamboo shoots have an average protein content of 2.65 g/100 g fresh weight, consuming the shoots will supply a generous amount of protein to the body.

Fiber

Consumer interest in wholesome/nutritious foods and beverages continues, and one category with potential for fast growth is foodstuffs fortified with fiber. Previously referred to as roughage, bulk, or ballast, fiber is now termed dietary fiber and has assumed immense importance in health education. Dietary fiber includes cellulose and lignin, hemicelluloses, pectins, gums, and other polysaccharides and oligoscacharides associated with plants (Chawla and Patil 2010) and has been associated with a number of health benefits, such as including a faster “transit time,” the time it takes for the body's waste to be moved out of the body, reduced exposure of the body to carcinogens or cancer-causing components in food and fluids, bowel protection, and an increase in the amount of butyrate, the preferred energy source for cells called colonocytes. An increase in dietary fiber reduces the blood pressure (Anderson and Strong 1983). According to George and others (1982), dietary fiber is useful in the management of hypertension and obesity through its effect on energy density of food and the extent of interference with the nutrients of bioavailability.

Intake of fiber through various foods such as nuts, whole grain flour, and fruits and vegetables is now associated with decreased low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, lower insulin demand, keeping the digestive tract healthy, increased stool bulk, softening of fecal mass, improved laxative properties, and body weight regulation (Gordon 1989; Brown and others 1999; Howarth and others 2001; Park and others 2005). The recommended level of fiber for adults is 25 to 30 g a day, in combination with at least 2 L of fluid to ensure thorough digestion. Extracts rich in dietary fiber obtained from plants could be used as functional ingredients as they improve not only digestive health, but weight management, cardiovascular health, and general wellness. The role of fiber in preventing CVDs has been well documented (Viuda-Martos and others 2010). The beneficial effects of high-fiber diets in protecting against CVD are not limited to their effects on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes or their contribution to weight loss. Evidence suggests that increased consumption of insoluble as well as soluble dietary fibers can directly impact the risk of developing CVDs by targeting risk factors such as elevated serum LDL cholesterol levels (Chau and others 2004; Kendall and others 2009). High cholesterol levels, or hypercholesterolemia, are a major risk factor for CVD, which causes almost 50% of deaths in Europe and is reported to cost the EU economy an estimated €169bn ($202bn) per year. According to the American Heart Association, 34.2% of Americans (70.1 million people) suffered from some form of CVD in 2002.

Bamboo shoots are a rich source of dietary fiber (Nirmala and others 2009). They have high amounts of fiber, ranging from 2.23 to 4.20 g/100 g fresh weight of shoot in some bamboo species. As a dietary fiber source, the shoots have beneficial effects on lipid profile and bowel function. Studies conducted by Park and Jhon (2009) have confirmed the beneficial effects of consuming a high-fiber diet containing bamboo shoots in lowering blood cholesterol levels and improving bowel functions in healthy young women. Supplementing the diet with bamboo shoots was associated with reductions in total and LDL cholesterol levels in 8 young women. Park and Jhon (2009) had recruited 8 women with an average age of 22 and an average body mass index (BMI) of 20.2, and randomly assigned them to receive a dietary fiber-free diet (control), a diet containing 25 g of cellulose, or a diet containing 360 g of bamboo shoots. Each dietary intervention lasted 6 d and the women underwent each segment. At the end of the study, the bamboo shoot-rich diet was associated with a 15.7 and 11.8 mg/dL reduction in total cholesterol levels, compared to the control and cellulose diets, respectively. Moreover, LDL cholesterol was reduced by 16.1 mg/dL following the bamboo shoot diet compared to the control diet, but there were no differences between the bamboo group and the cellulose group. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were unchanged by the bamboo diet but increased by 7.2 mg/dL following consumption of the cellulose diet. Following the bamboo shoot diet, the average number of bowel movements was 6.2 per day, compared to 4.3 and 5.6 in the control and cellulose groups, respectively. These results suggested that consumption of bamboo shoots, which contained high levels of dietary fiber, might help in preventing or delaying the onset of chronic diseases. Bamboo shoots are reported to have anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral activity due to the presence of lignans, which is an important component of fiber (Shi and Yang 1992; Akao and others 2004). Chen and others (1985) reported a high content of hemicelluloses in 10 bamboo species that exists in the form of polyxylose. When hydrolyzed, polyxylose forms xylose that is hydrogenated to produce xylitol, a product extensively used in the food and chemical industries. Xylose is characterized by a special flavor and can relieve cough. Eating cooked bamboo shoots is also popularly claimed to make skin fair and smooth (Shi and Yang 1992).

