Chives are a green vegetable with a mild onion-like flavor. They are in the Allium genus, which also includes garlic, onions, and leeks. People have cultivated allium vegetables for centuries for their characteristic pungent flavors in cooking and their medicinal properties.
Chives, or Allium schoenoprasum, contain nutrients that are important for sleep and bone health.
Chives are a nutrient-dense food. This means that they are low in calories but high in beneficial nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
That said, to get a significant amount of these nutrients, a person would have to eat a large quantity of chives. Instead, people often use chives as a garnish. A common serving is about 1 tablespoon (tbsp), or 3 grams.
1 tbsp of chopped chives provides the following nutrients:
energy: 0.9 calories
vitamin K: 6.38 micrograms (mcg), or 5% of the Daily Value (DV)
vitamin C: 1.74 milligrams (mg), or 2% of the DV
folate: 3.15 mcg, or 1% of the DV
vitamin A: 6.43 mcg, or 1% of the DV
calcium: 2.76 mg, or less than 1% of the DV
potassium: 8.88 mg, or less than 1% of the DV
Health benefits
Cancer
Research has linked vegetable-rich diets with a reduced risk of many types of cancer.
Sleep and mood
Chives contain a small amount of choline. Choline is an important nutrient that helps maintain the structure of cellular membranes. Choline also helps with mood, memory, muscle control, and other brain and nervous system functions.
A source of vitamin K
Chives contain vitamin K, which is important for bone health and blood clotting. Other sources of vitamin K include leafy green vegetables, vegetable oils, and fruits including blueberries
and figs
A source of folate
Chives also contain folate. According to the ODSTrusted Source, this water-soluble B vitamin plays a role in conditions such as:
dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
cancer
congenital heart defects
cognitive function
cardiovascular disease and stroke
depression
preterm birth
Eye health
Chives also contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which are carotenoids. According to some researchTrusted Source, lutein and zeaxanthin accumulate in the retina of the eye to help prevent age-related macular degeneration.
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