Onions Nutrition

When was the last time you spent a day without onion in your food? Probably you won’t be able to recall a single day that the pink colored and pungent tasting onion wasn’t a part of your cooking. Countries like India and its subcontinent areas use onions regularly in each meal that is cooked at home or outside. Though onion is chiefly regarded as an ingredient to be used in non-vegetarian cuisines, the vegetarians too make the most of onions these days. Consumption of onions is not limited to Asia alone but extends to other continents as well. While Eastern Europeans love their onions pickled, a large part of Western Europe prefers onion and cheese dips with their chips and sandwiches. Again, onions may be consumed fresh or bought in the powdered, chopped, pickled, caramelized, canned or frozen forms, as available in markets all over the world. In simple words, it is almost rare to see that a family has not been using onions in their regular meals for a very long span of time. Apart from its culinary uses, onion also has a number of medicinal properties. Browse on further as we give you know-how about the nutritional advantages of regular consumption of onions.

Though several reports claim that onion was first discovered in West Pakistan and Iran, there are no archaeological reports to confirm the fact. Historians believe that man started consuming onions in the prehistoric era, when farming and civilization were unknown to man. In fact, onions had been a part of the staple diet of the prehistoric ages too! This means that onions have been a vital part of cuisines almost 5000 years ago and it is one of the first crops to have been cultivated by man after he learnt the art of farming. Onion can be cultivated in all types of soil and climatic conditions, thus making it easier for farmers all around the world to grow this plant. In the Bronze Age, when onions first became popular as a food item, Egypt considered this crop as an object of worship and it is believed that they often buried an onion along with the dead body of a pharaoh. The Romans, on the other hand, saved onions for use by gladiators as they were regarded as an effective way of flexing their muscles. The Bronze Age was also the time when the barter system existed. It was onions that were exchanged while selling and purchasing various objects. Hence, it is evident that onion, as a crop, was considered important not only as a food item, but also for its religious and commercial purposes. Today, India, China, Australia, the United States and Pakistan are the leading commercial cultivators of onions.

Health Benefits of Pyaaz (Onion)

• Onions contain a number of sulfides that lower blood lipids and blood pressure. Studies show that people who have never consumed onions suffer from high blood cholesterol and triglycerides levels, and shorter blood clotting times compared to those who include onions in their regular diet.

• Being a rich source of flavonoids, onions protect the heart and blood vessels, thereby providing cardiovascular benefits of reduced heart attack and stroke risks.

• One of the popular health benefits of onions is alleviating the symptoms of diabetes by lowering blood sugar levels and increasing the production of insulin.

• Onions, especially spring onions, are useful for mitigating sinus infections. By placing the juice of onions in each nostril or just smelling cut onions is helpful for overcoming sinus symptoms.

• Regular consumption of onions prevents against tumor growth and reduces the risk of various types of cancer, particularly stomach and breast cancer. Researches have revealed that high intake of onions have lowered cancer risks by almost 40% compared to those who with low intakes.

• Onions are believed to increase the urge for a healthy sexual life. One tablespoon of onion juice or paste, when taken with a spoonful of ginger extract, boosts the libido and sex drive.

• Onions work wonders for thinning the blood, thereby preventing the red blood cells from forming clumps, which can otherwise cause heart disorders and cardiovascular disease.

• Chewing raw onions 2 to 3 times a day kills all germs in the mouth; hence, preventing tooth decay and oral infections.

• Onions contain a compound that is beneficial for preventing the breaking down of bones, especially in postmenopausal women who are at a greater risk of osteoporosis.

• Onion is a preferred vegetable for those who want to remain slim and healthy. Studies show that consumption of onion helps in getting rid of extra kilos.

• Though prevalent only in the undeveloped regions of the world, onion is used to cure several skin ailments like boils and blisters.

• Raw onion when placed on the area of a bee sting reduces the swelling of the affected skin area.

• Onion is an effective cure for sore throat. A pleiomeric chemical present in onions, when mixed with jaggery, provides relief from sore throat.

• Other health benefits that onions are associated with include urinary disorders, earache, stomach ache, anemic conditions, hair loss and asthma.

Nutritional Value & Calories Onion

Amount: 1 cup

Total Weight: 160 g

How many calories in onions (per 100 gm)

Onions have about 40 calories per 100 gm of weight.

How To Buy Onions

• Onions that are round shaped will have a more pungent taste compared to onions slightly slender in shape give off a sweeter taste. Depending upon your choice of taste, you can purchase any variety.

• Buy onions that have a smooth and clean skin. The outer skin of an onion that you purchase must be dry and crisp.

• Make sure that there are no dark patches on onions that you are purchasing. Also, ensure that there is no accumulated moisture in the neck of the onion.

• Always purchase organically grown onions so that the growth of onion sprouts is less frequent.

Onion Storage Tips

• Green onions can be stored in the refrigerator where they remain fresh for several weeks.

• Cooked unused onions should be left in a mesh bag at room temperature in a cool, dark room that is well ventilated. Cooked onions have a shelf life of one to two weeks when stored properly.

• Raw onions can be stored in the open for more than three weeks in a cool temperature without decaying.

• Store onions separately, away from other vegetables as they draw moisture from the surrounding vegetables, thereby turning dry and causing them to shrivel and decay.

• If you have to store cut but uncooked onions, use them within two days because the surrounding moisture in the atmosphere can cause the onions to decay rapidly and create a strange odor.