Bamboo Shoots Bambusa sp. Bamboo is one of the most versatile and widely used plants, being used for purposes as diverse as house and bridge building to cups, hats, baskets and even food. Part of the Gramineae, or grass, family, there are about 480 species of bamboo in all. The young shoots are sliced and used in Oriental cooking. The shoots are a good source of magnesium, which is necessary in the development of bones and teeth and producing chemical energy in body cells. 100g of bamboo shoots equal a mere 27 kcalories and also contain water, protein, a slight trace of fats, carbohydrate, calcium, a little bit of iron and a quite good 10% of the recommended daily allowance for zinc. It also contains carotene (vitamin A), vitamin B1, vitamin B2, niacin, vitamin C and some folic acid.