Bok choy, pak choi or Chinese white cabbage, belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables. First cultivated in China thousands of years ago, it is now available all over the world.
The health benefits of bok choy
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Bok choy, pak choi or Chinese white cabbage, belongs to the cruciferous family of vegetables. First cultivated in China thousands of years ago, it is now available all over the world.
Other cruciferous vegetables include kale, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collard greens, rutabaga, and turnips.
These vegetables are a good supply of nutrients and are low in calories. They are well- suited to a healthful diet.
The nutrients in bok choy may offer protection from a number of conditions.
Protection from cancer
Bok choy and other cruciferous vegetables have certain anti-cancer properties.
Studies have shown that some people who eat more cruciferous vegetables have a lower risk of developing lung, prostate, and colon cancer.
Bok choy contains folate. Folate plays a role in the production and repair of DNA, so it might prevent cancer cells from forming due to mutations in the DNA.
Bok choy also contains vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene. These nutrients have powerful antioxidant properties that help protect cells against damage by free radicals.
Unlike most other fruits and vegetables, bok choy contains the mineral selenium.
Selenium helps to detoxify some cancer-causing compounds in the body. Selenium also prevents inflammation and decreases tumor growth rates.
Cruciferous and other vegetables also offer protection because they provide fiber. Fiber keeps the stool moving. This keeps the bowel healthy and reduces the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Fibrous foods also feed healthy gut bacteria, which affects overall health, metabolism, and digestion.
Bone health
The iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin K in bok choy all contribute to building and maintaining bone structure and strength.
Iron and zinc play crucial roles in the production and growth of collagen.
Phosphorus and calcium are both important in bone structure. However, proper bone growth needs a careful balance of both these nutrients. A diet that contains too much phosphorus and not enough calcium can result in bone loss.
Vitamin K helps maintain the balance of calcium in the bones, which means it might help reduce the risk of bone fractures.
Blood pressure
Potassium, calcium, and magnesium are all present in bok choy. They can help decrease blood pressure naturally.
According to an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people should increase their intake of potassium. Some evidence shows that consuming 4,700 mg of potassium daily decreases blood pressure caused by high sodium intake.
The same article notes that many people consume too much sodium, which increases the risk of developing high blood pressure. people should consume no more than 1500 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day.
Heart health
Bok choy’s folate, potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin B-6 content, coupled with its lack of cholesterol, all help to maintain a healthy heart.
A National Health and Nutrition Examination Study (NHANES) published in 2011 found a “significantly higher” risk of cardiovascular disease among people who consumed too much sodium and not enough potassium.
Vitamin B-6 and folate prevent the buildup of a compound known as homocysteine. Excess homocysteine in the body can damage blood vessels and lead to heart problems.
Inflammation
Choline helps with sleep, muscle movement, learning, and memory. It also helps cells in the body to keep their shape and helps absorb fat and reduce chronic inflammation.
Immunity
The selenium found in bok choy has been found to improve immune response to infection by stimulating the production of T-cells that identify and kill invading bacteria and viruses.
Skin
Collagen, the skin’s support system, relies on vitamin C. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient that has antioxidant properties that may help prevent damage caused by the sun, pollution, and smoke. Vitamin C also promotes collagen’s ability to smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture.
Type 2 diabetes
Some studies have suggested that cruciferous vegetables can help people with diabetes to maintain their blood sugar levels. However, a meta-analysis published in 2018 concluded that the evidence for such a link was “not convincing.”
The American Diabetes Association describe non-starchy vegetables, including cruciferous vegetables, as “one food group where you can satisfy your appetite.”
Share on Pinterest Like other vegetables and fruits, bok choy is a good source of fiber.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, 1 cup of raw bok choy, weighing 70 grams (g) contains:
- 9 calories
- 1.05 g of protein
- 1.53 g of carbohydrates
- 0.7 g of dietary fiber
- 0 g of cholesterol
- 0.067 g of polyunsaturated fat
- 74 mg of calcium
- 0.56 mg of iron
- 13 mg of magnesium
- 26 mg of phosphorus
- 176 mg of potassium
- 46 mg of sodium
- 0.13 mg of zinc
- 31.5 mg of vitamin C
- 46 micrograms (mcg) of folate
- 156 mcg of vitamin A (RAE)
- 31.9 mcg of vitamin K
According to the National Institutes of Health, for adults eating 2,000 calories per day and children over 4 years old, 1 cup of raw bok choy provides:
- 3.7 percent of daily potassium needs
- 17 percent of vitamin A
- 5.7 percent of calcium
- 26.5 percent of vitamin K
- 3.1 percent of magnesium
- 3.1 percent of iron
- 35 percent of vitamin C
Infants and children under 4 years old need less of these nutrients, and people who are pregnant and breastfeeding will require more.
