Spicy and flavorful, garlic chives are a delicious way to give your body extra support.
Garlic chives ( Allium tuberosum) are packed with nutrients and medicinal benefits. They boost immunity, aid digestion, reduce inflammation, and have antibacterial properties. These qualities help lower the risk of chronic diseases and improve overall health.
Nutritional Value of Garlic Chives
Garlic chives are rich in vitamins, including:
- Vitamin C: helps enhance immunity, promotes iron absorption, and contributes to the assimilation of collagen to maintain skin and blood vessel health.
- Beta-carotene: converts into vitamin A, a facilitator of cell growth in the body and a key ingredient in the normal functioning and maintenance of the heart, lungs, eyes, and other organs.
- Vitamin K: helps blood clotting and supports bone health.
Garlic chives contain a variety of trace minerals, including high calcium content, which supports bone health and teeth and helps prevent osteoporosis. In addition, the heart, muscles, and nerves need calcium to function properly. The iron in garlic chives is valuable to help prevent and treat anemia and maintain normal function of the red blood cells, while the magnesium supports a variety of biochemical reactions, including muscle and nerve function.
Like other vegetables, garlic chives are rich in dietary fiber, which helps maintain the health of the digestive system, prevents constipation, and maintains the balance of intestinal flora. Studies have shown that polysaccharide in garlic chives offers certain protection for chronic renal failure caused by adenine.
Garlic chives also contain a variety of plant-based active compounds, such as sulfide, which research shows has antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-cancer, anti-atherosclerosis, immune stimulation, and liver protection potential. The flavonoids in garlic chives also have antioxidant effects, help resist free radical damage, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. Studies have also found that garlic chives’ flavonoids and amino acids help the growth of skeletal muscles.
Benefits of Garlic Chives
Garlic chives may help treat a variety of chronic diseases and offer multiple health benefits:
1. Promote digestion. Rich in dietary fiber and phytochemicals, they can promote gastrointestinal (GI) motility and improve digestive function.
2. Enhance immunity. Vitamin C, organic sulfides, and other antioxidants in garlic chives can improve immune system functionalities.
3. Protect cardiovascular health. The sulfides and flavonoids in garlic chives can help lower cholesterol levels and prevent atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
4. Are anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. They help fight infection and reduce inflammation.
It is recommended to lightly fry garlic chives to preserve their nutritional value and flavor. Garlic chives go well with eggs, tofu, seafood, or meat.
TCM’s View on Garlic Chives
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) believes that garlic chives have a spicy taste and are warm in nature. They function by warming the kidneys, promoting qi, and activating blood circulation. They can also warm the stomach and strengthen the spleen and yang. As a result, garlic chives feature quite prominently in traditional TCM prescriptions.
Garlic chives are particularly beneficial for issues such as cold-induced stomach discomfort, abdominal pain, impotence, premature ejaculation, frequent urination, and weakness in the lower back and knees. In TCM, these symptoms are often linked to kidney deficiency.
In addition, garlic chives help soothe, nourish, protect the liver, and regulate qi. From a medicinal perspective, garlic chives can treat various diseases caused by liver qi stagnation, such as bloating and dysmenorrhea, and may even have antidepressant effects. So, when you are in a bad mood, try eating some garlic chives.
As part of our daily diet, garlic chives can reduce the risk of chronic diseases and improve our overall health.
For those who can’t tolerate the strong taste, capsules made from garlic chives extract are a convenient alternative. However, it is encouraged to eat fresh foods as much as possible.
Risk Groups of Garlic Chives
Although garlic chives are nutritious, they should be eaten in moderation. Some people should avoid them entirely, including those with:
1. Allergies. Some people may have an allergic reaction to garlic chives, manifesting as rash, itching, swelling, difficulty breathing, etc. If you have ever had an allergic reaction to garlic chives or other allium species (such as garlic and onions), you should avoid eating garlic chives or their extract.
2. GI Discomfort (excluding those with constipation). Garlic chives are high in fiber, which may cause GI discomfort, such as bloating or diarrhea, in some people. Therefore, people with weak GI function should eat garlic chives with caution. But if you have a cold stomach constitution, garlic chives’ warmth might help you.
A cold stomach constitution in TCM refers to a digestive system that tends to be sensitive to cold foods and temperatures. People with this condition often experience symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, stomach pain, or a preference for warm foods and drinks.
3. Severe Digestive system diseases. People with gastric or duodenal ulcers or chronic gastritis should avoid spicy and potentially irritating foods.
4. Blood Diseases. Garlic chives have a certain blood-activating effect and may aggravate certain blood diseases or bleeding disorders, especially in those taking anticoagulant drugs. Moreover, the vitamin K in garlic chives might also affect blood coagulation function. Therefore, these people should eat garlic chives with caution, preferably under the guidance of a physician.
5. Pregnant and lactating women. Garlic chives can activate blood circulation and remove blood stasis, which could harm pregnant women. Although eating moderate amounts of garlic chives is not a problem, taking garlic chive extracts is not recommended.
It is worth noting that because children’s digestive systems are not yet fully developed, eating garlic chives may cause indigestion. We should always eat in moderation according to one’s age and physical condition to avoid overdose.
Important Notice: This article was originally published at www.theepochtimes.com by Jingduan Yang M.D. where all credits are due.
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