Bamboo Charcoal.. Yummy!
Bamboo is the truly most versatile material. You can:
- wear it (bamboo fibres and cloths)
- walk on it (bamboo flooring)
- cook with it (bamboo kitchenware)
- chop on it (bamboo chopping boards)
It’s so versatile, we almost forget you can eat it too. Usually we just eat the shoots.
But trust the Japanese to come up with something wacky. They have turned bamboo charcoal into a fine powder, and used the ashes with anything from bread to tea!
It reminds me of the Chinese medium who burns paper amulets, mixes the ashes into a cup of tea, and gets the patient to gulp it down as a cure for his ailment.
A short video is available at this web site, but it doesn’t seem very reliable. So I’ve helpfully copied some screen shots for you. Enough said, I’ll let the pictures do the talking for me.
(Jacq, this one is for you!) 
1. Fine bamboo charcoal powder
2. It actually looks edible in these nice boxes.
3. Salesman explaining how it works above.
4. Bamboo charcoal bread! Looks like chocolate. Perhaps they should rename it “bamboo chocolate powder” instead (remember, you heard it here first).
5. Let’s end this with a nice cuppa bamboo charcoal tea!
Digg it if you like it! [digg=http://digg.com/health/Eat_Bamboo_Charcoal_and_Be_Healthy]
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Jacq said,
June 15, 2007 at 11:45 am
Thanks Hun Boon!
So they really eat it? I wonder what it tastes like. Isn’t the bamboo charcoal carcinogenic when consumed? Sounds like an extreme health food. Hmm… will find out more and give it a try if I ever get the chance (if deemed safe).
I look forward to more blog postings! This is a wonderful respite from work.
Hun Boon said,
June 15, 2007 at 2:38 pm
Hi Jacq,
I think they’re really selling it.. it’s supposed to be mildly sweet, but why not just use sugar instead?
It isn’t toxic, after all, charcoal pills is a popular medicine for diarrhoea. Which makes me wonder, would such bamboo charcoal foods cause constipation??
Breaking Rumors, News, Truemors said,
June 18, 2007 at 11:40 am
[…] you know that bamboo ashes not only can be eaten, it is also good for your health? It lowers acidity of your blood, and flushes out toxins. Food no score link spread 8:40 […]
Eating with Bamboo « Eco-Friendly Bamboo Floors by Star Bamboo Singapore said,
June 21, 2007 at 12:05 am
[…] Jun 2007 Eating with Bamboo Posted by Hun Boon under bamboo kitchenware We talked about eating bamboo, now let’s look at eating with bamboo. Disposable bamboo forks, spoons, knives, plates bowls […]
Three Meals Of Goodness » Blog Archive » Charcoal Bread? Sbread Has It! said,
July 1, 2008 at 9:03 am
[…] Chunks of bread with colorful toppings. I was told later that they were ‘jams’ for the bread with various options ranging from Vanilla Kaya to Chocolate and even Special Chilli Paste & Shredded Floss. I was like … interesting….. that’s until I came across this black lump in a plastic bag. Yup .. that’s bread alright. Sbread has a good variety of breadstuffs to choose from. 3 types of bread …. White Bread, Sesame Bread and finally Charcoal Bread. Charcoal Bread ??!? My curiosity level shot from 0 to 100 in like ….. 2.5 seconds ! I mean …. what will they come up with next ? Charcoal beverage? Charcoal t-shirt? (I found out later that … yes, somebody did produce such products). […]