Onion,Classifications,Tradition,History,Magical,Modern Updated...

  seminal trace...Onion Extract.CAS.RN.NO:8054-39-5.onion-extract,aqueous onion extract,AOE,cycloalliin-enriched onion extract.Onion extract treatment for scars,hypertension,hyperlipidemia...

   Onion Basic Info:

 Official Latin Name: Allium cepa
 Onion
 Common Name:ONION
 Genus Species:Allium cepa
 Family:Alliaceae,Liliaceae
 Origin:Himilayas, Siberia,Persia; it was already known in very ancient times.
 Cultivated:Widely around the world
 Useful Parts:
 Medicinal Properties Onion (Allium cepa) and other alliaceous vegetables are similar in many respects to garlic. The tear-evoking lachrymatory chemical released when onion is crushed or cut is thiopropanal S-oxide. The stimulating effect on the mucosa and secretory glands of the eyes and nose has resulted in onion being selected for homeopathic use as a treatment for colds.

 Translations for: Onion
 Nederlands (Dutch):ui
 Francais (French) :oignon
 Deutsch (German) :n. - Zwiebel
 Italiano (Italian) :cipolla
 Portugues (Portuguese) :n. - cebola (m)

 

 Onion Basic Info:
 Onion Botanical Description:
 Onion Classification:
 Onion and History:
 Onions: Archeology and Registration:
 Onions and Phytochemicals:
 Onion Nutritional Analysis:
 Modern Research Update:Health Benefits
 FAQ:Frequently Asked Questions of Onion:
 Onion Handlings:How to Select,Prepare,Store Onions?
 Onion Trivia and Onion Cooking:
 Research Update:Allium cepa or common onion


   Onion Botanical Description:

 The onion probably originated in East Asia, but has spread around the world and has developed numerous varieties, including shallot, chive, and scallion. The name may come from onion onion?or singleness as a bulb. The plant is related to the lily botanically; chemically it is a less piquant cousin of garlic in taste, but it is unique in its lachrymatory properties. It is said to be the basis for the name of Chicago, which comes from an Indian phrase meaning “The place where the wild onion (or garlic) grows? Currently, it is the most popular herb, since it is nutritionally satisfying in addition to being flavorful; people, such as the Hebrews who made their exodus from Egypt 3000 years ago, have long favored it as a basic food. Homeopaths use a dilute extract as a treatment for colds, but most other medical systems use it in a non-specific fashion as a warm, invigorating and satisfying tonic herb. It is sometimes used topically to treat insect stings, but personal experience suggests
 it lacks any significant anti-allergy properties. It has mild anti-microbial qualities and has been used in wound treatment. See a list of spices by Taste and Hotness.

  Botanical Features: herbaceous bulbous plant, with a biennial seed production, annual bulb production, the latter being the edible part. Extremely developed, ramified and superficial roots.

 Tubular, waxy leaves, which are dark green on the aerial part; at the base (tunic), they are thin, wrap over and protective on the outside, while they are meaty on the inside, and they accumulate reserve substances in order to form the bulb. The floral stalk is rigid, hollow and waxy and the plant is over a metre tall, with an umbrella inflorescence and spherical shape. The hermaphrodite flowers are white, the fruit a capsule. Reproduction occurs through the seeds.
 The lily family of plants includes such well-known ornamentals as tulips (Tulipa), lilies (Lilium), and hyacinths (Muscari), but only a few genera are cultivated as vegetables, including asparagus (Asparagus). However, the vast majority of the vegetables comes from one genus, Allium, the onion. Varieties of Allium cepa fall into several differnt groups according to their colour, shape, and use.


  Basically, onions fall into the following classifications:

 A. cepa includes all common western round or globe onions with single bulbs which, in their immature state, are used as spring onions; the aggregate onions with multiple underground bulbs as shallots, the every ready, and potato onions; also the tree onions known as the Egyptian or top-set onions which reproduce by forming miniature self-planting bulbs on top of the stem. Both of the last two groups are multiplier onions.
 A. fistulosum is the most important in oriental countries. Although known as the Welsh onion, it has nothing to do with Wales. In North America, it is called a scallion and likely to mean green shallots. Hybrids of these last two species account for most of the hundreds of onion varieties and cultivars.
 A porrum is the leek, but also includes a variety called the bunching pear onion.
 A kurrat is a species which fills the role of leek in the Near and Middle East.
 A. scorodoprasum is the species usually called rocambole.
 A. sativum is garlic.
 A. ampeloprasum is the wild ancestor of the leek and a species which exists in many forms. One of them is the elephant garlic.
 A ursinum is the wild garlic or ramsons.


