HealthUnleashing the health secrets of chives. From boosting digestion to fighting cancer

Unleashing the health secrets of chives. From boosting digestion to fighting cancer

Chives have amazing properties.
Chives have amazing properties.
Images source: © Getty Images | 2022 Getty Images

9:34 AM EST, January 11, 2024

Like onions and garlic, chives belong to the Allium family. They have a distinctive sharp taste, perfect for adding a finishing touch to your favorite dishes.

Chives can be easily grown in your garden or even on your kitchen windowsill during the coldest months of the year. They complement various types of egg dishes, salads, cottage cheese, soups, dips, and potatoes well. The humble chive is packed with nutrients such as Vitamins A, C, and K, folic acid, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, selenium, potassium, iron, and copper.

It's beneficial to incorporate chives into your daily diet as they increase resistance to bacterial and viral infections and possess antifungal properties. Like garlic, chives contain allicin, a naturally occurring antibiotic. Additionally, chives improve digestive health by enhancing intestinal peristalsis and eliminating harmful food deposits.

Moreover, chives can help lower unusually high levels of LDL cholesterol in the bloodstream, thus protecting us from developing atherosclerosis, heart attacks, coronary heart disease, or strokes.

As a low-calorie food, chives are a suitable choice for individuals struggling with excess weight or obesity and are trying to shed excess pounds. They also aid in detoxification and can help alleviate symptoms of infections.

One of the biggest benefits of chives, one often overlooked, is their anticancer properties. The antioxidants present in chives reduce the risk of developing stomach, prostate, and esophageal cancer, and also support the treatment of these perilous diseases.

Thanks to their antioxidant content, chives can combat excess free radicals that cause oxidative stress and slow down the body's natural aging process.