Plant atlas Short
Chinese Broccoli: Same Species as Kale & Cabbage
Gai Lan / Chinese Broccoli · ผักคะน้า · Brassica oleracea
Gai Lan / Chinese Broccoli — ผักคะน้า (phak-kha-na) — Brassica oleracea.
One early clinical study looked at sulforaphane, a broccoli-family compound, and phase-two enzymes the body uses for chemical defense. The edible part is the leaves, and it's rich in vitamin K, vitamin C, and folate. Chinese broccoli, kale, cabbage, and cauliflower are all cultivated forms of one species, Brassica oleracea. Pad See Ew (a classic street-food plate) stir-fries smoky wide rice noodles with Chinese broccoli, egg, and meat, which you finish with a dash of chili flakes and vinegar. Kana Moo Grob tosses crunchy Chinese broccoli with crispy pork belly, garlic, and chilies, which you eat hot over jasmine rice. Harvest the thick primary stalk early. Its vitamin K dissolves in fat, so cooking it with a little oil helps your body take it in. Follow Longevity Biome for a new Thai plant every day.
Pad See Ew — ผัดซีอิ๊ว (pad-see-ew)
Kana Moo Krob — คะน้าหมูกรอบ (ka-na-moo-krob)
Source: Riedl MA et al. (2009). Oral sulforaphane increases phase-II enzymes in human airway. Clin Immunol 130(3):244-251. DOI:10.1016/j.clim.2008.10.007 (PMID 19028145)
Educational content, not medical advice! Consult your doctor before changing diet or medication.
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Food and nutrients
Rich in: vitamin K, vitamin C, folate
Research context
Sulforaphane raised phase-II enzyme markers — Clinical Immunology, 2009