 Onions contain about 8% sugar in the form of glucose and saccharose and up to 90% water. They also contain protein, calcium, sulfur, fluoride, provitamin A, B complex vitamins, and vitamins C and E; and have long been used for medicinal purposes. We now know that there are more than 100 sulfur compounds in onions that have anti-inflammatory effects. However, many are known to change readily when heated or are broken down after cutting. As with garlic, onions also contain the volatile, natural antibiotic oil called allicin, responsible for its pungent flavour.
 European, Asian, and Native American medicines are filled with onion treatments. Some of them include cough relief during colds and their use as poultices drawing poisons from wounds and ulcers. Even in relatively modern times, onion poultices are used on the soles of the feet to reduce high fevers or placed on the chest to relieve congestion. One ancient remedy included onion tea to relieve cholera, fevers, and headaches, as well as being treatments for gout, arthritis, soothing burns, and speeding healing. Modern research is proving that eating onions and garlic reduces LDL (low density lipoprotein) or cholesterol, responsible for clogging the arteries. These anti-clotting properties make them doubly helpful to the circulatory system. Onions have also been known to lower blood sugar levels, and they have readily demonstrated their antimicrobial properties.
 Using garlic or onion pills does not have nearly the effect on the system as eating the fresh product. Since many of the beneficial properties have yet to be identified, they cannot be fully reproduced in any laboratory. Only the natural food itself can have the right combination of enzymes, sulfides, precursors, etc. that benefit human health. Onions also have substances called saponins that fight against cancer. To put it simply, saponins help the cell DNA to stop producing bad cells and make only good ones.

 Onions contain hundreds of various compounds that aid in better health, including those that prevent arterial buildup of fats that can cause heart attacks or strokes. These compounds also promote secretions in the upper respiratory tract that move along, carrying out harmful microbes in the process. When these secretions are allowed to stagnate, microbes have the opportunity to multiply. Onions can help fight off bacteria, fungi, and viruses in the body. Chewing raw onion for at least three minutes is said to kill any bacteria in the mouth that might be causing toothaches or the gums to bleed. Putting a slice of onion directly on an insect bite will cut down on the itching and prevent infection. Using warmed, raw onions as a poultice will draw out any foreign matter lodged in the skin. Poultices can also be used to draw out any inflammation or fevers. Onions also contain compounds that help with digestion.

 When onions are cut, the cell walls are damaged, releasing a sulfur compound called propanethial-S-oxide that floats into the air. The chemical, identified in 1985 by researchers at the University of St. Louis in Missouri, turns into sulfuric acid when it comes into contact with water. This explains why it stings if it gets into the eyes or a cut. This effect can be lessened by slicing fresh onions under cold running water, which technically, will dilute the sulfur compound before it can float up into the air. Another way, is to chill the onion for an hour or so in the refrigerator before it is sliced. The cold temperatures slow the movement of the atoms in the sulfur compound so that it is not able to float up into the air to reach the eyes. Depending on the onion, some will have a high level of this pyruvate, while in others, it will be lower.
 Onions should not be stored in the same area as potatoes as they will emit a gas that speeds up maturity, causing each to rot faster. Storing onions on a rope enables the air to circulate around them reducing, the possibility of diseases and molds. It is also attractive and a convenient storing method. In order to plait a bunch, firmly tie two onions at the base then wind the leaves of each onion firmly around the string with each bulb barely resting on the onion below. When the top of the string is reached, tie a firm knot around the top and then hang to dry. As onions are needed, they can be cut from the rope.
 With all its powerful aroma, the onion is not immune to pests. The onion fly larvae can tunnel into the bulbs, causing the stems to wilt and become yellow. Seedlings and small plants are most susceptible and usually die. Crop rotation is advised to avoid this and other problems, rather than applying insecticides. Removal of affected onions from the area is also advised, but they are not to be put into the compost pile. When attacked by stem eelworm, bulbs become distorted, crack, soften, and then die. Should this happen, dispose of plant debris and affected plants, then rotate the crops (see separately Crop Rotation). Companion planting is another solution and planting parsley is said to keep onion flies away.


