Can You Eat Chives When Pregnant? Is It Safe?

Last Updated on December 17, 2023

Chives lift the flavor of any dish with their delicate, oniony taste. They’re also one of the most nutrient-dense types of herb, and they’re low in calories, too. But can you eat chives when you’re pregnant?

Chives are perfectly safe to eat when you’re pregnant. In fact, chives are a good source of several essential nutrients for a healthy pregnancy, including vitamin K, folate, and iron.

Read on to learn more about how the consumption of chives during pregnancy can benefit you and your baby.

Are Chives Safe to Eat During Pregnancy?

Chives are generally safe for consumption during pregnancy. However, as with any food, washing them thoroughly before eating is essential to reduce your risk of foodborne illness (source: Frontiers of Microbiology Journal).

Always rinse raw chives under running water, then pat them dry with a clean paper towel.

You may want to limit your intake if you are prone to heartburn or other gastrointestinal issues. This is because chives are a member of the onion family and contain compounds that can cause gastroesophageal reflux (GERD) (source: Pharmacy Times).

If you’re experiencing GERD, talk to your doctor about how many chives you can safely eat.

When buying fresh chives,  look for green ones with a fresh, onion-like smell. Avoid yellow or brown chives, as this is a sign they’re beginning to spoil. Dried chives are also available, but they don’t have the same flavor as fresh ones – these are safe to have when you’re pregnant, too.

If you do purchase dried chives, you can use them as-is, or rehydrate them in water for about 10 minutes before using them. You can also add chives to soups, stews, and casseroles or use them as a garnish for salads and other dishes.

There are two main types of chives: garlic chives and onion chives. Garlic chives, also known as Chinese leeks, have a mild garlic flavor and are often used in Asian cuisine.

Onion chives, on the other hand, have a delicate onion flavor and are more commonly used in Western dishes. For the purposes of pregnancy safety, you can treat all chives the same way.

Are There Benefits to Eating Chives When Pregnant?

Chives are rich in several nutrients that are important for a healthy pregnancy, including:

• Vitamin K: Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and bone health. The recommended daily intake of vitamin K during pregnancy is 90 micrograms (mcg) (source: Harvard). One tablespoon of fresh chives contains about 6.38 micrograms of vitamin K (source: Medical News Today).
  
• Folate: Folate is a water-soluble B vitamin that helps prevent neural tube defects in babies (source: Paedetrics and Child Health Journal). The recommended daily intake of folate during pregnancy is 30mg (source: UT Southwestern Medical Center). One tablespoon of fresh chives contains about 3.15 mcg of folate (source: USDA).
  
• Iron: Iron is essential for making hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to all the cells in your body (source: University of Rochester Medical Center). The recommended daily iron intake during pregnancy is 30 mg (source: UT Southwestern Medical Center). One tablespoon of fresh chives contains about 0.4 mg of iron (source: USDA).

As you can see, chives offer several nutrients that are important for a healthy pregnancy. Adding them to your healthy diet is an easy way to increase your intake of these nutrients.

What About Chive Dip or Chips When Pregnant?

Other food products that contain chives are chive-flavored crackers, chive dips, chive powder, and chive-flavored cheese. These products are usually safe to eat during pregnancy, but keep an eye on whether or not the dairy in them is pasteurized. For more on this, you’ll need our cream cheese in pregnancy article.

Also, you might need to be mindful of salt intake as some of these products can be high in sodium.

Chives are versatile herbs that are also beneficial to your health. We hope this article has provided some valuable information on chives and how they can be enjoyed during pregnancy.

This article has been reviewed and approved for publication in line with our editorial policy.