Onion
Onions
The word onion comes from the Latin word unio for “single”, or “one”, because the onion plant produces a single bulb, unlike its cousin, the garlic, that produces many small bulbs.
Onion is a term used for many plants in the genus Allium. They are known by the common name “onion’ but, used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa.
Onion
What would life be like without onions? The onion has been used as an ingredient in various dishes for thousands of years by many cultures around the world. World onion production is steadily increasing so that the onion is now the second most important horticultural crop after tomatoes.
There are many different varieties of onion, red, yellow, white, and green, each with their own unique flavor, from very strong to mildly sweet.
Onions can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, dried or roasted. They are commonly used to flavor dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fry and other dishes. Onions (Allium cepa) belong to the lily family, the same family as garlic, leeks, chives, scallions and shallots.
Onion’s nutrition
Onions contain a compound called sulfur which detoxifies the body making a great wound healer and detoxifies the body making a great wound healer and detoxifies the skin.
Onions are an excellent source of quercetin, a potent antioxidant, and they contain anti-allergy, antiviral and antihistamine properties. Onions aid in cellular repair. To obtain the maximum nutritional benefits, onions should be eaten raw or lightly steamed.
Fresh as well as cooked onions have anti-platelet adhesiveness, which helps in preventing thrombosis. Onions has been found to be very good for those suffering from high blood pressure.
Onions helps reduce inflammation and is therefore, beneficial for those suffering from neuritis, vertigo and bronchitis. Onion, being a diuretic, increases the secretion of urine.
Onions are very good for the health of hair, finger and toe nails and even the eyes. Onions are rich in flavonoids and thus, provide protection against cardiovascular disease.
Since onions have the property of helping lower blood sugar, they are good for those suffering from diabetes.
The extracts of onion, being rich in a variety of sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth.
Onions have been found to be helpful in the alleviation of the following ailments:
Asthma, bacterial infections, cough, colds, influenza, insomnia, obesity, pneumonia, tuberculosis, vertigo, neuritis, bronchitis.
The calories of the onions are very low, onions nutritional value include good amounts of a trace mineral called chromium, vitamin C, and dietary fiber.
Onion Calories
150 g of onion contains 60 calories.
134 g of water,
14.0 g of carbohydrates.
2.6 g of dietary fiber.
0.2g of fats.
1.6g of proteins
34.5 mg of calcium.
Onions also contain vitamin B6, Folate, vitaminC, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese.
Health tips for onion
Onions may bring a tear to your eye, and pungency to your breath, but they will most certainly bring delight to your taste buds
Onions are:
Low in Saturated Fat, Sodium, and Cholesterol
High in Vitamin C, Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Folate and Manganese
A large portion of the calories in this food comes from sugars. Eating onions in the right manner is important if you want to keep onion calories under control, and take advantage of its health benefits. That means, no fried onion rings, or fried onions in any other recipe
