Bamboo shoots are a common culinary ingredient in Asia.
While bamboo is often eaten for its delicious flavor, it’s also beneficial from a health perspective, especially for men.
Bamboo has been shown to support hair and skin health, as well as having strong antioxidant properties.
In this article, we’ll review the top research-backed benefits of bamboo for men and how you can add it to your diet.
Bamboo: An Overview
There are many different types of bamboo, in fact, it’s estimated that there are over 1,400 species of bamboo. Common bamboo, known scientifically as Bambusa vulgaris, is the most popular type of bamboo.
Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants in the world, certain types of bamboo can grow 2 inches in an hour.
Bamboo shoots are the edible sprouts of young bamboo trees. They are known to be nutrient-rich and are popular in Asian cuisine. In particular, they are high in various minerals, including silicone and copper.
Traditionally, different parts of the bamboo plant were used in traditional Chinese medicine to support overall health and wellness.
Today, bamboo is either eaten as a dish or taken as a supplement due to its rich mineral content. Bamboo is especially noted for its silica content.
Bamboo Benefits for Men:
Below are the top research-backed benefits of bamboo for men. It should be noted that bamboo can be consumed either as a food or supplement.
1. Rich in Vitamins & Minerals
Bamboo shoots, the edible shoots that grow out of bamboo, are a popular food in Asian cuisine.
From a nutritional standpoint, bamboo shoots contain protein, amino acids, carbohydrates, many important minerals, and a complement of vitamins.
In particular, bamboo contains the following minerals:
- Potassium
- Calcium
- Iron
- Copper
- and Zinc
Bamboo is also rich in vitamin C and vitamin E, which are important vitamins for overall health and wellness.
Bamboo shoots are also high in dietary fiber and low in fat, which indicates that it may be a good food for supporting heart health.
All in all, bamboo is a nutrient-dense plant that can help to nourish the body.
2. May Support Hair Health
Bamboo is also beneficial for your hair.
For many individuals, as they age, their hair loses its natural shine, strength, and thickness.
Bamboo is known to contain high levels of silica, which can help promote hair growth and strength.
Silica, a combination of the elements silicon and oxygen, is a compound that's been shown to support hair health. Research indicates that silica helps with maintaining hair brightness and reducing hair loss.
A study involving individuals with fine hair found that taking a bioavailable form of silica helped to increase hair elasticity and thickness.
Maintaining strong, healthy hair is a priority for many men. Bamboo may be a good food, or supplement, to add to your routine.
3. May Support Skin Health
Bamboo has also been found to support skin health.
As noted earlier, bamboo is rich in silica. Research suggests that silica is important for optimal collagen synthesis and activating hydroxylating enzymes, which helps to support skin strength and elasticity.
In particular, silica helps with collagen synthesis. This is an important aspect because collagen plays a key role in skin health.
Collagen helps skin cells to adhere to one another - this gives your skin strength and elasticity. It's well established that collagen production decreases as we age, which contributes to skin wrinkling and sagging.
Thus, consuming silica can help to improve collagen production, which may lead to stronger, healthier skin.
A study found that supplementing with silica helped to improve skin texture and appearance for individuals with sun-damaged skin.
If you're looking to support your skin health and appearance, taking silica-rich bamboo appears to be a great option.
4. Antioxidant Properties
Bamboo is a rich source of antioxidants, which are thought to help protect against oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress occurs when free radicals accumulate in your body. These unstable cells react within your body and damage healthy cells. This is thought to lead to premature aging, as well as a host of other health complaints.
Antioxidants help to neutralize free radicals. Once neutralized, your body can then flush out these harmful molecules.
A lab-based study found that bamboo extract contains antioxidant properties.
Another lab study discovered that bamboo leaf extract contains chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, and luteolin 7-glucoside, which are phytochemicals that have been shown to have free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities.
One other study found that bamboo extract is rich in phytochemicals, including flavonoids and phenolic acids, that work as natural antioxidants.
As noted above, getting adequate amounts of antioxidants through diet or supplementation is key for supporting your body's overall health and well-being. Supplementing with antioxidant-rich plants like bamboo can be a great way to support your body.
How To Add Bamboo To Your Diet:
Based on the health benefits listed above, adding bamboo to your diet is an easy decision - especially if you're looking to support your skin and hair health.
You may be asking, what's the best way to add bamboo to your diet?
The best way to incorporate bamboo into your diet is by taking a daily supplement.
At Wellbel, we include bamboo in our Wellbel Men’s formula, our daily supplement for men.
In addition to bamboo extract, Wellbel Men also contains vitamin A, vitamin D, folate, vitamin B2, biotin, zinc, selenium, and copper.
This supplement is your one-stop daily men’s health supplement that works to support hair growth, hormone balance, and prostate health.
Conclusion:
Bamboo is considered to be a safe, well-tolerated plant with a wide variety of benefits for men.
Research shows that bamboo provides many different health benefits, especially for hair and skin health.
If you are looking for natural support in any of these areas, taking bamboo is well worth the investment. As a bonus, bamboo is also rich in a variety of vitamins and minerals.
Here at Wellbel, we include bamboo extract in our Wellbel Men formula. This daily men’s health formula works to support hair, hormonal health, and prostate health.
Have you tried bamboo extract before? What's your favorite way to include this beneficial plant in your diet?
