Bok choy consumer fact report Essay Example for Free

Bok choy consumer fact report Essay Bok choy or bok choi, pronounced â€Å"bahk choy†, is a green leafy vegetable. It is sometimes referred to as â€Å"Chinese cabbage† or â€Å"the white cabbage†. The Chinese spelling is ‘bok choi† but in America it is known as ‘bok choy†. Bok choy is one of two types of Chinese cabbage, the other being Pe-tsai. However, bok choy has become popular in America after being grown in China for 1500 years. Because Chinese stir-fry and other popular Chinese foods have grown in popularity in North America, bok choy is becoming a well-known food in the United States and Canada. Although there are over 20 types of bok choy in Hong Kong, in the Americas you will usually only find the most popular type with crisp, white stalks and dark green, leafy tops. Nutrition Bok Choy is rich in beta carotene, Vitamin C and folic acid. Bok Choy also provides a good source of fiber. This vegetable is recommended by the American Cancer Society as a green leafy vegetable option for a healthy diet that is high in potassium and magnesium. These minerals have been shown to help regulate healthy levels of blood pressure and blood sugar. Because it is a sweeter, milder option to cabbage and other recommended green leafy vegetables, bok choy is also a preferable option for a diet rich in beta carotene and folic acid. Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating recognizes bok choy as a dark green, leafy vegetable. The food guide recommends at least one dark green vegetable daily. A serving is recognized as 1 cup of shredded bok choy stalk or 70 grams of leaves. Purchasing and Storage When selecting bok choy you must go to the produce department at your local grocer’s. Make sure you are selecting a vegetable with long, white and unblemished stalks. The leaves should be dark green tapering to a light green near the stalks and never limp. Stay away from any plants with yellow leaves or brown spots on the stalks. This is old or poorly grown bok choy. To store your bok choy, refrigerate in an unsealed plastic bag . Use bok choy within a week and preferably within 4 to 5 days of purchasing to get the best flavor from this vegetable. Preparation Bok choy can be prepared in many different ways. The most popular methods are to boil, saute, or steam the vegetable. Before cooking by any method, the bok choy must be cleaned properly. To do this, cut at the base so as to separate the stalks so they can be washed individually. Then, wash under cold running water. Make sure to clean the stalks and the leaves, scrubbing the stalks with a vegetable brush only if necessary. Drip dry is not necessary as steaming or boiling will wet the bok choy anyhow and it is okay to saute and stir fry wet. However, the stalks can be eaten raw like celery. But bok choy stalks are not stringy like celery so are even better! Try the stalks cut into strips and dipped in your favorite dip. Or boil stalks in salted water for four minutes, leaves for only two or three minutes and serve as is. If you wish to add more flavor, bok choy is known to go well with peppers, soy sauce, or sauteed in sesame oil. Because it is so versatile, this Chinese cabbage can be a side dish or added to a stir fry for a main dish. Recipes Bok Choy with Chestnuts 5 oz. Packaged, cooked Chestnuts 1 ? lb. bok choy salt and pepper 3 Tbsp of chicken broth ? tsp of potato flour mixed with a Tbsp of cold water 1 tsp of sesame oil 1 Tbsp Peanut oil for cooking