Onion is a vegetable that grows beneath the Earth’s surface and is consumed as a root. Botanically speaking, the genus of onions is Allium, and it is a botanical relative of chives, garlic, leeks, and scallions. Because of their nutrient richness, onions are used very commonly in our households almost every day.
Onions are beneficial to our health because they contain various antioxidants and specific compounds that help reduce the risk of heart disease. In the blog below, we will explore more about onions, their types, and their health benefits.
Main Types of Onions and their Uses
Even if we think of all the onions as one, there are still numerous different types of onions available on the market. Some of these important types are –
- Yellow Onions:
These onions are also called Brown Onions because they may sometimes showcase brown-colored skin. These onions are raw and have a little sweet taste. Mostly, the use of these onions is done in stews, for roasting, and in soups such as French Onion Soup.
This type of onion is the most widely used type which gives multiple usage options to people. Those who love onions and know their health benefits the most can freely use these onions in making as many healthy dishes as possible.
- Spring Onions:
Spring onions consist of the most crucial Vitamin K which helps in relieving bloating and body pain. Also, great improvement in the digestion process takes place with regular consumption of spring onions.
The use of spring onions can be primarily done in healthy salads, for garnishing, and stir fries for getting crunchiness. These onions can either be shredded or sliced for putting into salads & can be consumed during breakfast or brunch.
- Scallions:
Also called Green Onions, this is the only onion type that is harvested raw. Scallions are used in various Indian and foreign dishes & are rich in various nutrients. They consist of potassium, Vitamin C, folate, and Vitamin K which serve as the best remedy for a healthy immune system.
Scallions also have some antioxidants such as quercetin, which helps in protecting the cells from any harmful outside damage. The risk of certain diseases can also be reduced by consuming Scallions regularly.
The use of scallions can be done mostly for garnishing, in sauces and dips, and in salads. For using them in any of these forms, they are finely chopped first and then served or garnished to make the dish much better looking and tasting.
- Shallots:
One of the most soft and delicate onions is considered to be Shallots. Their taste is very mild and sometimes they may also give a little garlicky taste if overused in dishes.
While making sautéed dishes, these onions need to be very finely and evenly chopped. These onions offer numerous health benefits because of the presence of their antimicrobial properties. They help in regulating blood pressure and sugar & maintain a good pace of your brain as well.
- Sweet Onions:
Sweet onions are one of those onion types with the thickest layers possible. As the name suggests, these are a little sweeter in taste as compared to the others. These onions not only consist of Vitamin C but also effective fibres, folate, and chromium in it.
Unlike the other types of onions, sweet onions are aromatic-natured. The aroma of these onions is definitely much stronger as compared to the other types of onions.
Health Benefits of Onions
There are a lot of health benefits of onions which may sometimes go unnoticed by people. Some of these topmost and important benefits are –
- Great Source of Antioxidants:
Onions are definitely very rich in fibers and antioxidants which help in preserving and protecting human health. Some of the topmost antioxidants such as anthocyanins present in onions help to largely support the immune system. Becoming prone to diseases reduces to a huge extent with this property of onions.
- Controls Body Cholesterol and Blood Pressure:
Bad cholesterol is a very dangerous substance that gradually accumulates in the body and causes internal blockages. Due to the increase of cholesterol levels in the body, blood clots increase rapidly and this causes high blood pressure and sudden cardiac arrest.
To avoid this whole process from happening, it is important to consume healthy food and onions are a major part of it. Onions can help reduce the accumulation of bad cholesterol in the body and help in keeping a good heart rate and steady blood pressure. That is why onions should be eaten in regular and even balanced diets regularly at least once a day.
- Offers Anti-Inflammatory Benefits to Human Body:
Onions are rich in anti-inflammatory contents and that is why they can help control the inflammation produced in the human body. Many allergies, infections, and skin burns are caused due to extreme body inflammation and that is why it should always be kept in control.
Onions give cooling and soothing effects to the body from the inside and that is why body inflammation reduces immensely. When consistent onion consumption is done, then complete control over body inflammation can be achieved for sure.
- Helps in Reducing the Risk of Cancer:
The contents of onions include certain compounds which help in eventually reducing the risk of cancer in the human body. There are some types of cancers which spread due to excessive inflammation, increased blood pressure, or other factors related to internal body damage.