 Boiling onions are very small white or yellow onions and reach about two inches in diameter. They are left whole in soups and stews.
 Bulb onions are perennials cultivated as biennials and normally seed in their second year. These include the pungent storage onions (yellow, white, and red), sweet onions, pearl onions, boiling onions, and the flat small onions (cipolline) that Italians use for pickling. Bulb onions may have brown, red, white, or yellow skin; be round or elongated, spindle-shaped or flattened; and are encircled by several layers of dry skin. Sizes range from very small to over four inches in diameter.
 Creaming onions are fresh onions sold by the bunch. Each onion has a large, white bulb still attached to a green stalk. Usually, they are the yellow onions picked young, but can sometimes be overly mature green onions. Their crisp flavour is hotter than green onions.
 Pearl onions are even small, about an inch thick. They have a thin, white wrapper and white flesh that is crisp and sweet. These are perfect for marinating or pickling. There is also a Pink Pearl variety. (see separately)
 Red onions are an Italian specialty. Their thin, red to purple skin and mild flesh make them especially popular as a decorative salad onion. Like Spanish onions, they are sweet and mild, but have a thicker, coarser texture than the Spanish. These onions make a colourful addition to any salad, but their colour can bleed into other ingredients if sautéed with them. The red Semian onion is a popular variety in Italy. It has an unusually elongated, narrow shape, and can grow to be a foot in length.
 Sweet onions are mild, juicy, crisp onions that can be eaten raw. They are relatively low in sulfur, making their flavour very mild. Since their water content is about 85%, they are juicy. However, because of these traits, their storage capacity is limited to just a couple of months. Growers use expensive atmosphere-controlled coolers to extend their market season, but home gardeners must consider them seasonal and perishable. A sweet onion generally weighs about half a pound. The best known ones are Vidalia, from Georgia, USA; the Texas 1015 Supersweet; Mauis from Hawaii; Walla Walla from Washington State; Arizona; California Imperial; and one from Ontario, Canada, called the Norfolk. Sweetened Sandwich is a long-day hybrid that actually sweetens in storage, but its pungency also increases. Long term varieties include Blanco Duro, Stuttgarten, Ebenezer, Red Creole, Yellow Tongue, and Yula.
 White storage onions can weigh more than a pound each, but their keeping quality is not as long as that of the yellow onion. The white onions have a white papery wrap and a slightly sharper, cleaner flavour, and are used extensively in Mexican cooking. They are also prized in Italy and Spain for their sweet flavour, which can vary from mild to strong, depending on the variety.
 Yellow storage onions are the same as the common cooking onions. They can be as small as an apricot or as large as an orange. They can be round or oval with a heavy brown wrapper. They are hot if eaten raw, but the heat dissipates during cooking. Spanish or Bermuda onions are actually very large yellow onions. Because of their high water content, they are sweeter and milder than the common yellow onions. Red or yellow onions have a bioflavonoid called quercetin, but white onions do not.


 Albion is a medium sized round onion with a white bulb.
 Alisa Craig is a large variety, round and straw-coloured with a mild flavour.
 Buffalo is a high-yielding onion sown in the summer and harvested the following year. It has round firm bulbs with a good flavour.
 Kelsae is a large round onion with mild-tasting flesh, but it does not store well.
 Marshalls Giant Fen Globe is an old heavy cropping variety with a mild flavour.
 Red Baron is a beautiful dark red-skinned onion with a strong flavour.
 Rijnsberger is large, pale yellow, round, and an excellent keeper.
 Sturon is an old high-yielding variety with straw-coloured skin and shows an excellent resistance from going to seed.
 Stuttgarter Giant is a reliable variety with flattened bulbs and a mild flavour. It is a good keeper and slow to bolt.
 Torpedo, or Red Italian, is a spindle-shaped onion that is mild-flavoured, but does not store well.
 

 Below are some onion varieties:
 CARZALIA SWEETS
 MAUI SWEETS
 N.E. TRANSPLANTS
 SWEET IMPERIALS
 SWEET SPANISH
 TEXAS SPRING SWEETS
 VIDALIA SWEETS
 WALLA WALLA SWEETS


  Mild sweet onions include the following varieties:

 Spanish onions: known for their mild and delicately sweet flavor.
 Bermuda onions: another category of mild onions that come in red, white, or yellow.
 Walla-Walla Sweet onions: originally came from Corsica at the beginning of the 20th century and arrived in Walla-Walla, Washington where they are grown today.
 Texas Sweets 1015: available mid spring through early summer.

 Among the hybrid sweet varieties are Vidalia which come from Vidalia, Georgia and Maui onions that come from the island of Maui in Hawaii where the volcanic soil contributed to their sweetness.


  Know Your Onions:

 "Know your onions" was a term coined in the 1920s to indicate that the many varieties of onions that were cultivated over the years never acquired standardized names from one locale to another. Knowing your onions meant becoming familiar with those varieties that were grown and sold in the area where you live. In later years "knowing your onions" was an idiomatic expression used to describe a thorough knowledge of a subject.
 Onions are grown in practically every one of the United States, with varieties developed specifically for each climate. There is hardly a country in the world that doesn't grow multiple varieties of the allium family, since wild varieties existed from prehistoric times. Today onions are bred to adapt well to their different climatic conditions.
 Some varieties were quite small like pickling onions that were about one-half inch in diameter, while others became giants. One of the largest onions ever grown appeared in Scotland and weighed in at 6 1/2 pounds.

