Introduction: As the saying goes, "Onions in January, chives in February," so spring chives are highly nutritious and very suitable for consumption. Chives are warm in nature and can tonify kidney qi and boost vitality. In spring, the body's liver qi tends to be excessive, and in the five-element theory, wood (liver) overacts on earth (spleen), which affects the spleen and stomach's digestive function. Eating chives can strengthen the spleen and stomach qi.
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Traditional Chinese medicine holds that chives are warm in nature and can warm the kidneys to assist yang, benefit the spleen to strengthen the stomach, dispel stasis and detoxify, and lower lipids. Chives are suitable for symptoms such as nausea, hematuria, dysentery, and falls. Among these, chives contain a relatively high amount of fiber, which can promote intestinal peristalsis, keep bowel movements regular, and help eliminate excess substances in the intestines, which can aid in weight loss. However, the "Compendium of Materia Medica" also states: "Eating too much chives will lead to mental confusion and dim vision, and it is especially forbidden after drinking alcohol."
Modern medicine suggests that people with yang hyperactivity and heat-related symptoms should not eat chives. The coarse fiber in chives is not easily digested and absorbed, so one should not eat too much at once. Otherwise, a large amount of coarse fiber can irritate the intestinal wall, often causing diarrhea. It is best to control the intake to 100 to 200 grams per meal, not exceeding 400 grams.
Experts explain that chives are also called "Duancao Cao" (literally "break-intestine grass") or "Chuanchang Cao" (literally "pierce-intestine grass"). Eating them can cause a burning sensation in the chest. The main reason for this "chive heartburn" is that raw chives contain volatile allyl sulfide, which gives them a spicy taste and stimulates appetite. However, when eaten raw, these volatile substances can irritate the gastrointestinal tract, easily causing heartburn.
Chives contain oxalic acid, which can easily form antagonistic reactions with certain minerals and trace elements, affecting their absorption. Moreover, chives are rarely blanched before cooking (blanching can remove oxalic acid), so the elderly, children, pregnant and postpartum women, and people deficient in calcium, iron, and zinc should try to eat less chives. In addition, people with tonsillitis, nasal sinusitis, and otitis media cannot eat chives. Those who dislike spicy food or are prone to allergies should also avoid it. Furthermore, cooked chives should not be eaten overnight.
Selecting good chives is the primary condition for ensuring health.
1. Choose chives with a neat, flat cut at the root. The best chives have straight, fresh, and tender green leaves, which have a higher nutrient content. If you hold the root and the leaves can stand upright, it means they are fresh; if the leaves are loose and drooping, they are not fresh.
2. Chives come in wide and narrow-leaf varieties. Wide-leaf chives have pale green leaves and less fiber; narrow-leaf chives have long, slender, dark green leaves, more fiber, and a stronger aroma. Yellow chives are cultivated in a greenhouse, with pale yellow leaves that are tender but not as fragrant as green chives.
3. Do not buy chives with withered, yellowed leaves or those with insect holes.