Benefits of Onions One of Nature’s Perfect
I love onions, and I eat them almost everyday. From salads to soups and delicious stir-fry’s onion complement everything. But what about the benefits of onions? Lets see why onions are one of nature’s perfect foods.
Onions add amazing flavor with plenty of health benefits. They are enjoyed for their aroma, and since they come in a variety of colors and textures, they are ideal as part of a plant based diet, and you can add them in just about any dish for extra flavor and lots of nutrition. Besides their nutritional benefits onions are readily available year round.
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Types of Onions
There’s a wide variety of onions in the grocery store, some are tiny and ideal for salads while other are large and perfect for chopping into chunks or slices. In addition to their varying sizes, onions come in several colors, which includes: white, yellow onions, and red onions.
Then there are the longer type onions such as shallots or spring onions that are commonly enjoyed on salad dishes. And there are leeks used in the famous Welsh Leek soup. .
Nutritional Facts And Health Benefits Of Onions
These tasty little bulbs are packed with health benefits. Below is a list or reasons to consider adding them to your diet:
- Great source of fiber and high in vitamin C
- Low in calories – only about 45 calories in a one cup serving
- Free of cholesterol, fat, and sodium
- Source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc
- Rich in vitamins, such as vitamin C,B6 and they contain a significant amount of folate (folic acid in pregnancy)
- Bright green tops of green onions are rich in Vitamin A
- Chromium in onions helps to regulate blood sugar levels
- Contains phytochemicals to boost immunity
- Raw onions help to lower bad LDL cholesterol for smart heart health
- Used in homeopathic and herbal home remedies to heal infections and reduce inflammation
- Onions contain a compound called quercetin which is believed to play a significant role in cancer prevention
A study from Cornell University found that out of the eleven varieties of onions studied, shallots and Western yellow onions were the healthiest as they contain the most phenolic and flavonoid content.
Origin of Onions
No one knows the exact origins of onions. It is believed they were first discovered and used in central Asia. Other research indicate that the origins of onions were in West Pakistan and Iran.
It is possible that onions date back to prehistoric times (as much as 5000 years ago). As time evolves like most things we find onions everywhere. Which allows us all to enjoy the health benefit of onions.
How to Store Onions
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The best way to store onions is to remove them from plastic. Then place them in a cool, dry place and dark place such as storage container with ventilation.
Place the smaller varieties in the crisper of your fridge on a low humidity setting. This will help stop them from getting mushy.
Onions are versatile, so you can prepare them in advance, then store them in a plastic or preferrably a glass container so they are ready for use.
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Size and Varieties of Onions
Onions come in a variety of colors, sizes, and flavors. There is an onion for just about everyone’s taste. As mentioned, they can be white, red, or yellow, although most onions (87 percent) are yellow onions. White onions are rarer, representing about 5 percent of all onion colors. Leeks, green onions, and shallots can be used in a wide variety of tasty ways and dishes.
- Yellow onions can be used in any recipe. They turn brown when cooking and are often used in soups like this onion soup courtesy of Vegan hugs.
- Red onions are great grilled and sautéed, and are excellent in raw form in salads. They turn very sweet when grilled or sautéed
- White onions turn very sweet when sautéed, and go great in sauces and salads. Green onions add flavor to vegetables, potatoes, rice and taste great when grilled
- All onions make great additions to sandwiches and burgers
- Leeks make a great soup
Selecting Onions
When selecting onions, look for an onion that is firm and has very little odor. Stay away from onions that have blemishes on them, are bruised in any way. And avoid onions that feel and look dehydrated.
Best Time to Buy Onions?
In the spring and summer, the skin tends to be lighter and thinner and they have a high water content. Spring onions are more likely to bruise and are usually of a mild to sweet flavor. Fall onions have several layers of dark, desiccated skin. They have a longer shelf life than spring and summer onions, and often have a mild to pungent flavor. They take longer to cook than spring and summer onions.
How to Cut Onions
Believe it or not, there is a right and wrong way to cut up onions. You need to first cut off the stem and peel its outer layers so you are down to the meaty part of the onion.
Then cut the onion in half. If you are dicing onions, you need to take each onion half and make several longitudinal cuts so the onions are sliced. Then cut at a 90-degree angle to the first cuts and chop these further until you have both halves perfectly diced.
Preparing Onions
There are lots of ways to prepare onions. Add them raw and chopped into salads, sauté them along with other vegetable, add a sauce and place on a bed of rice. They are ideal to slice up to chop in chunks and then add with protein for a casseroles. You can grill them, roast them, or caramelize onions for amazing flavor.
Concluding Benefits of Onions
These everyday gems are affordable and accessible. And as you can see from the above mentioned, onions are truly a food to add to your diet. So grab a recipe book or two and see how to enjoy the benefits of onions today!