High Fiber Foods
- Bok Choy

Some of the most potent nutrition from high fiber foods comes from leafy green bok choy (pak-choi).

For Your Health

Bok Choy (also called pak-choi, pechay, or chinese cabbage) is one of the leafy green high fiber foods that provides definite health benefits. Extremely low in calories, bok choy is rich in vitamins and minerals and an excellent source of carotene (beta and alpha), antioxidants, and a vegetable source of pro-vitamin A (which the body converts to vitamin A).

Health research has found nutrition in bok choy to be especially beneficial in restoring low liver vitamin A concentrations (not all high fiber foods provide significant provitamin A). The carotinoid nutrition in bok choy and other green and yellow leafy vegetables is known to be good for our immune system and eye health. Beta-carotene research shows protection against heart disease and some forms of cancer.

Nutrients in bok choy stimulate strong antioxidant activity in cells, which is good for cardiovascular health, the immune system, and many diseases related to aging. Because this vegetable is so very low in fat and calories, bok choy is an natural weight loss food and a good choice to lower cholesterol.

In Your Kitchen

Bok choy, a member of the cabbage family, tastes somewhat like a blend of cabbage and lettuce. More mature plants have a slightly bitter or spicy flavor. Many large markets in the United States have fresh bok choy available in the produce department.

When harvested, this cabbage head resembles a stalk, with green and white leaves. Bok choy should have firm stalks leaves, with bright color (not wilted or yellow). Small baby bok choy may sometimes be available. This smaller vegetable has more tender leaves for use in salads and will have a milder, sweeter taste, but not the crunch you get from the mature stalks.

Wash, drain, and store in refrigerator. Chopped fresh leaves of bok choy can be added to salads, but more typically the stalk and leaves are cut and steamed, stir fried, or boiled, either alone or with other vegetables.

Compare
1 cup raw	Bok Choy	Romaine
Calories	9 kcal	8 kcal
Fiber	0.7 g	1.0 g
Protein	1.05 g	0.58 g
Calcium	74 mg	16 mg
Iron	0.56 mg	0.46 mg
Magnesium	13 mg	7 mg
Potassium	176 mg	116 mg
Zinc	0.13 mg	0.11 mg
Vitamin C	31.5 mg	11.3 mg
Vitamin E	0.06 mg	0.06 mg
Vitamin K	31.9 mcg	48.2 mcg
g=gram, mg=milligram, mcg=microgram

One Super Simple Recipe

Share Your Own Personal Favorites Here!

Do you have your own personal favorite tips & suggestions about this subject? Why Not Share It Here!.

Enter Your Title

Tell Us Your Story! [ ? ]

Close Help Entering your story is easy to do. Just type!... Your story will appear on a Web page exactly the way you enter it here. You can wrap a word in square brackets to make it appear bold. For example [my story] would show as my story on the Web page containing your story. TIP: Since most people scan Web pages, include your best thoughts in your first paragraph.

Upload 1-4 Pictures or Graphics (optional) [ ? ]

Close Help Do you have some pictures or graphics to add? Great! Click the button and find the first one on your computer. Select it and click on the button to choose it. Then click on the link if you want to upload up to 3 more images.

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Click here to upload more images (optional)

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Add a Picture/Graphic Caption (optional) 

Author Information (optional)

To receive credit as the author, enter your information below.

Your Name	(first or full name)
Your Location	(ex. City, State, Country)

Submit Your Contribution

Check box to agree to these submission guidelines.

(You can preview and edit on the next page)

Click here to see the rest of the form and complete your submission.

Nutrition based on data assembled from United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference.
g=grams, mg=milligrams, mcg=micrograms, kcal=calories