A value of 20 percent or higher daily value is considered high, whereas a 5-percent or lower value indicates a low level.
Bok choy contains other vitamins and minerals, including phosphorus, zinc, sodium, copper, manganese, selenium, niacin, folate, choline, beta-carotene, and vitamin K.
Bok choy ranks sixth on the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) for fruits and vegetables.
The index rates foods based not only on their vitamin and mineral content but also their phytochemical composition and antioxidant capacity.
On this index, foods with the most nutrients per calorie have the highest rankings.
Cruciferous vegetables, such as bok choy, are rich in glucosinolates. These are sulfur-containing compounds that may benefit human health in a variety of ways.
Share on Pinterest Bok choy is a tasty addition to stir fries and salads.
People can consume all parts of bok choy. People can prepare it in a variety of ways. In addition to its low-calorie and high nutrient content, its mildly sweet flavor and crisp texture make it an agreeable addition to almost any dish.
Cooking vegetables reduces the number of nutrients they contain.
Here are some quick tips:
- shred raw bok choy and toss with other fresh vegetables to make a salad
- add chopped bok choy to hot and sour soup
- stir-fry bok choy with a variety of vegetables, some soy sauce, and sesame oil
- sauté fresh garlic and ginger in olive oil until soft, then add bok choy and continue to sauté until desired tenderness
- mix minced bok choy, mushrooms, chives, and soy sauce to make a homemade dumpling filling
Here are some links to recipes using bok choy:
Stir-fried bok choi with ginger and garlic
Bok Choy: Nutrition Facts and Potential Benefits
While the origins of bok choy lie in 5th century China, it is now one of the most popular cultivated vegetables worldwide (1).
However, what does this common vegetable offer nutritionally, and what benefits might it have?
This article examines the nutritional values and potential benefits of bok choy.
Nutrition Facts
According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrient Database, here are the nutritional values per 3.5 oz (100g) serving of bok choy (2).
All daily values have been calculated using the FDA’s published daily values (3).
| Name | Amount | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 13 kcal | 0.7% |
| Carbohydrate | 2.2 g | 0.7% |
| Fiber | 1.0 g | 4.0% |
| Sugars | 1.2 g | |
| Fat | 0.2 g | 0.3% |
| Saturated | 0.03 g | 0.1% |
| Monounsaturated | 0.02 g | |
| Polyunsaturated | 0.10 g | |
| Omega-3 | 0.6 g | |
| Omega-6 | 0.4 g | |
| Protein | 1.5 g | 3.0% |
As shown in the nutritional values, bok choy is extremely low in calories and contains minimal amounts of carbohydrates, fat, and protein.
Vitamins
Minerals
Key Point: Bok choy contains a broad range of essential nutrients. It offers impressive nutritional value for very few calories
Bok Choy Contains Glucosinolates
Alongside other vegetables such as kale , broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, bok choy is a member of the Brassica (cruciferous) family of plants (4).
On this note, cruciferous vegetables contain sulfur-containing compounds known as glucosinolates (5, 6).
The digestion of these compounds leads to the production of several metabolites, including isothiocyanate and nitriles (7, 8, 9).
Furthermore, research has demonstrated that these compounds are biologically active and may have some desirable effects. For example, cell (test-tube) studies have shown that glucosinolates and their metabolites can have an inhibitory effect on a wide range of different tumors (10, 11).
However, it is crucial to understand this information in the appropriate context. There is a lack of human trials demonstrating that these compounds have a protective effect against disease.
Further research is necessary to gain a better understanding of the potential effects of glucosinolates on human health.
Key Point: Bok choy contains glucosinolates and their bioactive metabolites, which may have potentially beneficial properties.
Bok Choy Is Low In Oxalates
Many leafy greens contain high amounts of oxalic acid, which is otherwise known as oxalate (12, 13).
For example, two of the most popular leafy greens – spinach and beet greens – have some of the highest oxalate concentrations among food and significantly increase urinary levels of oxalate (14).
It should be noted that foods containing oxalic acid are often very nutritious, and they are not an issue for most healthy people. However, some individuals with kidney stone issues may have been advised to follow low-oxalate diets (14, 15, 16).
On the positive side, bok choy is a leafy green with one of the lowest oxalate contents among all vegetables (17).
Key Point: Unlike some other leafy green vegetables, bok choy contains very low amounts of oxalate.
A Rich Source of Polyphenols
Bok choy is a significant dietary source of polyphenols, and it contains various flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids (18, 19, 20).
