Pak-choi: the benefits and harm of Chinese cabbage

Chinese cabbage pak-choi is a vegetable that resembles spinach in appearance, and arugula in taste. But do not confuse them. This product is amazing because it is used in medicine, cooking and even landscape design. Let's see what a pak-choi is.

Culture description

This culture has long been popular in China, Korea, and Japan. Now you can grow it in your garden. Although the vegetable represents the Cabbage family, it has a distinctive feature - the absence of a head of cabbage. Instead, it has white petioles, which smoothly turn into leaves of various shades. There are such varieties This Chinese cabbage:

• "Prima" (significant for its resistance to pests);
• "Gipro" (inexpensive, as unpretentious);
• "Swallow" (its high price is due to the delicate taste);
• "Four seasons" (in accordance with the name it is collected several times a year).

Chemical composition and caloric content of the product

Pak-choi, like any cabbage, has its beneficial properties. In its composition can be found magnesium, which improves blood pressure indicators, iron, potassium, vitamins A, B, C, and much more.

Main feature called ascorbic acid, which is stored in the leaves.

Chinese cabbage is low in calories and contains only 13 kcal per 100 g (proteins - 1.5; fats - 0.2; carbohydrates - 1.2).

Pak-choi: useful properties

The high content of vitamins B and A improves eyesight. The latter help those who suffer from "night blindness" - the inability to see things well at dusk and darkness.

When it is used, the skin cells are renewed, the vision is improved, as well as the function of the gastrointestinal tract. The latter is due to the fiber, which is full of Chinese cabbage.

Cabbage application

Due to the fact that the pack-choi contains many useful properties, it is used not only in cooking, but also in medicine. And the most interesting use for it was found in landscape design. In the fall, many plants lose their colors, but not white cabbage.It is because of the bright green shades that attention is paid to it.

In medicine

Vegetable recommended with diet, diseases of the heart and blood vessels. The juice of this product has long been used to heal wounds, burns, and ulcers because it had a bactericidal effect.

For pregnant women there are no contraindications in its use. On the contrary, white cabbage needs to be added to your diet due to the presence of folic acid. After all, this will ensure good development of the fetus, and even strengthen the immunity of the mother.

In cooking

Cooks around the world have long invented various ways to cook vegetables. Since Chinese cuisine involves the individual preparation of each product, then there is no exception. So, the leaves and petioles are prepared separately from each other. Pak-choi goes well with potatoes, legumes, carrots, rice, mushrooms, meat and fish.

But foods similar in protein properties are strictly forbidden to cook together. This applies, for example, nuts.

Do not use dairy products when cooking pak-choi. Since fresh juice in this combination will cause poisoning.

Contraindications to the use

Main contraindications is individual intolerance and use of anticoagulants. It can not be taken in large quantities in diabetes, because it can cause hypothyroidism and further hormonal diseases. Due to its high fiber content, Pak Choi can be harmful to the liver. Do not use it for those who suffer from flatulence or diarrhea.

How to harvest and store crops

Pak-choi is not picky at all in cultivation, it is considered early. Crop harvested at any stage, but is usually ready for harvest in 35-40 days. The plant is of a breakdown type, so there are no problems with its assembly either. But do not plant it on the place where last year another type of cabbage was grown. Otherwise it will lead to a smaller crop. Easily tolerates heat.Harvest better stored in a cool place. Small portions can be placed in the fridge in a wet towel.

So, pak-choi is a storehouse of beneficial trace elements that will help in the fight against anemia, visual impairment and gastrointestinal tract. Of course, it needs to be made in your diet. After all, it is not picky in growing and storage. A spicy bitterness, which when cooking turns into a pleasant sweetness, is an undoubted advantage of the product.