Pandas are undoubtedly nature’s cuddliest bear. Those big, black, doughy patches that house their eyes could soften the heart of a steely-eyed Navy SEAL. But, are they cute enough to convince you to substitute that cup of Rooibos with a cup of their poop?

Chinese tea enthusiast, An Yanshi seems to think so. Pandas have a very inefficient digestive system, as such only about 30% of the nutrients are absorbed from the bamboo they eat. That leaves plenty of the good stuff behind so that you can enjoy a delicious (we’ll leave that up to the tasters) and nutritious cup of tea.

The tea won’t literally be brewed from panda droppings, rather they will be used to fertilise green tea. If you take a step and survey the bigger picture it might not seem like the wildest idea; animal products are often used to fertilise soil. What makes this so noteworthy is the price of the precious poop, at $36 000 per pound (that’s roughly R288 360 for less than half a kilogram) you can imagine what a single cup will set you back.

With the exorbitant price tag you might wonder why anyone would even consider indulging in a cup. For An Yanshi though, the answer is all too simple. Other than having “a mature, nutty taste and a very distinctive aroma” he claims there’s a good chance it could help prevent cancer. Green tea already contains powerful anti-oxidising agents which potentially prevent cancer cells from dividing. However, Yanshi’s claims that bamboo contains an element which can prevent cancer has yet to be proven conclusively.

I think I’ll stick to a cup of Rooibos and the occasional cup of traditionally fertilised green tea.

[Source: World News/Treehugger]