These polyphenols are thought to play a beneficial role in human health, although the exact mechanism through which they exert effects is not yet fully understood (21, 22).
That said, observational studies in population groups and large meta-analyses suggest that long-term polyphenol-rich dietary patterns are associated with reduced risk for various chronic diseases (23, 24, 25).
Key Point: Bok choy is a rich source of polyphenols – primarily flavonoids and hydroxycinnamic acids.
Purple Bok Choy Contains Anthocyanins
Although most of us only know ‘bok choy’ as one thing, there are several different cultivars of the vegetable (26).
Among these cultivars, purple bok choy stands out, both in terms of appearance and nutritionally.
Here is a photo showing the appearance of purple bok choy:
Purple bok choy varieties include ‘rubi’ and ‘purple hybrid,’ and they contain high concentrations of anthocyanins (27, 28).
Anthocyanins are a variety of polyphenol identifiable by their blue, purple, or red pigmentation. These compounds are responsible for the color of foods like blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries (29, 30).
On the topic of anthocyanins, a recent systematic review of randomized controlled trials suggested that anthocyanins may lower levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (31).
A further systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies found that anthocyanins reduce the risk of mortality from heart disease (32).
Research also shows that purple bok choy contains higher amounts of other polyphenols such as kaempferol and quercetin (33).
Key Point: Purple varieties of bok choy are rich in anthocyanins, a type of polyphenol associated with potential health benefits.
A Significant Source of Vitamin A and C
As shown in the nutritional values section, bok choy is an excellent dietary source of vitamins A and C.
Vitamin A
The total vitamin A content (from alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin) is 4468 IU (2).
However, none of these compounds are preformed vitamin A (otherwise known as retinol). Instead, they are carotenoids, which are also called ‘provitamin A’ because they can convert to retinol inside the body (34, 35).
The recommended daily value for retinol (preformed vitamin A) is 900 mcg. Based on the provitamin A content of bok choy, a 100-gram serving contains 223.5 mcg of retinol activity equivalents (RAE). Therefore, this is equivalent to 25% of the daily value (2, 3).
Vitamin A is an essential vitamin that plays vital roles in the immune system, vision, and overall growth and development (36).
Vitamin C
Bok choy also contains a significant amount of vitamin C, which is equivalent to 50% of the daily value per 100 grams (2, 3).
Vitamin C has many vital roles within the human body. Among these, it plays a critical role in immune function and the production, growth, and repair of tissues (37, 38).
Key Point: Per 100 grams, bok choy provides a quarter of the daily vitamin A needs and half of the vitamin C requirements.
Note: Excessive Intake of Raw Bok Choy May Be Problematic
One potential downside of raw bok choy is that it contains several enzymes collectively known as myrosinase. These enzymes are part of the defense system for plants in the cruciferous family, and they are designed to discourage herbivores from eating the plant (39).
To briefly summarize: glucosinolates and myrosinase are stored separately within the bok choy plant. However, when the plant is damaged (for example, by an animal bite), glucosinolates and the myrosinase enzyme combine and toxic metabolites form. In high doses, these metabolites may interfere with thyroid function (40, 41)
That being said, cases of harm from consuming raw cruciferous vegetables are extremely rare in the scientific literature.
In one case study, an 88-year-old woman was admitted to intensive care with a severe case of hypothyroidism after eating excessive amounts of raw bok choy. However, this woman had been consuming an estimated 1.0 to 1.5 kilograms of raw bok choy daily over many months (42).
While smaller/realistic portions of raw bok choy are unlikely to be an issue, it is also worth noting that heat (and thus cooking) deactivates the myrosinase enzyme (43, 44).
In this regard, the cooking process can change the properties of numerous different vegetables. There are often positive and negative differences between raw and cooked vegetables .
Key Point: Although there is little mention in the scientific literature, regular excessive intake of raw bok choy may be a potential concern for thyroid health.
How To Use Bok Choy
Moving away from the nutritional value of bok choy, let’s take a look at its culinary properties.
Bok choy has a deliciously fresh and flavorful taste with a crunchy texture.
These properties mean that bok choy combines well with a variety of ingredients, and it features in many stir-fried dishes.
In the case that anyone is looking for some recipe ideas, here are some tasty bok choy recipes to try out:
Final Thoughts
There is a lot to like about bok choy.
This nutritious green vegetable offers large amounts of vitamins and minerals for a minimal amount of calories.
Although further research is necessary, bok choy may also offer additional benefits from the polyphenols and glucosinolates that it contains.
The fact that bok choy is one of the best-tasting vegetables is a bonus, and it works well in a range of meals.
All in all, bok choy is a tasty, affordable, and nutritious leafy green that deserves a place on the plate.
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