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Onion vs. Chives — Health Impact and Nutrition Comparison

Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan by Ani Harutyunyan | Last updated on October 28, 2022
Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel Article author photo Igor Bussel
Onion
vs
Chives

Summary

Chives are higher in vitamin C and copper. They are more than eight times higher in vitamin C. Onions provide two times more carbs than Chives. Onions are also lower in proteins.

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Macronutrients
      1. Calories
        1. Carbs
          1. Fiber
        2. Protein
        3. Vitamins
          1. Minerals
          2. Health impact
            1. Anticancer protection
              1. Bone health
              2. References

                Introduction

                This article will compare Chives and Onion, focusing on their nutritional content and health impact. Here we will discuss the differences between raw chives (1) and raw onion (2).

                Macronutrients

                Although Onion and Chives contain more than 90% water, the distribution of macronutrients differs. The amounts of the nutrients they give are compared below.

                Calories

                Chives and Onions are low-calorie foods because they are vegetables. However, Onion is higher in calories than Chives: it provides ten calories more.

                Carbs

                Both Onion and Chives are low in carbs. However, in terms of carbs, Onion is more than two times higher compared to Chives.

                Chives are lower in net carbs: 100g has 1.9g of net carbs, while the same amount of Onion contains 7.6g.

                Fiber

                Chives are higher in fiber than Onion. They provide 2.5g of fiber per 100g. Chives are significantly richer in soluble fiber.

                Protein

                Chives and Onion are plant food products. Hence, they do not provide much protein. Still, Chives are three times higher in proteins than Onion.

                Vitamins

                Both Onion and Chives are rich in different vitamins, but in general, Chives are higher in vitamins.

                Chives are an excellent source of vitamin C, A, and K: they are more than eight times higher in vitamin C (58.1mg per 100g) than Onions (7.4mg per 100g).

                You can check the vitamin composition of these foods in the chart below.

                Vitamin Comparison

                Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                Onion
                Onion
                1
                Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 25% 0.12% 0.4% 0% 12% 6.2% 2.2% 7.4% 28% 0% 1% 14% 3.3%
                Chives
                Chives
                10
                Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 194% 261% 4.2% 0% 20% 27% 12% 19% 32% 0% 532% 79% 2.8%
                Contains more CholineCholine +17.3%
                Contains more Vitamin CVitamin C +685.1%
                Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +217550%
                Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +950%
                Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +69.6%
                Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +325.9%
                Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +457.8%
                Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +163.4%
                Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +15%
                Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +53075%
                Contains more FolateFolate +452.6%
                ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

                Minerals

                Chives are the champions in this section. They are higher in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, and copper.

                Chives are approximately five times higher in copper than Onion.

                You can check these two vegetables' mineral compositions in the chart below.

                Mineral Comparison

                Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                Onion
                Onion
                0
                Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 7.1% 6.9% 13% 7.9% 13% 4.6% 12% 0.52% 17% 2.7%
                Chives
                Chives
                10
                Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 30% 28% 26% 60% 52% 15% 25% 0.39% 49% 4.9%
                Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +320%
                Contains more CalciumCalcium +300%
                Contains more PotassiumPotassium +102.7%
                Contains more IronIron +661.9%
                Contains more CopperCopper +302.6%
                Contains more ZincZinc +229.4%
                Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +100%
                Contains less SodiumSodium -25%
                Contains more ManganeseManganese +189.1%
                Contains more SeleniumSelenium +80%

                Health impact

                Anticancer protection

                The anticancer properties of Onions and Chives are mostly linked with sulfur-containing compounds. For instance, Onion provides onionin A, a sulfur-containing chemical that decreases tumor development and inhibits the spread of lung and ovarian cancers (3) (4).

                Bone health

                Onions and Chieves can help boost bone health.

                Onions reduce oxidative stress and decrease bone loss, thus preventing osteoporosis and improving bone density (5). Chives boost bone health by their vitamin K content because vitamin K supplements prevent osteoporosis.

