Did you know? Asian vegetable products such as bok choy, pak choi, choy sum and daikon are staple ingredients in Asian cuisine and, increasingly, in other cuisines around the world. They are therefore a growing market in the Nordic countries thanks to the importance that local consumers place on healthy habits and diets. These vegetables are rich in vitamins A, C and K, as well as minerals such as calcium, potassium and iron. They also have antioxidant properties that protect against cancer cells. Another important aspect is their high fibre content, which is essential for good digestive health. Fibre not only prevents constipation, but also helps to maintain stable blood sugar levels and reduce bad cholesterol. This makes them ideal for people with diabetes or cardiovascular problems, which is why people in these countries often include them in their lunches and dinners.

But the climatic and environmental conditions in the Nordic countries severely limit the cultivation of vegetable crops in terms of both variability and productivity. However, despite what it may seem, this has not prevented the demand for this type of food from booming. That is why in our agri-food cooperative, we dedicate 80% of our annual production to exporting products of this type to countries such as Great Britain and Belgium. Our region has an ideal orchard for growing this type of food as they need to grow in soil environments that conserve humidity and a temperature of between 15 and 25ºC. In addition, the high pressures of our temperate climate help these types of vegetables to maintain their roperties, something that favours the cultivation process of Asian vegetables, because this is very ephemeral as the product has to be fresh. This is why, despite the fact that production has to be quick, in our cooperative we are committed to organic and sustainable cultivation in order to achieve sustainable agri-food production.

Some of these varieties of vegetables are the pe tsai, the sunghiku, or the pak choi mentioned before, which are widely used in outstanding oriental dishes such as sushi and sashimi.