Chinese Water Spinach for a Healthy You

Chinese Water Spinach

Other names:

• Oong Choy (or On Choy or On Choi - of spelling variations)
• River Spinach
• Water Morning Glory (sometimes mistakenly called "Morning Glory")
• Swamp Cabbage (as it is often it is grown in the swampy area due to its semi-aquatic nature)
• Kangkong (or kangkung - spelling variation; in Indonesia, Malaysia,)
• phak bung (in Thailand)
  
• rau muống (in Vietnam)
• trokuon (in Khmer)
• kolmou xak (in Assam)
• kolmi shak  (in Bengali language)
• hayoyo (in Ghana)

Chinese Water Spinach are semi-aquatic plant. It's shoots are hollow and leaves are longish in shape. Sometimes it is just called Chinese Spinach, however the name "Chinese Spinach" can refer to other similar looking vegetables such as the Amaranth Greens.

As it is widely grown and consumed in Asia, it is known as different names in different countries.

Chinese Water Spinach's Main Nutrients

• Antioxidant:    Vitamin C
  
• Other:               Vitamin (A,C,B), Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Sodium, Dietary Fiber, Water
  

Interesting stuff on Chinese Water Spinach

Native of:

• South East Asia
  

Now Found\Grown in:

• mainly Asia, in tropical or subtropical regions
  

In Asian countries, it is considered "poor man's food". Due to it being easily cultivated in these tropical and subtropical countries,it can be produced in abundant easily and thus, sold cheaply.

However, in the US, it is considered a weed.

If growth is not controlled, it can be a nuisance to water ways; clogging water ways.

Examples of Health Benefits of Chinese Water Spinach

• Control blood sugar, hence help with diabetes
• Keeps digestive track healthy
• Good source of plant base iron
  

Some precautions

• due to it often being grown in swampy areas, in raw forms, it might carry a type of gastro bacteria.