Onion

Onion:

Onion is a vegetable that is a member of the Allium genus of flowering plants which also includes garlic, shallots, leeks and chives.

Some facts about Onion:

• Onion is usually treated as an annual plant and harvested in its first growing season although it is most frequently a biennial or a perennial plant.
• Onion plant contains bluish green leaves, a fan of hollow and its bulb at the base of the plant begins to swell when a certain day length is reached.
• A central bud at the tip of the stem is enveloped by the bulbs which are composed of shortened, compressed, underground stems surrounded by fleshy leaves.
• The foliage dies down and the outer layers of the bulb become more dry and brittle in the autumn or in spring, in the case of overwintering onions.
• The onions are ready for use or storage after the crop is harvested and dried.
• Various pests and diseases, specifically the onion fly, the onion eelworm, and various fungi can attack the crop causing rotting.
• Onions are usually used in cooking as a vegetable or part of a dish, but can also be used to make pickles or chutneys and can be eaten raw in salads.
• It gives a pungent smell when chopped and may irritate the eyes because of the presence of certain chemical substances.
• Onion powder is made from finely ground, dehydrated onions, mainly using the pungent varieties of bulb onions. It can be used as a seasoning when the fresh ingredient is not available.
• Onion powder has a long shelf life as it is dehydrated and is available in yellow, red, and white varieties.
• Onions become pink-red color after cutting. This is because of the reactions of amino acids with sulfur compounds.
• Onions contain some essential nutrients in low quantity and have an energy value of 40 kilocalories in a 100 gm.
• A savoury flavour can be provided to dishes by adding onions without contributing significant caloric content

Types of Onion:

• Onions are commonly found in three color varieties including red, purple and white.
• The red colored onion, also known as yellow or brown onions are sweeter. It  turn a rich, dark brown when caramelized.
• Purple colored onion, also known as red or purple onions has a sharp pungent flavor and are also used raw and in grilling.
• White onions are milder in flavor. They turn in to golden color when cooked and has a particularly sweet flavour when sauteed.
• Onions can be eaten at immature stages as spring onions or scallions when young plants may be harvested before bulbing occurs.
• The plants are referred to as summer onions when an onion is harvested after bulbing has begun, but the onion is not yet matured.
• Onions can be bred and grown to mature at smaller sizes also.
• Onions may be referred to as pearl, boiler, or pickler onions depending on the mature size and the purpose for which the onion is used.
• Pearl and boiler onions are usually cooked as a vegetable rather than as an ingredient where as pickler onions are often preserved in vinegar for using it for a longer period of time.
• Onions are generally found in fresh forms. However, these are also available in frozen, canned, caramelised, pickled, and chopped forms.
• You can found dehydrated onions as kibbled, sliced, ring, minced, chopped, granulated, and powder forms.

Uses of Onion:

• Onions are versatile and can be are commonly chopped and used as an ingredient in various dishes. These can be baked, boiled, braised, grilled, fried, roasted, sauteed or eaten raw in salads.
• It is easier to hollow out once cooked because of its layered nature, facilitating stuffing them
• The use of a microscope for observing cell structure can be learned by using onions in science education as they have particularly large cells that are readily observed under low magnification.
• An orange brown dye can be made by boiling onion skins.
• These are toxic to many animals including dogs, cats and guinea pigs.

Health Benefits of Onion:

• Onion contain various vitamins and minerals that can help promote health in several ways.
• Onions help in reducing oxidative stress as it contain quercetin, a plant pigment which has amazing antioxidant properties.
• Onions can also help in reducing oxidative stress caused by diabetes and can be recommended to patients with bone problems like osteoporosis
• Onions can help regulate immune health, production of collagen, repair of tissue and iron absorption as it is high in vitamin C
• It also acts as a powerful antioxidant in your body because of vitamin C. So, your cells can be protected against damage caused by unstable molecules called free radicals.
• Onions are also rich in B vitamins, including folate (B9) and pyridoxine (B6) that plays an important role in metabolism, red blood cell production and nerve function.
• Onions are a good source of potassium that may help in fluid balance, normal cellular function, nerve transmission, kidney function and muscle contraction.
• Onions may lower heart disease risk as it contain antioxidants and compounds that fight inflammation, decrease triglycerides and reduce cholesterol levels.
• They may also help reduce high blood pressure and protect against blood clots because of their potent anti-inflammatory properties.     
• Heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, elevated triglyceride levels and inflammation can be reduced by consuming onions.
• Onions can inhibit oxidation as they contain more than 25 different varieties of flavonoid antioxidants.
• Onions have cancer fighting properties because of the sulfur compounds and flavonoid antioxidants found in them.
• Onions may inhibit tumor growth as they contain fisetin and quercetin, flavonoid antioxidants.
• Consuming onion may help reduce high blood sugar as they contain quercetin and sulfur compounds which possess antidiabetic effects.
• Consumption of onion is associated with improved bone mineral density as it help reduce oxidative stress, boost antioxidant levels and decrease bone loss. So, osteoporosis can be prevented and bone density can be improved.
• The growth of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be successfully inhibited by quercetin extracted from yellow onion skin. Therefore, infections in different parts of the body caused by MRSA as well as stomach ulcers and certain digestive cancers associated with H. pylori bacteria can be prevented by consuming onions.

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Enquire for Onion Suppliers Anywhere In India

Getatoz have Onion suppliers at major parts of India including Savarkundla, Rayagada, Udaipurwati, Dhubri, Pondicherry, Reengus, Manwath, Warisaliganj, Sattur, Lakhisarai, Alirajpur, Kailasahar, Shahpura, Samalkha, Sangareddy, Bhawanipatna, Rajahmundry, Jhansi, Shahpura, Renukoot, Padmanabhapuram, Bahraich, Kharar, Kullu, Anjangaon, Palampur, Medinipur, Nahan, Neyyattinkara, Achalpur, Nuzvid, Yellandu, Tiruvethipuram, Yerraguntla, Silchar, Hugli Chinsurah, Vadnagar, Tohana, Sagwara, Rath, Baharampur, Nimbahera, Sathyamangalam, Ajmer, Bhainsa, O' Valley, Sasvad, Pratapgarh, Sira, Pasan and other localities of India as well and Onion suppliers near you.