Thursday, August 30, 2012

Pak Choi (Bok Choi)


Pak Choy is sometimes called “Chinese white cabbage.” It comes in tightly packed heads with white and green coloration. It’s popular in stir fries and similar hot dishes. This vegetable has a lot of positive health effects, and provides a great alternative to lettuce or other kinds of cabbages. All of pak choi is edible; I just cut off and discard the very bottom of the stems. The leaves can be eaten raw in salad and quick to wilt by steaming, sauteing or stir frying.

Health Benefits of Bok Choy
Here are some of the major health benefits that bok choy provides in a diet plan.

1. Calories
Bok Choy is a low-calorie food. As a green vegetable, it doesn’t contain a lot of the fats and sugars that push calorie counts through the roof. That makes it a good way to bulk up a meal without adding a lot of calories to your plate.

2. Carbs
When it comes to carbohydrates, or carbs, it’s really hard to keep this element of your diet under control. You can lower your calorie count, cut out red meats, and avoid cheeses and fatty foods, but those carbs still creep in. After all, carbs are in almost everything, right?
Bok Choy is one of a few select foods that has a low carb value, making it a prime candidate for a low-carb diet. However, nutritional advice on carbs varies. Ask your doctor about how to get your carb levels right with a daily menu.

3. Antioxidants
The general category of vitamins called antioxidants help to ward off a wide range of diseases. Antioxidants help to prevent some kinds of cancers. They also protect the heart against some kinds of illness. Basically, these elements help the body fight off illness and pack a powerful health punch. Bok choy is high in antioxidants and will that’s another reason why it can be so helpful to add this plant to your dinners.

4. Vitamin B
Fresh bok choy has many vital B-complex vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B6), riboflavin, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine, and thiamin (vitamin B-1). These vitamins are essential in the sense that our body requires them from external sources to replenish.

5. Vitamin C
Another vitamin that bok choy has is vitamin C. This vitamin, also found in citrus fruits, helps to prevent you from getting health conditions like scurvy, where a deficiency leads to skin problems and other illnesses.

6. Vitamin K
Pak choi is very good source of vitamin K, provides about 38% of RDA levels. Vitamin-K has potential role in bone metabolism by promoting osteotrophic activity in bone cells. Therefore, enough vitamin K in the diet makes your bone stronger, healthier and delay osteoporosis. Further, vitamin-K also has established role in curing Alzheimer's disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in their brain.

7. Folic Acid
Bok choy is a source of folic acid, which is something pregnant women generally need in their diets. Talk to your doctor about a specific diet plan if you are pregnant or nursing, and ask about all of the risks and benefits of foods including bok choy for a specialized maternity menu.

8. Potassium
Potassium is another thing that your body needs in specific levels. Bok choy can deliver this nutritional element as well, although again, you should talk to your doctor about how much potassium you need depending on current medical conditions or medications that you are taking.

All of the above are great reasons to include bok choy in your diet. Get this and other green plants into your meals, and you’ll be following the time-tested strategy of eating better to feel better, promote longevity, and generally keep yourself healthy and happy.

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