Bok choy, also known as Chinese cabbage or Pak-choi is one of our new favorite veggies. Bok choy has been a part of Chinese culture for over 6000 years and falls under the dark leafy green veggie category in the US Diet. There are over twenty different varieties of bok choy, but the two most common are baby bok choy and traditional bok choy. Here is the skinny on the health benefits of bok choy:
- Low in calories – 1 cup is a meager 20 calories.
- Low sodium – 1 cup is only 58 mg.
- Low in saturated fats & cholesterol. An excellent source of water-soluble antioxidant, vitamin-C (ascorbic acid). 1 cup provides 75% of your daily requirements of vitamin C. Regular consumption of foods rich in vitamin C helps body develop resistance against infectious agents and scavenge harmful, pro-inflammatory free radicals.
- Has more Vitamin-A (carotenes) and other flavonoid anti-oxidants than cabbage or cauliflower. 1 cup provides 7223 IUs of Vitamin-A or about 144% of RDA levels.
- Good source of Vitamin K, 1 cup provides 57.8 mcg or about 72% of RDA levels. Vitamin-K promotes healthy bones by keeping calcium in the bones. Therefore, enough vitamin K in the diet makes your bone stronger, healthier and delay osteoporosis. Vitamin-K has also shown to limit neuronal damage in the brain of Alzheimer patients.
- Fresh bok choy has many B-complex vitamins which are essential because your body requires them from external sources to replenish.
- Good source of fiber, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, and potassium.
- Low Glycemic – rates 1 on the glycemic index.
Nutritional source from nutritiondata.self.com.
Simple & Clean Bok Choy Recipe:
Bok Choy Clean Stir Fry Recipe
Simple & Clean Bok Choy
Author: LiveGreenEatClean
Nutrition Information
- Serves: 2
- Serving size: 1 C
- Calories: 122
- Fat: 7.8 g
- Saturated fat: 1.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 11.2 g
- Sugar: 0
- Fiber: 3.7 g
- Protein: 6.1
- Cholesterol: 0
Recipe type: Side Dish
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Clean Bok Choy Recipe
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds Bok Choy or Baby Bok Choy
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 shallot, finely minces
- 1 teaspoon grated or minced fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
Instructions
- Trim the stems off the Bok Choy and separate the leaves, clean & drain. Chop into smaller bits on the diagonal.
- Finely mince garlic, ginger and shallot.
- Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and all ingredients into wok and cook on medium-high tossing well to coat the Bok Choy. When the leaves become slightly wilted cover and cook one more minute. Done – serve with main course and enjoy.
Notes
Vitamin A = 305% daily value
Calcium = 37% daily value
Vitamin C = 258% daily value
Iron = 15% daily value
Photo updated 10-11-13: Image credit: robynmac / 123RF Stock Photo
