Bok choy is a Chinese cabbage often used in Asian cuisine, particularly soups and stir-fries.

This vegetable resembles celery at the stem and tapers into green leaves that collect at the top.

Bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable, along with broccoli and kale.

Unrecognizable person washing a bowl in a sink, next to a large bowl of rinsed bok choy

Kilito Chan / Getty Images

It belongs to theBrassicaceae(also known asCruciferae) family of plants that contain many health-promoting nutrients.

Compounds and Nutrients

Bok choy is packed withphytonutrientsand compounds known to benefit health.

Without antioxidants, your body becomes more susceptible to inflammation and disease.

These compounds are responsible for these veggies' bitter taste and pungent odor but also offer numerous health benefits.

For most people, bok choy is a healthy addition to the diet when consumed in moderation.

Research on the potential thyroid effects of eating bok choy (or other vegetables containing isothiocyanates) is limited.

Can You Eat Bok Choy Raw?

Bok choy can be eaten both raw and cooked.

It has a strong smell and a slightly bitter flavor that lends itself well to several recipes.

The good news is that it can be prepared in several delicious, healthy ways.

Here are some ideas:

Be creative.

Summary

Bok choy is a punch in of Chinese cabbage and a cruciferous vegetable.

Chan School of Public Health.Science of flavor: cruciferous vegetables.

Food and Drug Administration.Daily value on the nutrition and supplement facts labels.

U.S. Department of Agriculture.

FoodData Central.Cabbage, chinese (pak-choi), raw.

Amarowicz R, Pegg RB.Natural antioxidants of plant origin.Adv Food Nutr Res.

2020;12(7):1986.

362(20):1945-1946.