Bok Choy: Nutritional Facts and Health Benefits

Bok Choy, also known as Pak Choi or Chinese white cabbage, is a popular green vegetable that belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables. It was first cultivated in China thousands of years ago, but is now consumed by people all over the world.

Bok Choy is a part of the Brassica genus of plants and is the most widely eaten brassica vegetable in China. This veggie is extremely healthy and nutrient-dense. It is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and offers a decent amount of fiber, but is very low in calories and carbohydrates. It is an easy-to-cook vegetable and makes for a tasty addition to salads, soups, stir-fries, and other Asian-influenced dishes.

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Bok Choy: Nutritional Facts

Bok choy is full of healthy vitamins and minerals. Let us take a look at its nutritional profile. One cup (70 grams) of shredded bok choy has the following nutrients:

Calories: 9

Total carbs: 1.5 grams

Protein: 1 gram

Total fat: 0 grams

Total sugar: 1 gram

Fiber: 1 gram

Vitamin C: 35% of the Daily Value (DV)

Folate: 12% of the DV

Vitamin A: 17% of the DV

Vitamin K: 27% of the DV

Calcium: 6% of the DV

Iron: 3% of the DV

Magnesium: 3% of the DV

Phosphorus: 2% of the DV

Potassium: 4% of the DV

Zinc: 1% of the DV

Manganese: 5% of the DV

Selenium: 1% of the DV

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Bok Choy: Health Benefits

1) May help prevent cancer

The cruciferous vegetable family is known for its anti-cancer properties. These are mostly attributed to sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates, which break down to give isothiocyanates.

Eating bok choy at least once per week has been linked with a significantly lower risk of oral, esophageal, colorectal, breast, and kidney cancers, as compared to never or occasionally eating it.

The vegetable is also a rich source of mineral selenium, which is related to a lower risk of cancer of the breast, lungs, esophagus, stomach, and prostate. Other nutrients like folate, vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene are powerful antioxidants that also help in preventing cancer.

2) Promotes bone health

Boy choy is rich in minerals like calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, and vitamin K, which are essential for bone health.

Zinc and iron play an important role in the synthesis of collagen and vitamin D metabolism. Collagen is a type of protein that forms a matrix in your joints and skeletal system, and is crucial in maintaining bone structure and strength. Reduced levels of these minerals are linked with a reduction in collagen and an increased risk of osteoporosis, a disease in which bones soften and become prone to fracture.

3) Supports thyroid function

Bok choy is rich in selenium, a mineral that plays an important role in thyroid function. The thyroid glands, located at the front base of your neck, play a critical role in metabolism and growth.

Having low levels of selenium has been linked to thyroid conditions, such as hypothyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis, and an enlarged thyroid, also called goiter.

4) Promotes heart health

Bok choy is abundant in minerals potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which naturally regulate your blood pressure. Potassium is especially beneficial at reducing high blood pressure, as it helps regulate sodium in the body.

Having unmanaged high blood pressure is a risk factor for developing heart disease. Hence, by regulating your blood pressure you may be able to keep a check on serious heart conditions.

Bok choy is also rich in folate and vitamin B6. These nutrients can prevent the build up of homocysteine, a compound which damages blood vessels and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke on accumulation.

5) Improves skin and immunity

Collagen is also a support system for the skin, helping to maintain its structure. It is highly dependent on vitamin C to smoothen wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in the formation of collagen and has essential antioxidant properties that help prevent damage caused by the sun, pollution, and smoke.

Boy Choy is rich in Vitamin C, which not only benefits the skin but also improves body immunity. The immune system also benefits from selenium, which improves the immune response to infections by stimulating the production of T-cells.

6) Reduces inflammation

Bok Choy is also a source of choline, which is known to help with sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory. Choline helps the cells in the body to maintain their shape, helps absorb fat and reduce chronic inflammation.

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How to eat Bok Choy?

Bok choy has a mildly sweet flavour and crisp texture. It is a versatile addition to all kinds of savoury dishes, salads, soups, stews and stir fries. Keep in mind that cooking this cruciferous veggie will result in some nutrient loss, hence you may try to keep it as raw and uncooked as possible.