 Onions come in a variety of colors--white, brown, yellow, and red (or purple), while flavors range from mild and sweet to strong and biting. Nearly all onions will make you cry when you cut them--the stronger they are, the more tears you will shed.

 Onion breeders closely studied the onion's sulfur compounds, resulting over time in the development of several varieties of sweet onions that were high in water and sugar content. Sweet onions are mostly grown in California and Texas, with Georgia, New Mexico, Washington, and Arizona producing them in smaller quantities.
 


   Onion Classification:

 onion, plant of the family Liliaceae (lily family), of the same genus (Allium) as the chive (A. schoenoprasum), garlic (A. sativum), leek (A. porrum), and shallot (A. ascalonium). These plants are characterized by an edible bulb composed of food-storage leaves that are rich in sugar and a pungent oil, the source of its strong taste. The above-ground green leaves, typically long and tubular, are also eaten.
 All these species are believed to be native to SW Asia and are known to have been cultivated since ancient times. The onion (A. cepa), no longer found wild, is a biennial now grown in many varieties throughout the world as a table vegetable. Common varieties include the strong-flavored red onion, the milder yellow onion, and the bland white onion. Pearl onions are small white onions used for pickling. The large Spanish and Bermuda onions have a delicate flavor. The onion was grown extensively by the ancient Egyptians, in whose writings it is mentioned, and was later spread by the Spanish colonists. The more pungent garlic, a perennial, has a bulb consisting of small bulbils called cloves. This part is most often used in cooking, chiefly as flavoring; garlic is especially popular in the Mediterranean region and East Asia. Used as a folk remedy for thousands of years, scientific investigation is confirming garlic's usefulness as a blood thinner, antioxidant, and cancer preventive. The shallot (supposedly introduced to Europe from Ascalon, or Ashqelon, by the Crusaders, hence the botanical name) is a perennial with clusters of small onionlike bulbs. It and the more familiar leek, a biennial with a small single bulb, are both commonly used fresh in salads, as asparaguslike cooked vegetables, and in soups and stews. The leek, cultivated in ancient Egypt and probably introduced to England by the Romans, is the floral emblem of the Welsh, who adorn their hats with its leaves on St. David's Day. Scallion is a popular term for any edible Allium with a reduced bulb, especially the leek and shallot. The Welsh onion (A. fistulosum) is a leeklike plant popular in Asia. The chive, today found wild in Italy and Greece, is a hardy perennial sometimes used as an ornamental border plant. For flavoring, its leaves are the most desirable portion. Several species of Allium are native to North America, chiefly in the West, where the edible types were collected by Native Americans. Because of the disagreeable odor and taste imparted to the milk of cows that feed upon them, some species are considered weeds, especially the common wild garlic, A. vineale, naturalized from Europe. Onion is classified in the division Magnoliophyta, class Liliopsida, order Liliales, family Liliaceae.
 


   Onion and History:

  Historical View:

 The onion is chiefly cultivated for culinary purposes. The bulbs afford a considerable proportion of alimentary matter, principally mucilage, particularly when boiled; but in dyspeptic habits they occasion flatulence, thirst, and headache. The bulb is the most active part and is stimulant, diuretic, and expectorant. On account of the free phosphoric acid it contains, the juice is supposed to be useful in calculous cases, as it dissolves phosphate of lime out of the body.?

 Onions are native to Asia and the Middle East and have been cultivated for over five thousand years. Onions were highly regarded by the Egyptians. Not only did they use them as currency to pay the workers who built the pyramids, but they placed them in the tombs of kings, such as Tutankhamen, so that they could carry these gifts bestowed with spiritual significance with them to the afterlife.

 Onions have been revered throughout time not only for their culinary use, but also for their therapeutic properties. As early as the 6th century, onions were used as a medicine in India. While they were popular with the ancient Greeks and Romans, they were oftentimes dressed with extra seasonings since many people did not find them spicy enough. Yet, it was their pungency that made onions popular among poor people throughout the world who could freely use this inexpensive vegetable to spark up their meals. Onions were an indispensable vegetable in the cuisines of many European countries during the Middle Ages and later even served as a classic healthy breakfast food. Christopher Columbus brought onions to the West Indies, and from there, their cultivation spread throughout the Western Hemisphere. Today China, India, the United States, Russian, and Spain are among the leading producers of onions.

 The onion is believed to have originated in Asia, though it is likely that onions may have been growing wild on every continent. Dating back to 3500 BC, onions were one of the few foods that did not spoil during the winter months. Our ancestors must have recognized the vegetable's durability and began growing onions for food.

