Bok choy

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Bok choy
Bok Choy (49553125456).jpg
Brassica rapa chinensis, called "bok choy" in the United States
Species Brassica rapa
Cultivar group Chinensis
Origin China, 5th century AD [1]

Bok choy (American English, Canadian English, and Australian English), pak choi (British English) or pok choi ( Brassica rapa subsp. chinensis) is a type of Chinese cabbage, used as food. Chinensis varieties do not form heads and have green leaf blades with lighter bulbous bottoms instead, forming a cluster reminiscent of mustard greens. It has a flavor between spinach and water chestnuts but is slightly sweeter, with a mildly peppery undertone. The green leaves have a stronger flavor than the white bulb. [2] [3]

Contents

Chinensis varieties are popular in southern China, East Asia, and Southeast Asia. Being winter-hardy, they are increasingly grown in Northern Europe. Now considered a subspecies of Brassica rapa , this group was originally classified as its own species under the name Brassica chinensis by Carl Linnaeus.[ citation needed ] They are a member of the family of Brassicaceae or Cruciferae, also commonly known as the mustards, the crucifers, or the cabbage family.

Spelling and naming variations

Bok choi cooks in 2 to 3 minutes by steaming, stir-frying, or simmering in water (8 minutes if steamed whole). The leaves cook more quickly than the stem. It is used in similar ways to other leafy vegetables such as spinach and cabbage. [12] It can also be eaten raw. [13] It is commonly used in salads.

Preserving

Bok choy, dried, is saltier and sweeter. Bok choy, pickled, remains edible for months. [14] Immature plants have the sweetest, tenderest stems and leaves. [15]

Nutritional value

Cooked bok choy
Bokchoycooked.jpg
Bok choy, raw
(chinensis, pak choi)
Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy 54 kJ (13 kcal)
2.2 g
Dietary fiber 1.0 g
Fat
0.2 g
1.5 g
Vitamins Quantity
%DV
Vitamin A equiv.
27%
243 μg
25%
2681 μg
Thiamine (B1)
3%
0.04 mg
Riboflavin (B2)
5%
0.07 mg
Niacin (B3)
3%
0.5 mg
Pantothenic acid (B5)
2%
0.09 mg
Vitamin B6
11%
0.19 mg
Folate (B9)
17%
66 μg
Vitamin C
50%
45 mg
Vitamin K
38%
46 μg
Minerals Quantity
%DV
Calcium
8%
105 mg
Iron
4%
0.80 mg
Magnesium
5%
19 mg
Manganese
7%
0.16 mg
Potassium
8%
252 mg
Sodium
3%
65 mg
Other constituentsQuantity
Water95.3 g

Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults, [16] except for potassium, which is estimated based on expert recommendation from the National Academies. [17]

See the table for the nutritional content of bok choy. The raw vegetable is 95% water, 2% carbohydrates, 1% protein and less than 1% fat. In a 100-gram (3+12-ounce) reference serving, raw bok choy provides 54 kilojoules (13 food calories) of food energy and is a rich source (20% or more of the Daily Value, DV) of vitamin A (30% DV), vitamin C (54% DV) and vitamin K (44% DV), while providing folate, vitamin B6 and calcium in moderate amounts (10–17% DV).

History

Bok choy evolved in China, where it has been cultivated since the 5th century AD. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

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References

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  17. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review the Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019). Oria, Maria; Harrison, Meghan; Stallings, Virginia A. (eds.). Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium. The National Academies Collection: Reports funded by National Institutes of Health. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US). ISBN   978-0-309-48834-1. PMID   30844154.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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