This week I would like to talk about one of my FAVOURITE vegetables which is commonly referred to as Bok Choy! You may also see it advertised as Brassica rapa L. subsp. chinesis or pok, pak, or buk choi..but lets just keep it simple and call it Bok Choy.
Bok Choy is from the cruciferous family of vegetables which also includes broccoli, cabbage, kale and brussels sprouts. It’s often referred to as a “non-heading chinese cabbage” as the leaves don’t form a ‘head’ but rather remain individual. Most often the stem of Bok Choy is white or light green, and the leaves are a richer tone of green. You can also find baby Bok Choy (often found in soups and stir fries) which has a milder, sweeter taste.
So why bok choy?!
Well at only 20 calories per 1 cup of this delicious veg, Bok Choy is packed with health promoting vitamins!
Bok Choy is a great source of antioxidants. Antioxidants help protect us from free radicals (think foreign enemies in the body that cause harm) and are essential in cancer prevention.
Bok Choy is also a source of Omega 3 fatty acid which helps to reduce inflammation in the body. Controlling excess inflammation helps to reduce risk of illness and disease.
Bok Choy is a source of whole food fibre which will help to keep you regular, promote weight loss and regulate blood sugar levels.
So how to prepare?!
The World’s Healthiest Foods Organization recommends cooking Bok Choy in a “healthy sauté”. To do this, heat up vegetable or chicken stock in a skillet and then add chopped Bok Choy on top. Place stems in the bottom and the leaves over the steams and cook until slightly tender. This ensures that you will be consuming as many nutrients from the plant as possible.
Bok Choy is great to add to soups, stir fries, salads, and as a side dish.
Enjoy!
Reference
Bok Choy. (n.d.). Retrieved January 29, 2015, from http://whfoods.org/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=152