 The onion became more than just food after arriving in Egypt. The ancient Egyptians worshipped the onion, believing that its spherical shape and concentric rings symbolized eternity. Of all the vegetables that had their images created from precious metals by Egyptian artists, only the onion was made out of gold.

 Today, onions are used in a variety of dishes and rank sixth among the world's leading vegetable crops. Onions are low in calories and in most nutrients (however, green onions are a good source of Vitamin A.)
 


  Onion History:

 More onions are consumed than any other vegetable. Over 6,000 years ago, the onion was already one of the most important vegetable and medicinal plants of Central Asia, present day Pakistan, Northwest India, and the Mediterranean. It is one of the oldest of all cultivated plants and now grows in many different forms and in almost every area of the world, but chiefly in the warmer subtropics and the temperate zones. The major world producers are the US, China, Russia, India, Turkey, and Spain. It is assumed that the onion is native to Central Asia since the first written records of it came from there. However, no seed or tissue has ever been found fossilized. Onions were used by the Egyptians, not only as food, but also as a preservative during mummification when they were placed in the thorax, pelvis, and near the eyes. Pliny the Elder (23-79 CE) recorded six varieties in ancient Rome, where they had developed varieties with varying flavours. There is no record that the ancient Greeks used them as decorative or symbolic motifs, but Olympic athletes did use them before games to "purify and condition their blood". Greek and Phoenician sailors carried onion, and it is now thought that their vitamin C content helped to prevent scurvy.

 For over 4000 years, Onions have been used for medical purposes. Egyptians numbered over 8000 onion-alleviated ailments. The esteemed Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed Onions as a diuretic, wound healer and pneumonia fighter. During World War II, Russian soldiers applied Onions to battle wounds as an antiseptic. And throughout the Ages, there have been countless folk remedies that have ascribed their curative powers to Onions, such as putting a sliced Onion under your pillow to fight off insomnia. Yet today, Onions are still considered a modern day preventative. Sweet Onions are a member of the 500-plus allium family. While garlic, another allium, has been highly touted as a cancer preventative, most people consume far greater quantities of Onions. As Americans search for low-fat, low-salt, but tasty meals, they're eating more Onions - almost 18 pounds per person per year, which is 50% more than a decade ago. There is great confidence that the Onion will be a key in producing long-term health benefits. In addition to tasting great, Onions contain 25 active compounds that appear to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, help combat heart disease, inhibit strokes, lower blood pressure & cholesterol, and stimulate the immune system. Alliums are also antibacterial and anti-fungal, so they can help ward off colds, and relieve stomach upset & other gastrointestinal disorders. What makes them so good for you? Of all the healthy compounds contained in Onions, two stand out: sulfur and quercetin - both being strong antioxidants. They each have been shown to help neutralize the free radicals in the body, and protect the membranes of the body's cells from damage. Quercetin is also found in red wine and tea, but in much lower quantities. Interestingly, white Onions contain very little quercetin, so it's better to stick with the yellow and red varieties. Most health professionals recommend eating raw Onions for maximum benefit, but cooking makes them more versatile and doesn't significantly reduce their potency. In fact, unlike sulfur compounds, quercetin can withstand the heat of cooking. One researcher, Dr. Leonard Pike, director of the Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A&M University, is working on producing onions with even higher levels of quercetin. Today, another excellent alternative for those who dislike the smell & taste of Onions is to routinely add an encapsulated supplement to their daily diets. As with Garlic, Onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. The natural constituents of yellow or white Onions can raise HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) by 30% over time, according to Dr. Victor Gurewich of Tufts University.

 Onion lovers throughout the world are weeping, and they simply can't help it! What is this phenomenon all about, you wonder? It boils down to a few biting facts recognizing that onions, a mere vegetable, have that certain power to bring us to tears.

 Onions contain complex sulphur compounds. When you cut into an onion, two chemical reactions take place. First, when a knife cuts through the cells of an onion, its enzymes release a strong odor. Second, the onion releases allicin, a volatile sulfur gas that irritates the eyes and sends one rushing for a tissue.

 Historically, the onion is nothing to cry about. Over many centuries it occupied an exalted position as a work of art as well as a food. Not many people today would burst into tears if they were asked to consider the onion as a work of art, but they might do so if they had to eat one raw.

 Eaten and cultivated since prehistoric times, onions were mentioned in first dynasty of ancient Egypt, circa 3200 BCE, and have appeared in tomb paintings, inscriptions and documents from that time on. Some paintings depict onions heaped onto banquet tables, both the robust bulb onions as well as scallions.

 Of all foods in the plant kingdom, onions set the record for the most frequent appearance in ancient Egyptian art. It certainly is no wonder since they were the staple food of the poor along with bread and beer. Onions often appeared in Egyptian art as a sacrifice that appeared on their altars.

