Do you like the taste of onions? That unique blend of spiciness and sweetness really gets people hankering for delicious food. Onions, a seemingly ordinary yet super charming ingredient, play a crucial role on the cooking stage.
We can slice it thinly to add a nice crunch and freshness to salads. Or we can dice it to give stir-fries a rich aroma and a great mouthfeel. We can also mince it to become an important seasoning in soups and sauces.
Nutritional Information
| Energy(kcal) | 39 | Calcium(mg) | 24 |
| Protein(g) | 1.1 | Phosphorus(mg) | 39 |
| Fat(g) | 0.2 | Potassium(mg) | 147 |
| Carbohydrates(g) | 9 | Sodium(mg) | 4.4 |
| Dietary fiber(g) | 0.9 | Magnesium(mg) | 15 |
| Vitamin A(μg) | 3 | Iron(g) | 0.6 |
| Carotene(μg) | 20 | Zinc(mg) | 0.23 |
| Vitamin B1:(mg) | 0.03 | Iodine(mg) | 1.2 |
| Niacin(mg) | 0.3 | Selenium(mg) | 0.92 |
| Vitamin C(mg) | 8 | Copper(mg) | 0.05 |
| Vitamin E(mg) | 0.14 | Manganese(mg) | 0.14 |
Health Benefits
1.Germicidal action
Onions contain sulfur compounds such as allicin. These compounds have strong antibacterial properties. When onions are cut or crushed, enzymes in the onion react to produce allicin, which can effectively inhibit the growth and reproduction of many bacteria.
2.Promote digestion
It can be used to treat indigestion, loss of appetite, food accumulation and other symptoms.
3.Lower blood pressure and blood lipid
Onions have a health-promoting effect on people with high blood pressure, high blood lipid and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.
4.Supplement calcium
It helps increase bone density and prevent osteoporosis.
Selection
When choosing onions, the drier the skin, the better. The tighter the wrapping, the better. There are two kinds of onions, orange-yellow skin and purple skin. Onions with orange-yellow skin have relatively thick layers, more moisture and a relatively crisp taste. Purple-skinned ones have less moisture and thinner layers. Yellow-skinned ones are sweeter and purple-skinned ones are spicier.
When picking, you can gently press it with your hand to see whether the black part on the surface is soil or mold. If you find that it feels soft after pressing, it means that it may have mold and is not easy to store.
Storage
Put the onions in a mesh bag and then hang them in a cool and ventilated place indoors or store them in a special ceramic jar with air vents.