Although fiber itself is invisible in food products, it is becoming one of the most appreciated ingredients in today's diet. In 2007, consumers ranked fiber number 5 among the top 10 functional foods (Sloan 2008). Fiber occurs in grains, fruits, vegetables, and beans, but only in minuscule amounts. Since bamboo fiber is a cheap alternative compared to fiber derived from wheat, oat, corn, potato, pea, soybean, and apples, several companies use it in their products. Bamboo fiber is now a common ingredient in breakfast cereals, pasta, shredded cheese, sauces, mustard, ketchup, beverages, fruit juices, snacks, frozen desserts, and bakery products (Table 6). It not only adds negligible calories to a product; it also improves texture in the products. Bamboo fiber is useful in powdered mixes, where anticaking properties and extra fiber are needed. It binds 3 to 5 times its weight in water, thus also helping to address moisture migration issues. The product can replace silicon dioxide in order to achieve an all-natural label. Spices and essences also “bind” to the fiber, which prolongs product shelf life. The fiber product is easily dispersed in water and has high absorption capacity through physical binding of liquids. Although fiber increases viscosity in beverages, it requires another agent to remain suspended. Custom grades and blends also are available for special applications. The powder is less dusty than other fiber powders and is easy to store and handle. Bamboo fiber when used as an ingredient improved the quality of cookies (Farris and Piergiovanni 2008). “Ameretti” is a unique Italian cookie that has a soft moist internal almond-paste, which contrasts with the thin, hard dry external crust. These cookies have a shelf life of about 7 d due to the quick hardening of the internal moist paste that decreases its quality and uniqueness and thus, its export value. Use of bamboo fiber as an ingredient is effective for preserving the softness of the internal paste for more than 10 d. Thus, addition of bamboo fiber as an ingredient could help control moisture loss in high- and intermediate-moisture foods.

Table 6–.  Application of bamboo fiber in the food industry.

Food items	Benefit
1. Bakery products Fragile dry bakery products such as pretzels, ice cream cones and cookies, cakes, wafers, baked, and fried tortilla chips. Noncaloric health bars.	Improves dough yield and consistency due to water binding capacity. Decrease of product breakage or crumbling; controls moisture loss in high- and intermediate-moisture foods. Fiber enrichment with noncaloric fiber in health nutrition bars.
2. Dairy products Milk, yogurt, ice cream, shredded cheeses.	Noncaloric fiber enrichment. Viscosity and consistency improvement, stabilizer. Creamy mouthfeel.
3. Meat and aquatic products	Excellent water retention capacity. Texture improvement and binding. Longer freshness and less fat absorption in product during processing.
4. Health beverages	Noncaloric fiber enrichment. Viscosity and consistency improvement, stabilizer creamy mouthfeel.
5. Miscellanous Sauces, dressings, juices, ketchup, mustard, low-calorie dressings, pasta.	Noncaloric fiber enrichment. Viscosity and consistency improvement, stabilizer creamy mouthfeel.

