So, you’re looking for a new chopping board, and don’t really know where to start. Especially when you’ve been trying to make all of your purchases as green as possible. Well, this might be the answer. Bamboo.
Yes, it’s been touted around for the last few years as an amazing alternative to many of our household items – and with very good reason. Bamboo has some unique properties that means it’s not only sustainable – but a better product as well.
What is Bamboo?
Bamboo is technically a grass and has been used in construction for hundreds of years. It is a very strong material, with houses and even bridges have been made from bamboo, and it is a native plant to China.
There are over a thousand different species, but only some of them are suitable for building or making household items with.
It’s only in recent times that it has been able to be manufactured in such a way that items such as chopping boards can be made.
Traditional Materials
Chopping boards have traditionally been made from either plastic, glass or wood. While there are benefits to all of these materials, there are also downsides was well. Whatever you decide to use, it’s always good to know exactly what to expect from an item before buying it.
Plastic
Plastic was seen for a long time to be the cleanest material to use for a chopping board. It does have some great qualities. It is dishwasher safe, which means that high heat can be used to get rid of any bacteria. Over time however, bacteria does build up even faster than on wood, so they need to be replaced more often. Plastic doesn’t blunt your knives too quickly and it is recommended for cutting meat on – as well as having a separate plastic chopping board to do so. Yet the cost of producing plastic on our environment is one that we can no longer ignore, and of all materials, it has the highest carbon footprint.
Pros:
- Dishwasher safe
- Doesn’t blunt knives
- Good for meat
Cons:
- Needs replaced often
- Bacteria build-up
- Environmental cost
Glass
Glass might look great in your kitchen, but it’s not the best material for a chopping board. You can now get ones made of recycled glass, which is a great alternative if you have your heart set on one. The benefit of these chopping boards is that they are easy to clean – harder than both wood and plastic, you just wipe them with warm soapy water. This comes with its downsides however. Your knife can slip easily, they are noisy, and they blunt your knives really quickly due to their hardness.
Pros:
- Easy to clean
- Don’t wear down quickly
Cons:
- Slippery
- Noisy
- Blunt knives
Wood
Wood has been the mainstay of chopping boards for years. It’s easy to see why. First of all, the traditional hardwoods such as walnut, cherry and birch used for chopping boards don’t scrape easily but are the kindest material on knives. While you can’t put them in the dishwasher, warm soapy water will do the trick so long as you make sure to dry them afterwards. May don’t like them for cutting meat on as they are still slightly porous, and so can absorb smells and bacteria over time. This is why plastic for meat and poultry is still a popular option. Yet while they last a long time, this hardwood isn’t a sustainable material.
Pros:
- Great for knives
- Doesn’t scrape easily
- Lasts a long time
Cons:
- Can absorb smells
- Not from a sustainable source
Why Use a Bamboo Chopping Board?
While a wood chopping board is still a great choice for any kitchen, bamboo has its own properties that makes it even better than one made of hardwood. Of course, it’s up to you what you have it your kitchen, but just take a look at these bamboo facts.
It’s Good for the Environment
Being environmentally conscious is now at the forefront of everyone’s minds – which is why it’s so important that the items we buy are done with sustainable thinking. This is where bamboo comes in.
Biodegradable
We all know that both plastic and glass chopping boards are made in the worst way possible – producing lots of dangerous chemicals that pollute the air. Even when we are done with them, they continue to damage the earth. They end up in landfill sides where they take hundreds of years to break down. If plastic is incinerated, the results are even worse, with harmful dioxides being released into the atmosphere when burned. While you can find glass chopping boards made from recycled glass, they are also one of the worst practical materials to use. Bamboo on the other hand is completely biodegradable and easy to manufacture.
Sustainable
Its environmental friendliness is one of the top reasons why bamboo is better even than other hardwoods. As in can grow in 2-4 years, it is a renewable resource, whereas other hardwood trees can take up to 40 years to grow to the height they were when they were cut down. As bamboo becomes more popular for household items, the demand for other wood decreases, meaning that less will be chopped down and forests can be left to nature.
It’s Antibacterial
Bamboo has some natural properties that makes it ideal for cutting anything on – even meat. As it’s easy to clean and sanitise, you won’t need to worry about bugs.
Self Healing
One of the issues that is always the most concerning about chopping boards is how exactly do you clean them. Plastic ones can be put in the washing machine, and glass ones are non-porous (but your knife might slip). Some wood seems to be good for cleanliness, but they do tend to be damaged by knifes over time which means they are a breeding ground for bacteria. Bamboo, like other hardwoods, is resistant to these cuts as well as being what’s known as self-healing. This means that on a microscopic level, the wood will part to allow the knife through before sealing up again.
Light and Non-porous
Bamboo is a lot lighter as a material than the other woods however, meaning that you can lift it easily. It is also more non-porous than other wooden boards, and in combination with its resilience to scrapes, means that it is bacteria resistant. It also doesn’t absorb any nasty smells and stays clean and beautiful. All in needs is a wash in warm soap water after use, or with some diluted white wine vinegar or bleach if you’ve been cutting meat.
Good For Knives
Because of bamboos self-healing nature, it is kind on knives while still being very hard and resistant to scrapes. It is even better than hardwood on your knives and won’t blunt them like glass chopping boards do.
What Are the Downsides?
As with everything, there are downsides to using bamboo chopping boards. You will need to sanitise them after cutting meat. While they don’t need it very often, it is a good idea to sand them down and apply oil every once in a while, to keep them in their best condition. Yet this is recommended when using hardwood as well, so in fact they are very low-maintenance in comparison.
Whatever material you use for your chopping board, it’s great if you can keep the environment in mind and stick to wood or bamboo. They are getting increasingly more popular, so these lightweight bamboo chopping boards can be found almost everywhere.