 Strange as it seems today, in ancient Egypt a basket of onions was considered a very respectable funeral offering, rating only second to a the highly revered basket of bread.


 Archeologists discovered small onions in the eye sockets in the mummy of King Ramses IV who died in 1160 BCE. To the Egyptians, the onion, with its concentric layers, represented eternal life and was buried with each of their Pharoahs.

 The origin of the name "onion" comes from the classical period when it was given the Latin name uniothat means oneness or unity, or a kind of single onion. The French call it oignon. Martin Elcort in his book The Secret Life of Food writes, "The word (onion) was created by adding the onion-shaped letter o to the word union, yielding a new spelling ounion. The letter u was later dropped to create the modern spelling. A union is something that is indivisible and which, if taken apart, is destroyed in the process, like an onion."

 Wild onions presently grow in Central Asia where the whole family of onions is said to have originated, though some say it was in the area of Iran, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Those familiar looking, round, mature bulbs are in the Allium cepa genus that is part of the lily family. There are 325 species of onions, 70 of which grow in North America. The grand allium family includes onions, shallots, green onions (often called scallions), chives, leeks, and garlic.

 Food historians shake their heads regarding the exact origin of the onion. Some varieties of onions have been given popular names like Egyptian onions or Welsh onions with no evidence that they actually grew in those countries. For instance, the Welsh onion, A. fistulosum, is considered quite primitive in that it has never developed a bulb, but rather resembles a scallion with a slightly thickened stem. The Welsh were not inclined to cultivate them on any large scale, and they weren't even introduced into the country until 1629.

 More confusing is the Egyptian onion, a tree onion that was actually unknown in Egypt. A specimen of this unique onion variety came to the attention of Frenchman Jacques Dalechamp, in his country in 1587. The Egyptian onion, never having developed a substantial bulb, did not become popular because it has difficulty developing seeds to reproduce itself. This variety was officially introduced into Great Britain in 1820 from Canada. Historians have been puzzled to see the tree onion, along with the Welsh onion, growing wild in North America.

 In their immature state scallions are called spring onions in Britain, though spring onions and scallions are terms sometimes used interchangeably. This causes some confusion. In the southern United States scallions are called green shallots.

 The Sumerians of Mesopotamia, the first to establish a written language, developed cuneiform inscriptions. Archeologists found one of their inscriptions dating back to 2400 BCE that read, "The oxen of the gods plowed the city governor's onion patches. The onion and cucumber patches of the city governor were located in the gods' best fields." The inscription actually referred to the property of the temple as the "gods' best fields" that were being misused as an onion patch by the city governors.

 One cannot deny the power of the onion on the olfactory senses. The rich found the odor downright disgusting. In spite of their negative attitudes, though, this "odorous" vegetable was cultivated in the gardens of the ancient kings from 2100 BCE to 716 BCE from Ur to Babylon.


 From ancient history up to the 19th century, onions were relegated as the food for the poor. The Code of Hammurabi, known as the ancient law of Mesopotamia, shows great concern for the needy by providing them a monthly ration of bread and onions, a ration that comprised the mainstay of the peasant diet. As disagreeable as the onion was to the aristocrats, the peasants devoured them completely raw.

 Apparently onions took on dual status in the attitudes in the ancient world. In Egypt they were highly revered by the poor and eaten extensively along with bread and beer. A small sect of Egyptian priests, however, were forbidden to eat them. Historians are unsure of the reason for this taboo. On the other hand, onions may have been reviled by those in high positions. In India Brahmins and Jains are also forbidden to eat onions, even today. Presently in France there is a sect with only a few thousand followers who revere the onion for its immortality and consider it divine.

 By 500 BCE onions were a common peasant food in Greece. Though the variety of vegetables eaten by the ancient Greeks was limited to onions, garlic, peas, cabbage and lentils because most were expensive, the onion, however, was the exception. Because it grew easily and extensively, the poor could afford onions as a staple.

 Onions played a role during the period Alexander the Great was leading his armies in conquest of other lands. It was believed that if one ate strong foods, one would become strong. Alexander fed his men onions believing they would increase their strength and courage.

 In ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome the common folk relished their onions and even ate them raw. We're all familiar with onion breath. Perhaps that is why the upper classes, such as the Brahmins of India, turned up their noses. Apicius, Imperial Rome's first cookbook author, never featured onions in his cuisine of the wealthy but only used them as flavorings in sauces or to enhance a mixed dish or a dressing. The common folk frequently started their day with a hearty serving of raw onions on bread, a recurring theme throughout the peasant world, and one abhorred by the upper classes.