Many companies use bamboo fiber in their products. Vitacel, a bamboo fiber product produced by J. Rettenmaier & Sohne, is used in fruit juices, beverages, spices, tablets, bakery goods, pasta, fragile products, batters, shredded cheese, sauces, mustard, and ketchup. CFF GmbH (Cellulose Fiber Fabric), based in Gehren, Germany, has developed a new type of fiber derived from the fiber-rich parts of bamboos. It consists of more than 90% water-insoluble fiber that cannot be broken down by the human digestive system; it bulks in the stomach, removes undesired metabolic by-products, and shortens intestinal transit time. InterFiber (Zhejiang, China), a Chinese company, is a producer and supplier of high quality, insoluble dietary fiber derived from natural plant sources such as wheat, bamboo, and cellulose.

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.

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Bioactive Compounds

Increasing scientific evidence has indicated that consumption of certain foods may lead to reduce risk of certain diseases such as CVD, cancer, and other age-related conditions. Many investigations have led to the identification of certain food constituents belonging to the group “bioactive compounds” that can influence metabolism, gene expression, cellular signaling, and interact with disease precursors and disease-developing mechanisms (Rostagno and others 2010). Bioactive compounds are essential and nonessential compounds that occur in nature, are part of the food chain, and have an effect on human health (Kris-Etherton and others 2004; Biesalski and others 2009). Plant food contains many bioactive compounds in addition to those that are traditionally considered nutrients. These physiologically active compounds, referred to as “phytochemicals,” are produced via secondary metabolism in relatively small amounts (Rodriguez and others 2006). They are being intensively studied to evaluate their effects on health. Some groups of phytochemicals that have significant health potentials are carotenoids, phenolic compounds (flavonoids, phytoestrogens, phenolic acids), phytosterols and phytostanols, saponins, tocotrienols, organosulfur compounds (allium compounds and glucosinolates), and nondigestible carbohydrates (dietary fiber and prebiotics). These compounds vary widely in chemical structure and function and are grouped accordingly. Because of the many plant-based bioactive compounds that have been identified, there have been numerous epidemiological, clinical, and experimental studies conducted to evaluate their health effects. Phenolic compounds, including their subcategory flavonoids, are present in all plants and have antioxidant properties. Plant sterol or phytosterol is a bioactive compound of all vegetable foods. Bamboo shoots are rich in both phenols and phytosterols.

