There are some risks to eating bamboo.
When eating bamboo, the main risks are the natural occurring toxins, called cyanogenic glycosides that naturally occur in bamboo.
If these toxins are not destroyed properly or at all they can release hydrogen cyanide when eaten and can cause severe illness or even death.
If eaten raw or not cooked properly the bamboo when eaten can cause cyanide poisoning and cause convulsions, vomiting and dizziness.
Other risks to eating bamboo are possible allergies, especially if you suffer grass pollen allergies, as well as the high sodium in canned bamboo.
There can also be the potential for contaminants in bamboo fiber products, which are also different from the bamboo shoots themselves.
Fresh, raw bamboo shoots contain toxins which release hydrogen cyanide when eaten, and the symptoms of cyanide poisoning from raw or undercooked bamboo and bamboo shoots are headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, stomach pain, vomiting, and in severe cases, convulsions.
To get rid of the toxins, in bamboo and bamboo shoots, boil the bamboo or bamboo shoots thoroughly for at least 20 minutes and change the water, or you can also buy canned or pre-processed bamboo shoots to eliminate toxins.
Some people also have allergic reactions to bamboo and bamboo shoots, especially for people that have allergies to grass pollen.
And canned bamboo shoots can be high in sodium, so rinse or choose low sodium bamboo shoot options.
In general though, once prepared properly, bamboo and bamboo shoots are safe for most people to eat.