Bamboo Chopping Board – Use, Benefits & Comparison

Chopping boards are also known as cutting or slicing boards. I found plastic cutting boards are profusely used in Indian kitchens. The motive to bring this topic is just to tell you if you are using plastic chopping boards, you should switch to the bamboo chopping board. Why! You will find the reason later in this content. The use and benefits of the Bamboo Chopping Board and comparison of a bamboo chopping board with plastic and stainless steel chopping board are explained.

Mainly there are three types of chopping boards available in the Indian market that are Plastic, Wooden, and Stainless Steel. In plastic chopping boards, the type of plastic used defines its quality and price while wooden chopping boards may include wood of Maple, Neem, Walnut, Acacia, Mango, Teak, Bamboo, etc. Stainless steel chopping boards are also found but not that popular as plastic and wooden. All these chopping boards come in different shapes and sizes to make them attractive. There are other varieties of chopping boards that are also found in the other parts of the world that are made up of materials like glass, marble, and different types of stones, etc. But in the Indian market, these are rare. I don’t find these type of boards popular.

When is a Chopping Board said to be the best :

Well, according to me, considering cutting and chopping, 1) firstly and most importantly the cutting board must provide an excellent surface to cut vegetables, fruits, bread, etc. That is the ease of cutting experience must be best. 2) Next to this, our cutting board should not develop toxicity in our food. 3) The cutting board should not make the knife dull. If the cutting surface is too hard, it may dull the knife after every use or cut. 4) It would be better if cleaning and maintenance could be easy. 5) lastly I consider its life that is for how much time or years we could use a chopping board. It won't matter a lot for me if a chopping board needs to be replaced after a fair year of use when it is that good for cutting.

Bamboo Chopping Board :

The Bamboo Chopping Board is considered as a wooden chopping board, though bamboo is not wood. It is known that bamboo is the tallest and hard-enough (harder than many kinds of wood) grass from which a wide variety of things are made. Because of its profuseness, hardiness, nono-porosity, and antibacterial property, it has become popular among wooden chopping board types.

Use :

After every use, rinse the Bamboo Chopping Board well in tap water. Hang or keep it at some dry place so that its surface gets dry easily. If possible wipe it with a clean cloth after rinsing. Try to keep it dry when it is not in use. Don't keep it wet for long unnecessarily.
For extra care, stubborn stains, or any type of smell, wipe or rinse the cutting surface with a few drops of lemon juice mixed with lukewarm water periodically. You can add a few drops of vinegar to the cleansing mixture too.
Do not use any metal scrubber to avoid scratches and deep cuts on the cutting board.
Seasoning - You can season a bamboo chopping board. Brush your bamboo chopping board with coconut oil all over the surface (front, back, and all sides). Let it set and absorbed. Repeat the process until no water is soaked. You can do it to extend its life, minimize bacterial growth, and shiny look. You need to repeat seasoning periodically when dryness develops over time. Please note that for this process, if you do not want to use coconut oil, you can try those oils only that are edible.
You can use a soft scrubber or cloth to clean the board. Don't apply any dishwasher gel if you don't season it. With seasoning, you can use dishwasher gel.
If possible, use only one side of the cutting board first. Later you can use the other side for a newer experience. For this, you can make a small mark at any corner of one side with any non-toxic thing to identify.

Benefits (Pros) :

Provides excellent cutting surface. The rough (ribbed) surface lets you cut vegetables and fruits smoothly and perfectly.
Bamboo Chopping Boards are gentler on knife comparing steel chopping boards. The too soft surface will get scratches easily and too hard surface dull the knife after every use. Bamboo Chopping Boards are just that perfect do not harm the sharpness of knives.
Preferable over plastic chopping boards for the following reasons. Researches say plastic is more prone to bacterial growth than wood. The terrific thing about plastic cutting boards is that tiny plastic pieces or fibers come out along with cuts, mixes with food, and contaminate it.
The price is almost the same as that of plastic chopping boards. But the bamboo chopping board is far better than plastic ones in every aspect.
Comparing other wooden cutting boards, Bamboo Chopping Boards are cheaper in price.
Bamboo, the hard grass is well resistant to water.
Good resistance to get scratches.
Bamboo Chopping Board has the antibacterial property that doesn't breed bacteria fast.
This Bamboo chopping board comes with a handle attached to it.
Both sides of the cutting board can be usable.
Looks beautiful. It can well suit to any kitchen.
Available in different sizes. One can choose as per requirement.

Cons :

This Bamboo Chopping Board doesn't come with feet. Having feet raises the cutting board surface from the kitchen platform a bit. The raised surface would provide an even better cutting experience. It is another thing that heavy chopping boards can only have feet. Here it is lighter in weight and lacks feet.
No juice grooves. I have seen some cutting boards come with juice grooves around their perimeter that help in collecting the fluid/juice that flows off while cutting juicy vegetables like tomatoes or other juicy fruits.

Comparing Bamboo (Wooden) Chopping Board with Plastic and Stainless Steel Chopping Board :

Though plastic chopping boards come in different shapes, sizes, attractive colors, and designs I believe one should avoid Plastic Chopping Boards. As I told you earlier tiny pieces of plastic easily come out from the cutting surface and get mixed with the food. So personally I don't like plastic chopping boards. Other wooden chopping boards may be costlier but plastic chopping boards can easily be replaced by Bamboo Chopping Boards. Bamboo Chopping Boards are available at a similar price as of Plastic Chopping Boards in the Indian market. Comparing wooden (or bamboo) chopping board with Plastic and Stainless Steel Chopping board in different parameters, what I found have summarized below.

Cutting Experience: Bamboo (or wooden) Chopping Boards are excellent.

Bamboo - Best

Steel - Good

Plastic - Better

Cutting Surface: Again bamboo chopping boards are better. Because stainless steel is too hard that can dull your knife with every cut. And that clanking sound when two hard things hit each other may be annoying.

Bamboo - Best

Steel - Good

Plastic - Better

Toxicity: Plastic Cutting Boards are the worst ever.

Bamboo - With seasoning does not.

Steel - Never

Plastic - Worst (while plastic tiny pieces mix with food)

Life: Stainless Steel goes decades while you may need to replace your bamboo chopping board after some years of use when its surface turns furry.

Bamboo - Good (you can season it as mentioned above to extend its life)

Steel - Best

Plastic - Better

Cleaning and maintenance: Yes, it is easier for stainless steel chopping boards. Well, it is not that difficult for bamboo (or wooden) chopping boards too.

Bamboo - Good

Steel - Better

Plastic - Good

Stain and Odor: It can be understood that stainless steel can be cleaned easily so no steel chopping boards will have stain and odor. Steel chopping boards are stain-free and odor-free. Plastic and Wooden Cutting boards may get a bit of it.

Bamboo - may get (without seasoning)

Steel - hardly gets

Plastic - may get

Bacterial growth: Both steel and bamboo cutting boards are good. Yes, other wooden boards may breed bacteria easily but bamboo chopping boards won't.

Bamboo - Hardly gets

Steel - Never

Plastic - May get

I really like the Bamboo Chopping Board for its easier, smooth, sleek, and non-clanking cutting surface. If you are a nonvegetarian, I would like to tell you, stainless steel cutting boards would be better for cutting meat. Because it is non-porous, unlike wooden boards. Well, I hope the comparison will help you to make a decision to have the right cutting board in your kitchen and why not to use plastic cutting boards. Thank you.