Phytosterols

Much work has been focused on the nutritional benefits of bamboo shoots, mainly on insoluble and/or water-soluble components such as dietary fiber, proteins, amino acids, and vitamins, but quantitative data on lipid-soluble components, especially sterols are limited. Bamboo shoots, both fresh and fermented, are a good source of phytosterols that are the precursors of many pharmaceutically active steroids found in plants (Srivastava 1990; Sarangthem and Singh 2003a) and act as nutraceuticals (Miettinen 2003). Phytosterols or plant sterols are bioactive components occurring in all vegetable foods and represent the major part of the nonsaponifiable fraction of lipids that have many implications on human health (Normen and others 2002; Kritchevsky and Chen 2005; Phillips and others 2005; Lagarda and others 2006;Ostlund 2007). These compounds are 28- or 29-carbon alcohols and resemble cholesterol in vertebrates in terms of both function and structure. They form a group of triterpenes with a tetracyclic cyclopenta(a)phenanthrene structure and a side chain at carbon 17. The 4 rings (A, B, C, and D) have trans ring junctions, and 2 methyl groups are attached at C-18 and C-19. The basic sterol from which other sterol structures are derived is 5α-cholesten-3β-ol. Their properties for reducing serum LDL cholesterol level and thus in protecting against CVDs as well as other beneficial health effects have been known for many years according to Quilez and others (2003). Phytosterols are absorbed only in trace amounts but inhibit the absorption of intestinal cholesterol including recirculating endogenous biliary cholesterol, a key step in cholesterol elimination. In addition to their cholesterol lowering activity, experiments have suggested that phytosterols possess anticancer effects (Awad and Fink 2000; Choi and others 2007; Bradford and Awad 2008; Woyengo and others 2009), against cancer of the lungs (Mendilaharsu and others 1998), stomach (De Stefani and others 2000), ovaries (McCann and others 2003), and estrogen-dependent human breast cancer (Ju and others 2004). Phytosterols also inhibit the production of carcinogens, cancer cell growth, invasion and metastasis, and promote apoptosis in cancer cells (Meric and others 2006). Phytosterols affect host systems potentially enabling more antitumor responses, including boosting of immune recognition of cancer, influencing hormone-dependent growth of endocrine tumors, and altering sterol biosynthesis. They directly inhibit tumor growth by slowing cell cycle progression and inducing apoptosis. An antitumor agent has been prepared from moso bamboo (P. pubescens) that has an antitumor effect (Hiromichi 2007). Phytosterols also lower serum cholesterol levels as they inhibit the absorption of dietary cholesterol and rate of cholesterol esterification in the intestinal mucosa. In plants, more than 200 different types of phytosterols have been reported, the most abundant being B-sitosterol, campesterol, stigmasterol, and avenosterol (Jones 1999; Law 2000; Katan and others 2003; St-Onge and Jones 2003; Abumweis and Jones 2008). Of these, sitosterol is the most abundant phytosterol followed by campesterol (Ostlund 2002; Ryan and others 2007). Rich sources of phytosterols include grain legumes such as sesame, chickpeas, lentils, and peas; cereal grains such as wheat, corn, millet, rye, and barley (Ryan and others 2007); vegetable oils including corn oil (Ostlund 2007); and nuts such as pecans, pinenuts, pistachio nuts, peanuts, cashew nuts, and almonds (Ryan and others 2006), and bamboo shoots (He and Lachance 1998; Lachance and He 1998; Sarangthem and Singh 2003c; Lu and others 2010). Sterols cannot be synthesized by humans and are absorbed from the diet in small but significant amounts. Three predominant phytosterols have been identified in bamboos, β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol, but some minor sterols have also been reported (Figure 2). Comprehensive and accurate data on the sterol content in the shoots of various bamboo species are not available.

Figure 2–. Phytosterols present in bamboo shoots and their corresponding structures.

Phytosterols have received particular attention because of their capability to lower serum cholesterol levels in humans (Marangoni and Poli 2010), resulting in significantly reduced risk of heart disease. Predominant sterols in bamboo shoots have been identified as β-sitosterol, campesterol, and stigmasterol (He and Lachance 1998; Lachance and He 1998). The phytosterol content and composition in shoots of 4 bamboo species, Pleioblastus amarus, P. pubescens, D. latiflorus, and P. praecox, were evaluated using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with atmospheric pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (MS) in order to facilitate dietary recommendations and comprehensive utilization of the shoots (Lu and others 2009). The major sterols present were β-sitosterol (24.6%), campesterol (2.2%), stigmasterol (1.2%), ergosterol (0.2%), cholesterol (0.6%), and stigmastanol (<0.1%); total phytosterol content was 28.7% (Lu and others 2010). Bamboo shoot oil (BSO) is a phytosterols-rich extract from the bamboo (P. pubescens) shoots obtained by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and its protective effects and its mechanism on nonbacterial prostatitis (NBP) were investigated by Lu and others (2011). Prostatitis is one of the most prevalent conditions in urology encountered in young men and accounts for a significant portion of urologic problems in men older than 50 years of age. The most common type of prostatitis is chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS). The antiprostatitis effect of BSO were evaluated by prostate weight, acid phosphatase, density of lecithin corpuscles, white blood cell count (WBC), and prostatic histomorphological parameters in rats. It was determined that BSO could significantly inhibit absolute weight, prostate index, total acid phosphatase, prostatic acid phosphatase, WBC, and expression levels of 30 up-regulated genes. Histologically, BSO treatment significantly suppressed the severity of the lesion in NBP-induced rats. With the evident contribution of phytosterols and unsaturated fatty acids to inhibit inflammation and prevent prostate diseases (James 2006; Tsai and others 2006), the protective effects of BSO on CP/CPPS are therefore worth investigating. Thus, BSO may be a useful raw material in treating chronic NBP, where it inhibits prostate inflammation in NBP patients by affecting the expression of inflammatory cytokines, their receptors, and related genes (Lu and others 2011). The pronounced hypolipidemic effects of BSO might be attributed to its ability to inhibit cholesterol absorption and increase cholesterol excretion. These results suggest that consuming BSO may provide benefits in managing hypercholesterolemia. Therefore, BSO may be a good candidate for development as a functional food and nutraceutical.

