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Chives are currently in season, meaning they’re at their most tender and flavorful. What nutrients do they contain? Chives belong to the same allium family as onions, garlic and green onions and they share many of the same beneficial compounds found in those vegetables.
While they’re just as good for your health as other alliums, one advantage is that they don’t have as strong an odor as onions or garlic.
The key benefit is that chives help balance meals that are otherwise high in carbohydrates or fat. They pair especially well with fatty meats, and even when eaten with ramen, they can help enhance the meal’s overall health benefits.
Nutritionally, chives are quite efficient. At just about 20 kcal per 100g, they are very low in calories but still provide protein, calcium, phosphorus and nutrients that may aid blood sugar regulation. Adding them to rice-based meals helps create a more balanced nutritional profile. Chives can be used in a wide variety of dishes, including salads, kimchi, side dishes, stews, soups and savory pancakes.
Chives are especially beneficial in spring, when people tend to feel more fatigued. The allicin in chives helps the body better absorb vitamin B1 when eating pork, which is in this vitamin. A deficiency in vitamin B1 can lead not only to physical fatigue but also to symptoms such as reduced concentration and memory issues. Chives have long been known as a vitality-boosting vegetable. Allicin also helps boost the immune system, lower cholesterol levels and prevent blood clots. In addition, chives can aid digestion.
Beta-carotene helps support lung health, making chives a good food choice in spring, when fine dust and ultrafine particles are common. They are also rich in antioxidants that help reduce cell damage and aging in the body.
Adding chives to soybean paste soup or ramen can help reduce sodium absorption while also boosting nutrients such as vitamins A and C. When the allicin in chives combines with vitamin B1 in soybean paste, it forms allithiamine, which helps activate the nervous system and reduce fatigue.
For best results, chives should be lightly blanched to prevent the breakdown of beneficial sulfur compounds like allyl sulfides.
Chives are rich in beta-carotene and dietary fiber, which can help regulate blood sugar levels when eating carbohydrates like rice or noodles. Adding lightly blanched chives to ramen may also help lower cholesterol.
Source: Korea Times News