                References

                1. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169994/nutrients
                2. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170000/nutrients
                3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27393711/
                4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4941721/
                5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12096836/
                Article author photo Ani Harutyunyan
                Education: General Medicine at YSMU
                Last updated: October 28, 2022
                Medically reviewed by Igor Bussel

                Infographic

                Onion vs Chives infographic
                Infographic link

                Macronutrient Comparison

                Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                Onion
                Onion
                1
                9% 89%
                Protein: 1.1 g
                Fats: 0.1 g
                Carbs: 9.34 g
                Water: 89.11 g
                Other: 0.35 g
                Chives
                Chives
                4
                3% 4% 91%
                Protein: 3.27 g
                Fats: 0.73 g
                Carbs: 4.35 g
                Water: 90.65 g
                Other: 1 g
                Contains more CarbsCarbs +114.7%
                Contains more ProteinProtein +197.3%
                Contains more FatsFats +630%
                Contains more OtherOther +185.7%
                ~equal in Water ~90.65g

                Fat Type Comparison

                Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                Onion
                Onion
                1
                58% 18% 24%
                Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.042 g
                Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.013 g
                Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.017 g
                Chives
                Chives
                2
                29% 19% 53%
                Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.146 g
                Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.095 g
                Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.267 g
                Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -71.2%
                Contains more Mono. FatMonounsaturated Fat +630.8%
                Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +1470.6%

                Comparison summary table

                Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
                Onion Chives
                Lower in Saturated Fat ok
                Lower in Glycemic Index ok
                Lower in price ok
                Lower in Sugar ok
                Lower in Sodium ok
                Rich in minerals ok
                Rich in vitamins ok
                Lower in Cholesterol Equal

                All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                Nutrient Onion Chives Opinion
                Calories 40kcal 30kcal Onion
                Protein 1.1g 3.27g Chives
                Fats 0.1g 0.73g Chives
                Vitamin C 7.4mg 58.1mg Chives
                Net carbs 7.64g 1.85g Onion
                Carbs 9.34g 4.35g Onion
                Magnesium 10mg 42mg Chives
                Calcium 23mg 92mg Chives
                Potassium 146mg 296mg Chives
                Iron 0.21mg 1.6mg Chives
                Sugar 4.24g 1.85g Chives
                Fiber 1.7g 2.5g Chives
                Copper 0.039mg 0.157mg Chives
                Zinc 0.17mg 0.56mg Chives
                Phosphorus 29mg 58mg Chives
                Sodium 4mg 3mg Chives
                Vitamin A 2IU 4353IU Chives
                Vitamin A 0µg 218µg Chives
                Vitamin E 0.02mg 0.21mg Chives
                Manganese 0.129mg 0.373mg Chives
                Selenium 0.5µg 0.9µg Chives
                Vitamin B1 0.046mg 0.078mg Chives
                Vitamin B2 0.027mg 0.115mg Chives
                Vitamin B3 0.116mg 0.647mg Chives
                Vitamin B5 0.123mg 0.324mg Chives
                Vitamin B6 0.12mg 0.138mg Chives
                Vitamin K 0.4µg 212.7µg Chives
                Folate 19µg 105µg Chives
                Choline 6.1mg 5.2mg Onion
                Saturated Fat 0.042g 0.146g Onion
                Monounsaturated Fat 0.013g 0.095g Chives
                Polyunsaturated fat 0.017g 0.267g Chives
                Tryptophan 0.014mg 0.037mg Chives
                Threonine 0.021mg 0.128mg Chives
                Isoleucine 0.014mg 0.139mg Chives
                Leucine 0.025mg 0.195mg Chives
                Lysine 0.039mg 0.163mg Chives
                Methionine 0.002mg 0.036mg Chives
                Phenylalanine 0.025mg 0.105mg Chives
                Valine 0.021mg 0.145mg Chives
                Histidine 0.014mg 0.057mg Chives
                Fructose 1.29g Onion

                Which food is preferable for your diet?

                ok
                ok
                is better in case of low diet
                Onion Chives
                Low Calories diet ok
                Low Fats diet ok
                Low Carbs diet ok
                Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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                Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

                The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
                Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
                8%
                Onion
                91%
                Chives
                Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
                8%
                Onion
                29%
                Chives

                Comparison summary

                Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
                Onion
                Onion is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.104g)
                Which food is lower in glycemic index?
                Onion
                Onion is lower in glycemic index (difference - 30)
                Which food is cheaper?
                Onion
                Onion is cheaper (difference - $0.2)
                Which food is lower in Sugar?
                Chives
                Chives is lower in Sugar (difference - 2.39g)
                Which food contains less Sodium?
                Chives
                Chives contains less Sodium (difference - 1mg)
                Which food is richer in minerals?
                Chives
                Chives is relatively richer in minerals
                Which food is richer in vitamins?
                Chives
                Chives is relatively richer in vitamins
                Which food contains less Cholesterol?
                ?
                The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

                References

                All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                1. Onion - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170000/nutrients
                2. Chives - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/169994/nutrients

                All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.