Plant atlas Short
Bok Choy: Cook It With Oil for the Carotenoids
Bok Choy / Pak Choi · ผักกวางตุ้ง · Brassica rapa chinensis
Bok Choy / Pak Choi — ผักกวางตุ้ง (phak-kwang-tung) — Brassica rapa chinensis.
A little oil helps the body absorb bok choy's beta-carotene. You eat the leaves and crunchy stalks. In a study of women, higher cruciferous-vegetable intake was associated with lower inflammatory markers. Bok choy provides vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate. Cho Phak Kat is a Northern Thai sour soup with tender bok choy and pork ribs, served with sticky rice and fried dried chilies. Phad Phak Kwangtung stir-fries crisp bok choy and tofu with garlic, then serves it over jasmine rice with crispy pork belly. Harvest baby bok choy young and cook it whole; the fast crop can be ready in 30 to 45 days. Avoid eating large amounts raw over the long term because raw bok choy contains compounds that can suppress thyroid function.
Cho Phak Kat — จอผักกาด (cho-phak-kat)
Phad Phak Kwangtung — ผัดผักกวางตุ้ง (phad-phak-kwang-tung)
Food and nutrients
Rich in: vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, folate
Research context
Higher cruciferous-vegetable intake linked to lower inflammatory markers — J Acad Nutr Diet, 2014
Sources
Source: Jiang Y et al. (2014). Cruciferous intake & proinflammatory markers in women. J Acad Nutr Diet 114(5):700-8. DOI:10.1016/j.jand.2013.12.019 (PMID 24630682)
Narration transcript
Opening
One little cabbage, two textures in a single bite: juicy pale stalks that stay crisp and dark green leaves that go silky the moment they hit the wok. Bok choy — ผักกวางตุ้ง, pak-gwang-toong. You eat the whole plant, leaves and stalks, and the baby heads get cooked whole.
จอผักกาด (Cho Phak Kat)
Cho phak kat is a savory Northern Thai sour soup that pairs tender bok choy with pork ribs, eaten hot with sticky rice and crispy fried dried chilies.
ผัดผักกวางตุ้ง (Phad Phak Kwangtung)
Phad phak kwangtung is a simple garlic stir-fry that pairs crisp bok choy with tofu, eaten over warm jasmine rice with a side of crispy pork belly.
Nutrition summary
Bok choy brings vitamin C at 50% of the daily value, vitamin K at 38%, and vitamin A at 25%.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A contributes to normal vision and helps maintain healthy skin and surface tissues.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is used to build collagen and helps protect cells from oxidative stress.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K contributes to normal blood clotting and helps maintain healthy bones, working alongside calcium in your body.
Folate
Folate supports normal cell division and blood formation, and plays an especially important role before and during pregnancy.
Closing
It is one of the fastest crops you can grow, with baby bok choy ready to cut in 30 to 45 days. Cook it with a little oil so your body can absorb its beta-carotene, and don't live on it raw in big amounts, since raw bok choy holds compounds that can nudge thyroid function down. Follow Longevity Biome, and LIKE this video for regular updates.
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