The level of total phytosterols in bamboo shoots ranges from 0.12% to 0.19% on a dry weight basis in different species of bamboos (Sarangthem and Singh 2003a). The concentration of total phytosterols from the initial stage of fermentation (0 d) up to 35 d increases, but later on more or less of a decline in the level of the phytosterol contents occurs. The increase in concentration in fermented shoots may be almost up to double as in B. balcooa (increases from 0.18% to 0.61% dry weight) and in D. hamiltonii (increases from 0.19% to 0.44% dry weight) (Sarangthem and Singh 2003a, 2003b). The increase in the fermented samples is due to anaerobic digestion by microorganisms that caused degradation of organic matter and resulted in the enrichment of phytosterols (Stahl 1969). Phytosterols are precursors of many pharmaceutically important steroidal products such as corticosteroids, oral contraceptives, antiinflammatory agents, synthetic anabolic steroids, and estrogenic hormones. Thus, succulent bamboo shoots, which are easily available in large quantities, can be used as a source of phytosterols.

Use of foods containing phytosterols is a relatively recent development in human nutrition (Gilbert and others 2005). Phytosterols as functional ingredients in foods appear to be a practical and safe option for lowering cholesterol levels in the population (Quilez and others 2003). Presently, several functional food products, such as spreadable fats, yogurt, and milk, with added free phytosterols or phytosteryl fatty acid esters or phytostanyl fatty acid esters are available in several European countries (Laakso 2005). Techniques have been developed to incorporate plant sterols without affecting food product texture and taste (Nguyen 1999). Phytosterols have been incorporated into margarines, vegetable oils, mayonnaise, fruit juice, yogurt, baked products, meat, soups, and green tea. These bioactive components are also mixed with other functional ingredients such as fiber, beneficial oils, almonds, soy protein, and minerals (Berger and others 2004).

Phenols

Plant phenols are bioactive compounds of interest present in all plants because they are multifunctional and can act as free radical terminators, metal chelators, and singlet oxygen quenchers (Kris-Etherton and others 2002). Phenolic compounds, commonly referred to as polyphenols, are secondary metabolites and their distribution is almost ubiquitous (Pereira and others 2009). They are derivatives of the pentose phosphate, shikimate, and phenylpropanoid pathways in plants. More than 8000 phenolic structures have been identified that range from simple molecules, such as phenolic compounds, to highly polymerized compounds such as tannins (Bravo 1998). These compounds are one of the most commonly occurring groups of phytochemicals that are of considerable physiological and morphological importance in plants as they play an important role in growth and reproduction, protect the plants against pathogens and predators, and contribute toward color and sensory characteristics of fruit and vegetables (Alasalvar and others 2001; Balasundram and others 2006). Experimental evidence shows that phenols possess antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, antithrombotic, cardioprotective, and vasodilatory effects (Benavente-Garcia and others 1997; Middleton and others 2000; Yang and others 2001; Rotelli and others 2003; Mamani-Matsuda and others 2004; Manach and others 2005; Puupponen-Pimia and others 2005; Lehane and Saliba 2008) that are important for good health and disease prevention. These beneficial effects of phenols are due to their strong antioxidant activity wherein they scavenge oxygen radicals and other reactive species (Rice-Evans and others 1997; Parr and Bowell 2000; Heim and others 2002; Dini and others 2006). These features make phenols a potentially interesting material for the development of functional foods (Blando and others 2004). Examples of common phenolic antioxidants include flavonoid compounds, cinnamic acid derivatives, tocopherols, coumarin, and polyfunctional organic acids (Pratt and Hudson 1990; Diplock and others 1998; Vinson and others 1998). Several studies have been carried in order to identify natural phenolics that possess antioxidant activity. Some natural antioxidants have already been extracted from plant sources and are produced commercially (Schuler 1990).

