Chives healing properties
Usefulness of Chive Flowers.
The chive’s delicate purple flowers have a milder flavor than the leaves and add a decorative touch to salads, herb oils and other dishes. Add chives healing properties to your diet by making chive-flower oil. Add 1 ½ oz. of the blossoms to 1 quart of vegetable oil. After a week, the oil will turn lilac and take on the fragrance of the chive flowers. Use the oil on salads or in cooking — keep it refrigerated when not in use.
A part of the same botanical family as onions, scallions and garlic, chives grow from small bulbs and have a long history of medicinal and culinary uses. In the Middle Ages, Chives healing properties were promoted as a cure for melancholy and believed to drive away evil spirits. Today, we know that chives and chive flowers are high in vitamin C, folic acid and potassium. Therefore, they should be routinely added to recipes to help restore vital nutrients lost in cooking.
This herb’s tangy, aromatic taste comes from its high concentration of sulfur compounds and other essential oils, which are also partly responsible for its healing properties. Chives healing properties ease stomach distress, protect against heart disease and stroke and may help the body fight bacteria that can cause disease. In addition, the herb may increase the body’s ability to digest fat.
Chives Therapeutic Effect:
The medicinal properties of chives are as varied as their uses in the kitchen. Chives stimulate the appetite and promote good digestion. They can be used to ease stomach upset, clear a stuffy nose, reduce flatulence and prevent bad breath. Combined with a low-salt diet, they help lower high blood pressure. Plus, they have a mild diuretic effect, as well as some antibacterial properties.
Components
Chives are valued for their many essential minerals, including cardiac-friendly potassium, bone-strengthening calcium and blood-building iron. And unlike most other members of the onion family, chives are high in folic acid (a B vitamin), vitamin A and vitamin C. In fact, just 3 ½ oz. of chives supplies enough vitamin C to meet tour daily requirement of 60 mg.
EXTRA TIP
If you like the oniony flavor of chives, make your own chive salt to add zip to all sorts of dishes. First, add some chives to some sea salt. Then bake the mixture in the oven to dry the leaves and blend the flavors. Bake at 200° for about ¾ hour. Store in an airtight jar.
Kitchen Hints for Chives
Cut chives just before you are ready to use them to preserve their vitamins, aroma and flavor. Chives are delicate; to prevent the loss of essential oils, snip them with kitchen shears rather than chopping or grinding them.
Don’t heat chives or they will lose their valuable vitamin C as well as their digestive properties.
Grow chives at home in a pot or the windowsill. Wait until the plant reaches about 6 inches in height before harvesting. Harvest the chive leaves frequently to prevent blooming unless you specifically want to use the flowers. Once the plant blooms, the leaves become much less flavorful.
Freeze chives for future use. Frozen chives tend to retain more flavor than dried chives. Snip fresh chives into small pieces, then place them in an ice-cube tray and fill with water. To thaw, put a chive cube in a strainer.
What would an ordinary baked potato be without a generous helping of Chives sprinkled on top? In addition to potato recipes, Chives can be used in a variety of savory dishes. Our Chives come to us directly from our supplier in Taiwan, and then are processed in house to bring you the finest quality dried Chives.The botanical name for this fabulous Chive herb is (Allium schoenoprasum,) and like other Alliums, the plant has an onion-like flavor and scent. Pan-fried or grilled fish, in addition to smoked salmon or tilapia, can have a jolt of taste added by the simple addition of a butter sauce to which the herb has been added. It can be added to biscuit batter for a piquant flavor. Chicken benefits from this zesty herb as well, as does a fresh tomato salad with a veined blue cheese. Tartar sauce sings when this onion relative is added, as do chickpea salads.
For educational purposes only. This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
All information provided in this site is the result of research using (but not limited to) the following books and guides: The Complete Guide to Natural Healing, International Masters Publishers.
This site makes every effort to provide accurate and up-to-date information that is intended to complement, not replace, the advice of your physician. Before undertaking the advice contained on this web site, you should consult with a health care professional, who can best assess your individual needs, symptoms and treatment.
