Onions
Onions (Allium cepa) are perhaps the most common vegetables on earth. Appearing in yellow, purple, or white, onions consist of thin fleshy layers and have a "papery" outer skin.
Health benefits of Onions
- Increased Protection from Bacterial and Viral Infections
- Increased Immune Function
- Reduced Cancer Risk
- Reduced Risk of Colon Cancer
- Protection Against Heart Disease
- Regulation of Blood Sugar and Insulin Dependence
- Slowing the progression of AIDS
- Slowing Aging
- DNA Repair and Protection
- Protection Against Dementia
- Alleviation of Cardiovascular Disease
- Alleviation of Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
- Promoted Eye Health
- Alzheimer's Protection
- Osteoporosis Protection
- Stroke Prevention
- Reduced Risk of Type II Diabetes
- Reduced Frequency of Migraine Headaches
- Alleviation of Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS)
- Antioxidant Protection
- Prevention of Epileptic Seizures
- Alleviation of the Common Cold
- Prevention of Alopecia (Spot Baldness)
- Alleviation of Inflammation
Some of these health benefits come from nutrients concentrated in this food, and may not be effects of the food itself.
How to choose Onions
You want to pick the onions which feel the hardest, have little smell, and certainly no sprouts. Onions can last a long time when picked and stored properly, so avoid any which give to the touch, or are starting to smell. Keep your onions in a cool dark place, away from the sun which can start them sprouting.
Climate and origin
So essential is the onion that cultivation of it began before any written records were kept. It is, however, thought that the onion originated in Central Asia, and was first cultivated in Egypt as many as 5000 years ago. A hearty plant, onions grow practically everywhere.
Taste
Taste depends on variety, but onions typically have a sharp-spicy taste raw, mellowing into more fragrant and pungent tastes as they cook. Lightly cooked onions taste mild, and can be cooked till their sugars caramelize, making them taste almost like jam.
Miscellaneous information
Onions make you cry because of sulfuric vapors released when you cut them, these same sulfurs contribute to the onion's antiseptic effects.
Similar tasting produce
Shallots, Leeks, Celery, Garlic
Nutrition facts
| Nutrition Facts | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Serving Size | |||
| 100 grams (100g) | |||
| Calories | 40 | ||
| % Daily Value * | |||
| Total Fat 0.1g | 0% | ||
| Saturated Fat 0.04g | 0% | ||
| Trans Fat 0g | |||
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% | ||
| Sodium 4mg | 0% | ||
| Total Carbohydrate 9.3g | 3% | ||
| Dietary Fiber 1.7g | 6% | ||
| Total Sugars 4.2g | 8% | ||
| Includes --g Added Sugars | --% | ||
| Protein 1.1g | 2% | ||
| Vitamin C 7.4mg | 8% | ||
| Vitamin D 0mcg | 0% | ||
| Iron 0.21mg | 1% | ||
| Calcium 23mg | 2% | ||
| Potassium 146mg | 3% | ||
| Phosphorus 29mg | 2% | ||
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |||