Valuable ingredients, few calories, fine aroma, and quick preparation: Pak Choi is suitable for Asian dishes and is an excellent choice as a raw vegetable or side dish. These preparation tips and recipes also enrich European cuisine.
What is pak choi?
Pak Choi, also known as Paksoi or mustard cabbage , is a type of cabbage from Southeast Asia. Pak Choi is a leaf-stalk vegetable , which is characterized by its fleshy leaf stalks. Both the leaves and the stalks of Pak Choi are suitable for consumption.
Pak Choi has been consumed in China, Korea, and Japan for centuries. Pak Choi is now also very popular here. With its white stems, green leaves, and loose heads, Pak Choi looks similar to chard. Unlike many other types of cabbage, mustard cabbage does not form a solid head – the spoon-shaped leaves are more like a rosette. Its closest botanical relative is Chinese cabbage. Pak Choi also tastes like Chinese cabbage. However, it is juicier and has no typical bitter cabbage aroma. Rather, it impresses with its nutty, spicy, and mild taste. The stems have a slightly spicy note
How healthy is pak choi?
Pak Choi is not only delicious, it also contains many healthy nutrients such as vitamins , minerals and phytochemicals . Furthermore, with around 16 kilocalories per 100 grams, Pak Choi is extremely low in calories.
Pak Choi – nutritional values at a glance
Pak Choi contains the following vitamins per 100 grams:
- Vitamin C: 26 milligrams
- Vitamin A: 36 micrograms
- Vitamin B₁: 3 milligrams
- Vitamin B₂: 4 milligrams
- Niacin (formerly: Vitamin B₃): 72 milligrams
Pak Choi also contains these minerals:
- Potassium: 144 milligrams
- Calcium: 40 milligrams
- Magnesium: 11 milligrams
- Iron: 0.6 milligrams
This means that Pak Choi is not one of the top suppliers of the respective vitamins or minerals, but it does offer a balanced mixture of health-promoting ingredients. After all, 100 grams of Pak Choi covers around a quarter of the daily requirement of vitamin C. However, positive effects only develop as part of a balanced diet. The German Nutrition Society recommends eating at least three portions of vegetables and two portions of fruit a day.