Buddha's Belly Bamboo is eaten throughout Asia.

Bamboo is an edible grass that has been part of the diet of mankind for thousands of years. Young shoots of Buddha's belly (Bambusa vulgaris) are edible and eaten throughout Asia. Yellow shoots remain buttercup yellow after cooking. The shoots are tender and whitish pink.

The sap, called bamboo tears, is collected from the knots in the stems and used in traditional medicine. It is a botanical quartz, not unlike silica.

Bamboo tears is one of the main substances from bamboo used in Ayurvedic and Tibetan medicine. Bamboo extract is the richest known source of natural silica containing over 70% organic silica. Silicon improves the condition of the hair, nails, teeth, gums and skin.

Bamboo is the fastest growing of all known plants in the world and stronger than steel. It is used for building natural homes such as the Green School in Bali (left). Paper made from Buddha's Belly has exceptional tear strength.