Bok Choy Lysine and Arginine Info Sheet
Overview
Chinese cabbage, also known as bok choy or pak choi, is a leafy green vegetable that belongs to the brassica family. It has a crunchy texture and a mild flavor.Bok choy is a low-calorie, high-fiber food that can help with digestion, weight management, and cholesterol control.
It also contains vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and calcium.
| Name | Lysine (mg/100g) | Arginine (mg/100g) | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bok Choy | 88.57mg | 84.29mg | 1.051 |
Bok Choy contains 88.57mg of Lysine and 84.29mg of Arginine per 100g of product.
This means Bok Choy has a neutral Lysine-Arginine ratio of 1.051.
Because Bok Choy has a neutral ratio of lysine and arginine, it does not have a significant impact on people who suffer from herpes, as it does not affect the viral activity.
Lysine Considerations
Lysine is an essential amino acid that helps build muscle, produce hormones, and support the immune system.
Chinese cabbage provides about 13% of the recommended daily intake of lysine for an adult.
It is one of the nine amino acids that the human body cannot make by itself, so it has to come from the food we eat.
Lysine has different functions in the body, such as helping with growth, healing, energy, immunity, and collagen production.
Lysine may also have some effects on the herpes virus, which causes cold sores and genital sores.
Studies have suggested that taking lysine supplements or applying lysine cream may help prevent or treat these infections by blocking the amino acid arginine, which the virus needs to grow.
Arginine Considerations
Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid that helps produce nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes blood vessels and improves blood flow.
Bok choy provides about 12% of the recommended daily intake of arginine for an adult.
Arginine has a variety of functions in the body, including wound healing, helping the kidneys remove waste products from the body, and maintaining immune and hormone function.
Arginine also plays a role in the replication of the herpes virus, making it a key factor in cold sore outbreaks.
The herpes virus requires arginine to grow, replicate, and create new herpes viruses.
Foods a good source of arginine, such as nuts and chocolate, may increase the frequency and severity of these outbreaks.
Lysine-Arginine Ratio
The lysine-arginine ratio is a measure of the balance between these two amino acids in a food.
A higher ratio means more lysine than arginine, which may be beneficial for preventing or treating viral infections, such as herpes simplex.
Chinese cabbage has a lysine-arginine ratio of 1.051, which is slightly higher than the average ratio of 1.0 for most foods.
Both lysine and arginine are important for protein synthesis and other bodily functions.
The two compounds can affect the herpes simplex virus, which is responsible for cold sores and genital herpes, in opposite ways.
Lysine can your body or stop the virus from reproducing, while arginine can help it propagate.
Eating foods with a high lysine-arginine ratio could help lower the appearance and severity of herpes flare ups.
Some foods that have a high lysine-arginine ratio are milk, cheese and yogurt, fish, poultry, fruits, and vegetables.
These foods can give the body enough lysine to prevent the virus from taking up arginine, and thus stop its growth and spread.
Dietary Considerations
Dark leafy greens are a type of vegetable that is generally rich in in fiber, calcium, iron, and vitamin K.
Dark leafy greens are a decent source of both lysine and arginine, but the amount is almost equal.
This means that dark leafy greens have a balanced ratio of lysine to arginine, which makes them neither beneficial nor harmful for people with herpes.
Dark leafy greens can be eaten raw, cooked, or blended in smoothies.
Some examples of healthy dark leafy greens you should add to your diet are spinach, kale, collard greens, and Swiss chard.
For example:
A diverse and nutritious diet that supports your immune system and fights inflammation is essential.
This means you should eat lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats, and steer clear of processed foods, added sugars, alcohol, and caffeine, which can harm your health.
Make sure to drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated and eliminate toxins from your body.
Water can also help you avoid dryness and irritation of the skin and mucous membranes, which can lead to outbreaks.
L-lysine supplementscan help you prevent herpes outbreaks and stop a cold sore before it develops by depriving the virus of arginine, which it needs to form a cold sore.
Other food supplements, such as vitamin C, zinc, selenium, and antioxidants, can help you boost your immunity and protect your cells from oxidative stress.
Eating foods that can soothe your symptoms and speed up your healing process, such as honey, yogurt, aloe vera, and chamomile.
These foods have anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial properties that can reduce pain, swelling, and itching, and promote tissue repair.
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