 In Pompeii those "lowly vendors" who sold onions were rejected from the guild of fruit and vegetable vendors, and had to form their own guild. In the brothels of Pompeii, however, onions were held in high regard. Archeologists discovered a basket of overcooked onions in the ruins of one of the city's best-loved brothels where the elite co-mingled with the onioneaters, and, no doubt, enjoyed a few raw slices themselves.


 By the first century, Rome developed a healthy respect for onions, which were suspended from numerous strings that hung from the ceiling of the Trajan market. It was during the Middle Ages, that the onion finally achieved status, where the low-born as well as aristocracy relished them equally. In fact, they were so appreciated that Emporer Charlemagne ordered onions to be planted in his royal garden, they were written into the French feudal deeds, and strings of onions were even accepted as payment for the use of land.

 On his second to sailing to Haiti during the period of 1493 to 1494, Columbus brought the varieties of the cultivated onion to the New World. Though there were some native wild onions growing in America, they didn't compare to the intense flavor of the new variety from Europe. The Indians quickly adopted these new onions with great enthusiasm, especially the garlic.

 Not so insignificant after all, America's native tree onions and nodding onions provided sustenance to Pere Marquette, a French Jesuit missionary and explorer, in 1624 when starvation threatened during his explorations from Green Bay, Wisconsin, to Lake Michigan's southern shore. The city of Chicago, a region that grew wild onions in abundance, received its name from the Indian word that described the odor of onions.

 Had it not been for onions, the civil war might have turned out differently. General Ulysses S. Grant, who headed the Union forces, sent a note to the War Department that read, "I will not move my troops without onions." He promptly received three cartloads. Grant also employed the juice of onions medicinally as a wound healer.

 American cowboys favored another native onion, the prairie onion, that they called skunk egg. No doubt it earned this descriptive name because of its powerful odor. Odor aside, the onion lends exceptional flavor to any raw or cooked dish and was always included in a favorite cowboy plat du jour called son-of-a-bitch stew.
 


   Onions: Archeology and Registration:

 Onions are probably one of the oldest crops grown by humans, being mentioned in the Bible Book of Numbers (11:5) as part of the Egyptian diet of that time. Six types of onions were known at the time of Pliny.

 It is thought that bulbs from the onion family have been utilised as a food source for millennia. In Palestinian Bronze Age settlements traces of onion remains were found along side fig and date stones dating back to 5000 BC! It would be pure conjecture to suggest these were cultivated onions. The archaeological and literary evidence suggests cultivation probably took place around two thousand years later in ancient Egypt. This happened alongside the cultivation of leeks and garlic and it is thought that the slaves who built the pyramids were fed radishes and onions.

 Because onions are small and their tissues leave little or no trace, there is no conclusive opinion about the exact location and time of their birth. Many archaeologists, botanists and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Other research suggests that onions were first grown in Iran and West Pakistan.

 It is presumed that our predecessors discovered and started eating wild onions very early - long before farming or even writing was invented. Very likely, this humble vegetable was a staple in the prehistoric diet.

 Most researchers agree that the onion has been cultivated for 5000 years or more. Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world. Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than other foods of the time, were transportable, were easy to grow and could be grown in a variety of soils and climates. In addition, the onion was useful for sustaining human life. Onions prevented thirst and could be dried and preserved for later consumption when food might be scarce.

 While the place and time of the onion's origin are still a mystery, there are many documents, from very early times, which describe its importance as a food and its use in art, medicine and mummification.

 Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C. There is evidence that the Sumerians were growing onions as early as 2500 B.C. One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch.


 In Egypt, onions were actually an object of worship. The onion symbolized eternity to the Egyptians who buried onions along with their Pharaohs. The Egyptians saw eternal life in the anatomy of the onion because of its circle-within-a-circle structure. Paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of the pyramids and in the tombs of both the Old Kingdom and the New Kingdom. The onion is mentioned as a funeral offering and onions are depicted on the banquet tables of the great feasts - both large, peeled onions and slender, immature ones. They were shown upon the altars of the gods.

 Frequently, a priest is pictured holding onions in his hand or covering an altar with a bundle of their leaves or roots. In mummies, onions have frequently been found in the pelvic regions of the body, in the thorax, flattened against the ears and in front of the collapsed eyes. Flowering onions have been found on the chest, and onions have been found attached to the soles of the feet and along the legs. King Ramses IV, who died in 1160 B.C., was entombed with onions in his eye sockets. Some Egyptologists theorize that onions may have been used because it was believed that their strong scent and/or magical powers would prompt the dead to breathe again. Other Egyptologists believe it was because onions were known for their strong antiseptic qualities, which construed as magical, would be handy in the afterlife.