Most research studies have investigated the functional activities of bamboo leaves and stems. It has been determined that the antioxidant capacity of bamboo leaves is due to their high polyphenol content (Lu and others 2006). Butanol extracts of the leaves of Sasa borealis exhibited significant antioxidant capacity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (Park and others 2007), ethanol extracts of P. bambusoides have nitrite scavenging ability (Lim and others 2004). Kim and others (2001) reported that extracts of bamboo leaves and stems of Phyllostachys spp. showed strong antibacterial activities. However, only a few studies have reported on the functional properties of bamboo shoots. Wang and Ng (2003) reported the isolation of an antifungal protein, dendrocin, isolated from the bamboo D. latiflora. Bamboo shoots can be a good dietary source of natural phenolic oxidants and dose-dependent inhibitory activity on angiotensin-converting enzyme as determined in 2 species of P. pubescens and P. nigra (Park and Jhon 2010). Eight phenolic compounds, protocatechuic acid, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid, catechin, caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, p-Coumaric acid, and ferulic acid, were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (Figure 3). The most important compounds were protocatechuic acid, p-Hydroxybenzoic acid, and syringic acid. It was determined that the antioxidant capacity was highly correlated with the total phenolic contents. A triterpenoid-rich extract was isolated from bamboo shavings, the outer skin of a bamboo culm, and tested on mice to evaluate this bioactive compound. It was demonstrated that the extract has excellent antifatigue, antihyperlipidemic, and antihypertensive activities as determined by change in body weight, weight-loaded swimming test, and climbing test of the mice (Zhang and others 2006). When subjected to toxicological tests, the extract was found to have low toxicity indicating its potential for use in functional food development (Zhang and others 2006; Gong and others 2010).

Figure 3–. Structures of phenolic compounds present in bamboo shoots.

Antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds have also been isolated from P. heterocycla by supercritical CO₂ extraction and subsequent hydrothermal treatment of the residues (Quitain and others 2004). The extract contained 3 predominant ethanol-soluble compounds, identified by MS as an ethoxyquin, a sesquiterpene, and a cyclohexanone derivative. Hydrothermal treatment of extraction residues produced hydroquinone and benzoquinone. Hydroxycinnamic acid, a known antioxidant was also obtained by microwave pyrolysis of extraction residues. Phenolic acids present in the tender shoots have mild antiinflammatory properties and are potent antioxidants that prevent cancer and blood vessel injury that can start atherosclerosis (Belitz and Grosch 1999).

Bamboo shoots also contain tocopherols, which are monophenolic compounds that help to stabilize most vegetable oils. Tocopherols are composed of 8 different compounds belonging to 2 families, namely, tocols and tocotrienols. Tocopherols also possess vitamin E activity and are important biological antioxidants preventing oxidation of body lipids, including polyunsaturated fatty acids and lipid components of cells and organelle membranes. Tocopherols are produced commercially and used as food antioxidants. Kim and others (2007) estimated the tocopherol and carotenoid contents of Korean vegetables including bamboos. In bamboo shoots, they reported α-tocopherol and γ-tocopherol contents to be 0.26 mg/100 g and 0.42 mg/100 g, respectively. Further investigation is needed to identify other bioactive constituents in bamboo shoots.