AN APPLE A DAY - THE JOY OF BOK CHOY

DAY 109 OF 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

THE JOY OF BOK CHOY

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Did you know that bok choy, or what is sometimes called “Chinese Cabbage,” is the second most nutritious vegetable on earth? 

Well!  That is great news!  I’ll just confess right here; I’ve never even tasted it.  I’ve never once used it in cooking…..and I absolutely don’t understand a thing about it! 

Where have I been?   Have I had my head buried in the sand?  I honestly thought I knew a little bit about good nutrition, and now I’m finding out that the two most nutritious vegetables in the land have never graced my table!  

Last week I solved the watercress disaster by using my new recipe to everyone’s delight.  I will be incorporating watercress into my sandwiches and salads too.  No problem, the stuff tastes great!  But; bok choy?  Now that is a different story.  What on earth will I do with that stuff? 

My guess was that I should start by learning all that it can do to help me; health wise.  So I began to research bok choy.  I found out it is a member of the cabbage family.  It contains 21 nutrients!  Those nutrients include omega-3 and the antioxidant mineral called zinc.  (I’m already impressed!) 

Cancer has been the culprit for most of my loved ones; so you know I’m all about cancer preventative measures.  It turns out that recent studies identified over 70 antioxidant phenolic substances in bok choy.  They include hydroxycinnamic acids, which have been referred to as “chain-breaking” antioxidants because they have a method of scavenging free radicals.  This information has sparked many large-scale human studies about dietary antioxidants and cancer prevention. 

Bok Choy is loaded with beta-carotene and it is ranked the 11^th richest food for vitamin A.  It is also an excellent source for vitamin C and manganese.  The diverse array of antioxidants found in the flavonoids of bok choy brings unique benefits. 

These flavonoids; quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin and other phenolic acids (including significant amounts of hydroxycinnamic acids) are all helpful and work together to prevent unwanted oxygen damage to cells.  The particular combinations of the antioxidants in bok choy are very valuable in terms of antioxidant support.  This whole, natural food can provide you with benefits that antioxidant supplements cannot provide. 

Bok Choy has been found to help in lowering your risk for chronic inflammation.  About 70 milligrams of alpha-linolenic acid are found in one cup of cooked bok choy.  It is one of the top 15 Vitamin K foods.  Vitamin K protects your bone health and gives your blood good clotting abilities.  It regulates your inflammatory responses, especially in relation to the cardiovascular system. 

Due to recent discoveries from the research I’ve been doing; I would recommend you alternate eating one cup of watercress a day and one cup of bok choy a day.  This could only lead you down a path to great health!

For the previously ignorant (like me) here is how you can recognize bok choy in the grocery store:  it looks like non-headed cabbage with distinct individual leaves that cluster together in a way that is similar to celery stalks.  It may be called “white cabbage” or “Chinese cabbage.”  It may or may not have white stems, sometimes they are yellow or purple stems, as there are many types of bok choy.  Just look for smooth, glossy, spoon-shaped leaf blades that cluster together without forming an actual head.  You will probably sometimes also see baby bok choy for sale.  This has a more tender texture and milder flavor. 

Bok Choy can be spelled a million different ways too, so don’t let the rearranging of the spelling throw you off at the market.  Sometimes “choy” is “choi,” and sometimes “bok” is spelled “pak” or “pok.”  Go figure – don’t ask me why; I can’t know EVERYTHING!  It is hard enough just realizing that I didn’t know what bok choy was!  You will probably find it grouped with the Asian vegetables.  Look for firm bright green leaves and moist hardy stems.  It should not be wilted, and do not buy it if the color is brown or yellow.  Green means fresh!  Also, skip the purchase if there are holes in the leaves.  Not a good thing!

Bok Choy can be stored in an air-free plastic storage bag and kept in your refrigerator for about a week.  If you let it get warm before eating; much of the vitamins and nutrients will be lost.  Keep it cold until you are ready to eat or cook.

So how do you make it taste delicious?  Here is one of my NEW favorite recipes.  I think you will like it.  It got top ratings at our house.  Most people want to sauté bok choy, and that is fine; but I prefer to roast it.  Just fill a small shallow bowl with extra virgin olive oil, a little sea salt and a little fresh ground pepper.  Add about one tablespoon of ginger and stir well.   Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  Dredge the bok choy (cut lengthwise) through the oil mixture and roast cut side down on a baking sheet for 10 minutes, then turn for 5 minutes more roasting. If you want to get a bit more creative, add a little honey or soy sauce, or both to the oil mix.  You can cut mushrooms and onions to roast with this too.  Any of these make the bok choy very tasty.  It is surprisingly delicious!  I especially enjoy this recipe with fish cooked in olive oil and lemon juice.  They are both healthy and the mix makes a great combination of flavors.

So go and cook this green leafy vegetable; and share it with someone you love.  Proverbs 15:17 says; it is better to eat a dish of vegetables where love is than a fattened ox served with hatred.  I think we can all agree on this logic!  Peace, love and bok choy.....perfect combination for a healthy lifestyle.