Bok Choy is In Season

Part of the In Season series

Bok Choy in a wire basket

It’s bok choy season…

Bok choy is in season here in Georgia from October to June. This may vary a bit for you depending on where you live. Bok Choy is in the cabbage family and has been grown in China for more than 6,000 years.

It has a mild, slightly earthy flavor that will blend well into many dishes. It’s also both a cruciferous and leafy green vegetable – food categories we should be including in our diet more frequently.

Fast Facts about Bok Choy

Bok choy is both a cruciferous and leafy green vegetable – food categories we should be including in our diet more frequently.

  • Nutrient-Rich: Rich source of vitamins C and K, and a good source of many other micronutrients such as folate and vitamin A
  • Inflammation Reducer: It can help reduce inflammation due to its Quercetin content. Reducing inflammation has been linked to lower levels of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and Alzhemiers.
  • Decreased Cancer Risk: Bok Choy consumption has specifically been linked to reduction of many different types of cancer including breast and colorectal.
  • Helpful for Bone Health: Due to it’s calcium, phosphorous, iron, magnesium, and vitamin K content it can help keep bones healthy and strong.

What parts of Bok Choy are edible

Both the green and white stalk portion of bok choy are edible. I love that in one vegetable you get such a nice texture contrast between the leafy green part and the crunchy white portion. Also, both parts can be eaten raw or cooked.

How I Use Bok Choy

  • In Salads: Using bok choy for some or all of the greens in a salad adds such delicious flavor and texture variety.
  • Addition to Soup: I like to dice the white stalky portion and add into soups when simmering. I’ll also use the leafy greens by stirring them in to wilt at the very end of cooking.
  • Stir-Frys: I like to add them in with other vegetables to add healthy variety to my stir-fries.

Try this: Next time your making a salad, try tossing in some chopped bok choy.

Looking for a bok choy recipe?

Moroccan Spiced Salads

This Moroccan Spiced Salad is a vibrant symphony of flavors, textures, and hues!

What’s In Season Where You Live?

This website is a great resource for discovering what’s in season in any state:

Seasonal Food Guide

Sources:

Lui, N. (2022, July 27). Is bok choy healthy? here’s what a dietitian has to say. EatingWell. https://www.eatingwell.com/article/7986101/is-bok-choy-healthy-what-a-dietitian-has-to-say/ 

Ware, M. (2023, November 9). Bok choy: Benefits, nutrition, diet, vs spinach, and risks. Medical News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/280948#nutrition 

Wu, Q. J., Yang, Y., Vogtmann, E., Wang, J., Han, L. H., Li, H. L., & Xiang, Y. B. (2013, April). Cruciferous vegetables intake and the risk of colorectal cancer: A meta-analysis of observational studies. Annals of oncology : official journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3603442/ 

Zhang, N.-Q., Mo, X.-F., Lin, F.-Y., Zhan, X.-X., Feng, X.-L., Zhang, X., Luo, H., & Zhang, C.-X. (2020, April 20). Intake of total cruciferous vegetable and its contents of glucosinolates and isothiocyanates, glutathione S-transferases polymorphisms and Breast Cancer Risk: A case–control study in China: British Journal of Nutrition. Cambridge Core. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/intake-of-total-cruciferous-vegetable-and-its-contents-of-glucosinolates-and-isothiocyanates-glutathione-stransferases-polymorphisms-and-breast-cancer-risk-a-casecontrol-study-in-china/5BDC494493653B71FF64DB016D247AAF 

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