When this damage increases immensely, it may lead to the start of cancer in various parts of the body. That is why consuming onions regularly or at least once a week is important to make sure that your body keeps all the cancer-causing conditions away from itself.
- Regulates Bowel Movements with the Help of Dietary Fibers:
Bowel movements may not seem so important but are definitely a crucial part of the human body. Without regular bowel movements, the whole system of the body gets disturbed and irregularized. That is why it is important to make sure that all your bowel movements remain in check always.
With the help of onions, it becomes easier for people to prevent constipation as well as excessive flow. This is possible with the help of the effective dietary fibers present in onions. These fibers help in making the digestive system smooth and result in consistent bowel movement with time.
- Feeds Healthy Prebiotics to the Body:
Onions consist of a lot of prebiotics which help in regulating body activities. There are many body systems which require bacteria and other antibiotics to fight the outer agents and regulate themselves internally. This can be made possible with the help of the healthy prebiotics of onions.
Some of the topmost and most effective prebiotics such as fructooligosaccharides are present in onions in enough amount as required by the human body. These will feed gut bacteria to the body and help them fight the external harming agents strongly and successfully (most of the time).
- Reduces Bone Loss and Improves Bone Health:
Onions are a great source of calcium which helps in enhancing bone strength. This way, a great increase in bone strength can be seen and gradually, bone loss starts reducing to a much greater extent. For healthy and longer-sustaining bones, consuming onions regularly in your meals is definitely a great idea.
Considering the above health benefits that onions can offer, it can be said that this is one of the best and most impactful natural medicines for humans. A vegetable that offers so many benefits and is very easy to consume and add to any recipe or dish very freely & with great versatility for sure.
Nutritional Value of Onions
As we have seen from the above discussion, onions are a very helpful type of vegetable for the human body. They provide a lot of health and nutritional value to the body and that is why keeping them involved in regular meals is very effective.
Let’s deduce the immense nutritional value that onions can offer to the human body –
- Provides Natural and Healthy Sugar to the Body:
Despite the sour or spicy taste and smell of onions, they are surely a good source of natural sugar for the body. That is why eating onions regularly can give natural and healthy sugar to the body which gets absorbed faster and doesn’t just turn into starch or fat.
A single large onion may consist of about 4-4.5 grams of natural sugar which may be in the form of fructose, glucose, and sucrose. This gives a slightly sweet taste to your dishes as well.
- Very Low in Calories:
Unlike the richness of other nutritional contents, onions are very low in calories. This helps the body consume only healthy and nutritious contents & leave behind the harmful ones.
Managing weight becomes much easier with regular consumption of onions. This is because onion itself provides natural sugar and sweetening to a dish and doesn’t contain any calories. This way, it becomes a special ingredient in your balanced diet for weight loss, weight gain, or overall weight management.
- Rich in Dietary Fibers that Smoothen Human Digestion:
Onions are filled to the brim with almost 1-2 grams of dietary fibers which speed up the digestion regulation process. This provides immunity, strength, and nutritional value to the body for sure.
- Huge Source of Proteins, especially for Vegetarians and Vegans:
Onions are a huge source of proteins, especially for those who don’t consume dairy products or are not non-vegetarian. Regularly consuming onions, especially white onions can help in balancing out the protein content in the human body.
Also, onions help in the regular production of body collagen which makes sure to rapidly and effectively repair tissues and skin cells, in case of any injury or cell damage.
Conditions When You Should Avoid Use of Onions
Onions can be included in any diet and at any time of the year without any worries. However, there may exist some conditions or health situations where you should avoid eating onions.
These exceptional conditions when you should avoid using onions are –
- If you are having extreme stomach bloating or irritation, then eating onions may increase it. In such a situation, not eating onions in any dish will be effective.
- If you are having acidity or heartburn, then it is better to stay away from onions till the doctor gives a green signal for it.
- Some people are extremely allergic to onions. In this condition, make sure not to eat onions in any dish, otherwise it may cause bad health results.
Under any of the above health conditions, it will be better to avoid eating onions. Otherwise, they may cause more damage to your body than benefit. So, make sure to contact your doctor regarding your diet under any special condition and take a detailed list of your dos and don’ts from them for sure.
