Chives is a member of the allium family, which includes onion and garlic. The slender and tubular stalks lend a mild onion flavor to foods, pairing particular well with eggs, rice, potato and cheese of all kinds. The culinary use of Chives has been traced to its native soil in China, where it was added to foods nearly 5000 years ago. The plant grows wild in Europe from Greece and Italy to Southern Sweden and Siberia. Chives do not contain as much of the antiseptic sulfur oil as their onion cousins. Chives is usually use in salads, soups, stews, casseroles and dips. They are also used as a companion plant in the garden to help repel harmful insects from other herbs and vegetables. Chives are a nutrient- dense food. This means they are low in calories but high in beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One tablespoon containing 3 grams of chopped chives provides 1 calorie and less than 1 gram of fat, protein, or carbohydrate. It provides 3 percent of the daily
value of both vitamins A and C.