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Bok Choy: 10 Healthy Facts

This bright green member of the cabbage family brings flavor, vitamins, and a delightful crunch to recipes -- including our Sesame Asian Bok Choy Salad.

By Chloe Thompson
WebMD the Magazine - Feature

Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD

A staple in Asian cooking, this round-leafed vegetable may be less familiar to American cooks. Here's what you need to know -- including what its name means, how to wash it, and how to use it.

Bok Choy's Name

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Bok choy is sometimes referred to as white cabbage, not to be confused with Napa cabbage, which is also a type of Chinese cabbage. There are many kinds of bok choy that vary in color, taste, and size, including tah tsai and joi choi.

Bok Choy's Family

Bok choy might look a lot like celery, but it’s a member of the cabbage family.

Bok Choy History

The Chinese have been cultivating the vegetable for more than 5,000 years.

Bok Choy Cultivation

Although the veggie is still grown in China, bok choy is now also harvested in California and parts of Canada.

Cooking with Bok Choy

Bok choy, known for its mild flavor, is good for stir-fries, braising, and soups and can also be eaten raw.

Cleaning Bok Choy

The leaves and the stalks can both be cooked, but should be separated before washing to ensure that both parts are thoroughly cleansed.

Keeping Bok Choy

For optimal freshness, don’t wash bok choy until you’re ready to use. Unused parts can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to six days.

Bok Choy Vitamins

The veggie is packed with vitamins A and C -- one cup of cooked bok choy provides more than 100% of the recommended dietary allowance of A, and close to two-thirds the RDA of C.

Growing Bok Choy

The veggie takes about two months from planting to harvest and thrives best in milder weather.

Bok Choy: The Soup Spoon

Bok choy is sometimes called a “soup spoon” because of the shape of its leaves.

Healthy Recipe

Sesame Asian Bok Choy Salad

Makes 4 servings

Salad

3 cups thinly sliced bok choy

1 cup chopped Napa cabbage

1 large red pepper, sliced

½ cup shredded carrots