We recently posted about the importance of crop rotation and biodiversity on the farm. By the same token, variety is also important for your gut health.
The most immediately gratifying reason to mix things up though is the soulful pleasure of trying new and exquisite foods. I know it’s hard to make a switch from the weekly routine when you are time-poor, or faced with a fussy kid, but it is worth it to try something new.
We know from our sales records in the Farm Shop that asparagus will probably never compete with broccoli and tomatoes in the popularity stakes, and that radish, rhubarb and fennel might never make it into the top 10. But what about that most unassuming of brassicas – pak choi? We’re harvesting our own beautiful pak choi at the moment, so if you haven’t tried it before, here are some thoughts on why you should:
- Somewhere between cabbage and spinach, it can be enjoyed both raw and cooked.
- So so quick to cook – stir-fry, steam or simmer in broth for just 2-3 minutes. You may prefer to separate the leaves and stalks so that you add the leaves closer to the end of the cooking process.
- As a traditional Asian ingredient, it pairs well with flavours like soy, miso, chili, ginger, sesame and lemongrass
- If you are one of the majority of organic shoppers who list increased nutrient density of produce as your main reason for choosing organic, then pak choi should definitely be on your shopping list.
- Pak choi provides us with folate. Folate is required daily in our diets to prevent anemia.
- It is also full of antioxidants, anti-inflammatory choline, iron, zinc, selenium and fibre. Fibre not only cleans, but it also feeds the good bacteria in your gut.
Nutrients are lost from fresh produce simply because of the time taken to reach your plate after harvesting, so eating Warrah’s own biodynamic greens means that that loss is absolutely minimal. Why not give it a try? We suspect you will be hooked.