Onion is an essential food in the Mediterranean diet, and it also combines perfectly with thousands of recipes. Today we will learn about the main types of onion, and we will see that there is much more to it than the classic white onion or purple onion. We will also know what uses each one has in the kitchen and the main benefits of eating onions regularly.
If we like to cook, surely we use onion quite regularly, and today we will understand why it is so good for our health, since we are going to talk about the main benefits of this vegetable. In addition, we will see how many types of onions are on the market and our availability, although it may vary depending on the region where we live.
What is it?
The onion is a horticultural plant with a hollow stem that widens at the height of the roots and gives shape to the bulb, which is the edible part. It has long and narrow leaves, white flowers or pinkish tones that are grouped in umbels with a kind of capsule inside full of seeds.
The onion belongs to the Liliaceae family, more specifically to the Allium cepa family. Its origin dates back to ancient China and thanks to the Romans and the Greeks it reached Europe. There are records of the onion from the year 6.000 BC, in fact, the egyptians revered her. We were the Spaniards who transported this rich vegetable to the American continent in the fifteenth century.
The onion was widely cultivated by the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans and during the Middle Ages, its cultivation spread to the rest of Europe. Harvest after harvest, the largest bulbs were selected, until we reached the modern varieties we know today.
Services
The onion has been among us for centuries and has a very good reputation, in addition, for decades it has been used as a home remedy against colds and other catarrhal processes. Throughout this section we will learn about many of its benefits and all that it can contribute to our body, if we add this vegetable to our recipes.
Improves digestions
Digestive health makes a difference in the digestions we have, and the onion promotes the good health of the digestive system starting with the stomach, since prevents intestinal fermentation, eliminates parasites and fungi, relieves constipation, reduces flatulence.
In addition, onion is also a prebiotic food, since this vegetable is rich in fructo-oligosaccharides that promote the growth of bacteria in the intestines and eradicate bad bacteria. This balance reduces the chances of developing colon cancer.
The only drawback is that, if we tend to suffer from heartburn, onions in large quantities or very raw can cause heartburn.
It is diuretic
Be very careful if we have kidney problems, since the onion helps cleanse the body and puts the kidneys to work to expel all the waste. Hence the onion is so good to prevent fluid retention, also for cases of hypertension or edema.
This is because it is rich in potassium and low in sodium, but as we say, we must be extremely careful, or at least not consume too much. If we see that we are going to the bathroom a lot and feel pain in the kidneys, it is best to consult a specialist.
good for colds
One of the most ancient properties of this vegetable is its use in colds and viral processes. Surely more than once we have been told that "onion is a natural antibiotic", well, they are not very far from reality. This vegetable is used for catarrhal and viral processes due to its antiseptic action, in fact, it is quite good for reducing mucus.
Also has anti-inflammatory action, so it is usually helpful in processes of asthma, bronchitis and colds where the airways become inflamed. All this is thanks to the sulfur components, so if we have a cold, we can add onion to all our recipes and we will feel some improvement.
Helps reduce cholesterol levels
High cholesterol is one of the main causes of death in the world, and that is when there is an element that worsens blood circulation, this directly affects the heart and brain, leading to heart attacks and strokes.
By taking onion regularly in our meals, we reduce platelet aggregation, reduce cholesterol and high triglycerides, therefore, also reduce thrombi, heart attacks and other cardiovascular accidents.
It should be said that taking onions will not make these risks disappear, but must go hand in hand with other changes, such as a healthier, more varied and balanced diet, as well as an increase in physical activity, always under the review of an expert and adapted to our physical confession
Types of onion
There are different types of onion, and we are going to get to know them, apart from that we will also know how to use them in the kitchen and some other curiosity.
White
It is the most common and the one with that strong and characteristic flavor, it is usually large and with thin skin in many layers. Is very crispy That is why it is usually used in salads, scrambled vegetables, wok, pizzas, etc. and it is usually the perfect option to fry, for example, onion rings.
This variety, together with the yellow one that we will describe below, are very versatile onions, but when raw they tend to give stomach acidity and usually feel regular, since they have a spicy and powerful flavor. White onion keeps well in the fridge or dry for weeks, but it is better not to trust it and buy only the exact amount for the recipes of the week.
Yellow
The second most common, or perhaps it is also number one in the markets. It is an onion with a powerful flavor that usually falls into the stomach regularly when raw, although the same does not happen to all of us. It is usually known as spanish onion and it has a light yellow flesh, it also has several outer layers and it lasts several weeks in good conditions, either cold or dry.
Regarding the uses, it is usually used in raw recipes such as salads, also in pizzas, but especially in stews, soups and casseroles. In addition, it is usually the variety chosen to caramelize it and create recipes with it.
red or purple
I use red onion or purple onion a lot in all kinds of dishes, both raw and cooked, since it has a very peculiar and pleasant flavor, and adds a touch of color to dishes. Its aroma is also characteristic, which is why it is sometimes used more raw than stewed. It is consumed in pizzas, hot dogs, designer dishes, stews, tacos, hamburgers, pancakes, etc.
A curiosity of this onion is that in winter the acidity of this variety is higher than in summer. In terms of size, it is very similar to the previous ones, more or less, like a tennis ball and its meat is crunchy and shiny white with purple edges.
Shallot
A French onion widely used in exotic dishes. The curious thing about these onions is that they are smaller in size than the rest of the onions that we have named so far and their shape is not rounded, but rather oval and elongated.
They are widely used in cooking for their pleasant smell and their sweet and mild flavor. Experts say that it is halfway between garlic and onion. It is used with fish, roast meats, sauces, vinaigrettes, pastas and noodles, etc.
On the outside they are deep purple, turning reddish, and on the inside, after peeling off their layers, we find violet tones. It is not so much its aesthetics as its taste. If we have never tried it, we recommend it because we will fall in love with it.
Spring onion
Very common and it is also known as a branch onion because it is an elongated and thin stem of which only the white part below is used. Your sweet and smooth taste makes it a perfect onion for vegetable stir-fries, salads, stir-fries, soups, creams and Asian dishes.
Sometimes it is confused with chives, but it is not the same, as we will see in the next section. The spring onion usually lasts several days in the fridge, but it is better that we cut the green part and keep the white part in a tupperware container to avoid accelerating its decomposition.
Chive
More than onion as such, it is a condiment, since it is usually used in soups, creams, sauces, meats, baked fish dishes, gratin potatoes, etc. as final decoration. It is a very particular onion, precisely because of its aesthetics and its use as Aromatic herb. In addition, it does not need to be cooked, it can be eaten raw without problems. Its flavor is similar to normal onion, but much milder, which is why it combines so well with all kinds of dishes, whether hot or cold.