 Onions are mentioned to have been eaten by the Israelites in the Bible. In Numbers 11:5, the children of Israel lament the meager desert diet enforced by the Exodus: "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic."

 In India as early as the sixth century B.C., the famous medical treatise Charaka - Sanhita celebrates the onion as medicine - a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes and the joints.

 Likewise, Dioscorides, a Greek physician in first century A.D., noted several medicinal uses of onions. The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the Olympic Games. Before competition, athletes would consume pounds of onions, drink onion juice and rub onions on their bodies.

 The Romans ate onions regularly and carried them on journeys to their provinces in England and Germany. Pliny the Elder, Roman's keen-eyed observer, wrote of Pompeii's onions and cabbages. Before he was overcome and killed by the volcano's heat and fumes, Pliny the Elder catalogued the Roman beliefs about the efficacy of the onion to cure vision, induce sleep, heal mouth sores, dog bites, toothaches, dysentery and lumbago. Excavators of the doomed city would later find gardens where, just as Pliny had said, onions had grown. The bulbs had left behind telltale cavities in the ground.

 The Roman gourmet Apicius, credited with writing one of the first cookbooks (which dates to the eighth and ninth centuries A.D.), included many references to onions.

 By the Middle Ages, the three main vegetables of European cuisine were beans, cabbage and onions. In addition to serving as a food for both the poor and the wealthy, onions were prescribed to alleviate headaches, snakebites and hair loss. They were also used as rent payments and wedding gifts.

 Later, the first Pilgrims brought onions with them on the Mayflower. However, they found that strains of wild onions already grew throughout North America. Native American Indians used wild onions in a variety of ways, eating them raw or cooked, as a seasoning or as a vegetable. Such onions were also used in syrups, as poultices, as an ingredient in dyes and even as toys. According to diaries of colonists, bulb onions were planted as soon as the Pilgrim fathers could clear the land in 1648.
 


   Onions and Phytochemicals:

 Onions not only provide flavor; they also provide health-promoting phytochemicals as well as nutrients. Onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid (one category of antioxidant compounds), and allium.

 Garlic, onions and other members of the Allium family are rich in sulfides and other protective substances. Garlic contains a number of allyl sulfides that are known to decrease the tendency of blood clots to form, significantly lower total and LDL cholesterol levels and decrease the risk of cancer at many sites (68,69). Clearly, a diet in which herbs are generously used to flavor the food will provide a variety of active phytochemicals that promote health and protect against chronic diseases. A number of other frequently used herbal products are reported to provide protection or relief from a variety of common ailments

 The flavinoid quercetin, an antioxidant (phytochemical) found in onions, helps eliminate free radicals in the body, inhibits low-density lipoprotein oxidation, protects and regenerates vitamin E, and helps to circumvent the harmful effects of heavy metal ions.

  Allyl sulfides and Quercetin as antioxidant:

 Most phytochemicals have antioxidant activity and protect our cells against oxidative damage and reduce the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Phytochemicals with antioxidant activity: allyl sulfides (onions, leeks, garlic), carotenoids (fruits, carrots), flavonoids (fruits, vegetables), polyphenols (tea, grapes).

 Onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid (one category of antioxidant compounds). Antioxidants are compounds that help delay or slow the oxidative damage to cells and tissue of the body. Studies have indicated that quercetin helps to eliminate free radicals in the body, to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation (an important reaction in the atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease), to protect and regenerate vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant) and to inactivate the harmful effects of chelate metal ions.

 Major dietary sources of quercetin include tea, onions and apples. Recent studies at Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, showed that the absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples. Based on studies conducted at The Queen's University at Belfast, Ireland and Wageningen Agricultural University, the content of quercetin in onions is estimated to be between 22.40 mg and 51.82 mg per medium-sized onion (100 gram). Further research at the Agricultural University on Wageningen showed that daily consumption of onions may result in increased accumulation of quercetin in the blood. Studies are in progress to determine whether the increased quercetin accumulation from eating onions translates into significant antioxidant benefit.

 Several studies have shown quercetin to have beneficial effects against many diseases and disorders including cataracts, cardiovascular disease as well as cancer of the breast, colon, ovarian, gastric, lung and bladder.
 


   Onion Nutritional Analysis:

 Onions are low in calories yet add abundant flavor to a wide variety of foods. With only 30 calories per serving, onions are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other key nutrients.

 Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have been associated with a variety of health benefits. Research shows that onions may help guard against many chronic diseases. That's probably because onions contain generous amounts of a flavonoid called quercetin. Other sources are tea and apples, but research shows that absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples. Studies have shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

 In addition, onions contain a variety of other naturally occurring chemicals known as organosulfur compounds that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

  NUTRITION PER SERVING OF ONIONS