The underestimated vegetable that slows aging and prevents cancer in women

Like other leafy greens, bok choy is a nutrient-rich source that can boost the immune system and play a role in cancer prevention. It is highly regarded for its nutritional density through the Aggregate Nutrient Density Index (ANDI) and is listed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with a high nutritional score.

Specifically, bok choy surpasses spinach in terms of iron content, contains more vitamin C than an orange, and provides a higher amount of calcium than a cup of milk. Furthermore, this vegetable contains more vitamins and minerals than kale, tomatoes, or apples. These nutrients contribute to improving your health and appearance.

In traditional medicine, bok choy is used to stimulate appetite, nourish the body, aid digestion, provide minerals, prevent anemia, treat blood-related diseases, cleanse the blood, act as a diuretic, reduce blood sugar levels, treat coughs, as well as treat tapeworms and nicotine detoxification. Therefore, actively supplementing bok choy into your daily diet is a good choice for your health.

Samantha Boesch, a nutrition expert working for the health website Eatthis, also affirms that besides the mentioned benefits, bok choy brings many other health benefits.

Improves heart health

Bok choy is an excellent choice for heart health because it contains carotenoids, which can reduce the risk of heart-related diseases such as heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Furthermore, this vegetable is rich in nitrates, which help reduce inflammation and reduce the stiffness and thickness of blood vessels, making the circulatory system work better. Consuming bok choy can also help lower cholesterol levels, thereby improving heart health.

Aids in natural weight loss

Bok choy plays a supporting role in natural weight loss due to its low-fat content and low-calorie count. The amino acids and fiber in bok choy help control hunger for longer periods, thus minimizing unnecessary snacking, a factor that contributes to weight gain. Bok choy also provides the necessary vitamins and minerals, ensuring that the body receives sufficient nutrition during the weight loss process. Especially, vitamin K can support the conversion of fat into energy, effectively burning fat.

Treats diabetes

With its high content of alpha-lipoic acid, a powerful antioxidant, bok choy has the ability to reduce blood sugar levels and enhance insulin sensitivity. This helps control blood sugar, playing an important role in managing and treating diabetes. Bok choy also contains low amounts of fat, calories, and cholesterol, which is good for people with diabetes. The soluble fiber in bok choy also helps slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood and control blood sugar levels, especially preventing sudden spikes in blood sugar after meals, an essential part of diabetes management.

Prevents cancer

Bok choy is known for its cancer-preventive capabilities by increasing the levels of antioxidants in the blood, contributing to the protection of DNA against damage caused by free radicals. Studies have shown that bok choy has the potential to reduce the risk of various types of cancer, including prostate cancer in men, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer, and breast cancer in women, along with limiting the metastasis of cancer cells.

A study published in The British Journal of Nutrition indicated that consuming about 100g of bok choy daily can support breast cancer prevention and reduce the overall risk of cancer. Bok choy is also rich in nutrients such as vitamins, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, and zinc, surpassing many other types of foods like kale, apples, and tomatoes.

Prevents stroke

Bok choy also contributes to stroke prevention due to its high folate content. People who regularly supplement bok choy in their diet have significantly lower risk of stroke. Abundant carotenoids in bok choy also play a role in reducing this risk.

In addition, the abundance of antioxidants in bok choy helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals, thereby reducing inflammation in the blood vessels. Maintaining the elasticity of blood vessels is an important factor in preventing blood vessel blockage and minimizing the risk of stroke.

Notes when consuming bok choy

Although bok choy has beneficial characteristics for health, according to experts’ recommendations, consuming this vegetable needs to adhere to some guidelines to avoid unwanted effects and protect health:

– Bok choy can grow in unsanitary environments such as ponds, which are inhabited by many bacteria, dirt, and parasites, including tapeworms. To avoid the risk of infection, the vegetable needs to be thoroughly washed before use, and it is best to cook it instead of eating it raw.

– The consumption of bok choy should be limited to less than 100g per serving to avoid symptoms such as abdominal pain or discomfort in the bladder, and to prevent the risk of adverse effects on the kidneys. Pregnant women should also reduce their consumption of this vegetable to prevent unforeseen health issues.

– Due to its high fiber content, which can cause strong friction in the digestive system, bok choy can damage the gastric and intestinal mucosa if not careful. People with digestive problems should consider when eating this vegetable, as it can cause symptoms such as bloating or uncomfortable fullness.