Bok Choy is a leafy cabbage and is popular in the Chinese mainland, Vietnam, the Philippines and even in East Asian countries. It has different names in different East Asian Countries such as pe-tsai, white celery mustard, pak choi and Chinese white cabbage.
The look of the vegetable gives a similarity of collards. The plant grows upright from the ground with white stalks and has oval leaves. This vegetable grows up to 12-19 inches.
The Health Benefits of Bok Choy are unknown to many people
- Bok Choy is rich in phytonutrients, minerals, vitamins and it also has a lot of antioxidants that are beneficial to the health.
- Most weight loss programs suggest Bok Choy as a negative calorie vegetable as it does not provide any excess calories to the body. On the other hand, it helps in burning fat inside the body, helping in weight loss to a very large extent.
- With regular consumption of Bok Choy, bad cholesterol can be prevented. It helps in reducing the chances of breast, prostate and colon cancers. The antioxidants present in the vegetable are very beneficial for overall health.
- Vitamin C, the best water-soluble antioxidant is found in abundance in Bok Choy. Regular consumption of vitamin c will help in developing the body’s resistance against infections and harmful free radicals from the body.
- Vitamin A is found in abundance in this vegetable.
- Vitamin K, which is very essential for promoting bone development, is present in Bok Choy. In short, including the vegetable in our diet can help us promote bone health and delay osteoporosis. Vitamin K is also necessary for curing Alzheimer’s disease, as it reduces the damage of neuronal damage inside the brain.
- This vegetable also is a good source of calcium, potassium, manganese, magnesium, iron and phosphorus. Potassium is very essential for regulating blood pressure and heart rate. Manganese is an antioxidant enzyme. Iron is very important for the formation of Red blood cells.
Selecting the vegetable and storing it
Boy Choy is mostly found in any season. But mostly it is found in abundance during the winter season. Try to buy fresh ones that have firm stalks and leaves with dark green shade. Do not choose leaves that are wilted and those which have lost their lustre.
Store the vegetable after packing it with plastic and keep it in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. It will stay fresh for 4 days. Try using it fresh as fresh ones are rich in nutrients and have a sweet flavour than stored ones.
Preparation and serving
The base of the vegetable has to be trimmed and the outer leaves which are discoloured should be removed. Wash the vegetable in cold running water and pat dry by placing it upside down so that the water is drained off.
Cut the vegetable into lengthwise halves and chop from the stem and use it for your favourite recipes. It goes well with other vegetables or stirs fry or soup up to enjoy its taste.
