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Bok Choy – What is it Good For?

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Absolutely EVERYTHING.   Say it again!  Let’s sing it’s praises.  A serving of Bok Choy a day will…  do a lot.  Perhaps even cure the common cold.  It’s good for you.  AND, it tastes GREAT!  As if you needed another excuse to go out for Chinese food.  Add this one to the list.

Bok ChoyChinese Soup SpoonThe name “bok choy” originated from the Chinese word for “soup spoon” because of the shape of its leaves.  Cultivated in China for centuries, bok choy has played a large part not only in its cuisine, but in traditional Chinese medicine. Today, it’s a staple in both Asian and American recipes.

A deep green leafy vegetable that resembles Romaine lettuce on top and a large celery on the bottom, bok choy is a crucifer more closely related to cabbage. The entire vegetable can be used, and is often added raw to salads for a satisfying crunch. In soups, the leaves and stalks should be chopped and added separately, since the stalks take longer to cook.  Bok choy can also be steamed or boiled, but the stir fry method of cooking seems to release the best flavors.

Health and Nutritional Facts About Bok Choy

Let us count the many things that this amazing Chinese cabbage can do for you:

One cup has just nine calories and barely a trace of fat.  Yet, it delivers protein, dietary fiber, and almost all the essential vitamins and minerals.

Bok choy is being recognized more and more often for its standout nutrient richness. This member of the cabbage family is one of the highest nutritionally ranked vegetables and it provides very good amounts of 21 nutrients. Unlike some other members of the cabbage family, these nutrients include omega-3s, as well as the antioxidant mineral zinc.

Anti-oxidants:  One cup of shredded bok choy has 34 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin C and more than a full day’s intake of vitamin A.

Cancer Protection:  Like all members of the cruciferous vegetable family, bok choy has unique sulfur containing compounds that may reduce the risk of breast, prostate, lung, and digestive track cancers.

Bok Choy – What isn’t it good for?  Absolutely nothing!  Say it again, Bok Choy… !  One thing though that you might find bad about it is how to correctly pronounce it.  I’ve heard it pronounced a million different ways.  But, no matter how you say it, have some Bok Choy today!

Do you have a Bok Choy recipe?  We would love to feature it in a future article on The Chinese Quest.

Humbly submitted for your consumption,

Mee Magnum  (“Chop!  Chop!”)

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4 comments

  1. nothing………like the song…. WAR….what is it good for….ABSOLUTELY nothing!!!!

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