Onions - Benefits, Harm, Calorie Content, Nutritional Value, Vitamins

The ratio of BJU in the product

Source: depositphotos.com How to burn 40 kcal?

In the wild, it is a perennial plant, when cultivated in culture it is two years old. In the first year, a bulb grows from the seeds, in the second year it gives a flowering stem and seeds. It is also common to propagate onions in a vegetative way - onions.

The bulb is a modified shoot, and the scales that make up it are modified leaves. The bulbs of some onion varieties reach a diameter of 15 cm. The outer scales are dry and, depending on the variety, can be yellow, purple or red. Inside, the scales are white, greenish or purple, juicy and fleshy in structure. They are located on a shortened modified stem - the bottom, from which white roots extend downward. Between the juicy scales are modified buds, it is from them that new bulbs are formed during the vegetative reproduction method.

The leaves of the onion are tubular, with a cavity inside, of a gray-green color. The inflorescence is spherical with whitish flowers.

The benefits of onions

The smell of onions cannot be confused with others; it is determined by essential oils and phytoncides in the plant. Phytoncides are herbal substances with antibacterial and antiseptic properties. They are capable of killing viruses and bacteria.

In the process of evolution, phytoncides were developed as a means of protecting plants from pests. These substances are also detrimental to influenza viruses, parainfluenza, rhinoviruses and bacteria such as streptococci and staphylococci. They are effective for 15 minutes after cutting the onion, and then their effect is reduced. The antibacterial and antiseptic properties of onions are used to relieve cold symptoms, in the treatment of wounds (especially purulent ones) and cuts.

The benefits of onions are evidenced by the high content of vitamins of group B and C, as well as trace elements - iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, cobalt. Vitamin C is retained in onions when stored in winter, which makes this product a valuable source of ascorbic acid during hypovitaminosis. People who regularly eat fresh onions are less likely to suffer from tooth decay. By the way, green onion feathers contain more vitamins and minerals than an onion.

Onions, due to the presence of special sulfurous substances in it, lowers cholesterol in the blood, prevents thrombosis, has anti-sclerotic properties, which is important for the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system. Onions are able to strengthen and restore memory, especially in old age.

Onion juice and onion infusion are used as a means of reducing prostatic hypertrophy and antihelminthic. Onion juice has a mild diuretic effect.

It is known about the benefits of onions for varicose veins, hemorrhoids. Research is ongoing to show its anti-cancer activity. The low calorie content of onions allows this useful product to be used even by obese people.

Eating onions

Onions are eaten by both the bulb itself and the green feather. According to their taste, onions are divided into sweet, spicy and semi-sharp varieties.

The most common yellow onions are spicy, and red and purple onions are peninsular. They are used most often for preparing first and second courses, so that all the pungency and aroma of onions are transferred to food. Soups and broths, fish soup, second courses of potatoes, fish and vegetables are prepared with spicy onions.

White (Italian) onion belongs to sweet varieties, it tastes good even raw, therefore it has found wide application in the manufacture of fresh vegetable salads or as an addition to a side dish.

Onions keep well throughout the year, until the next harvest. It is important that the storage area is dry, cool and well ventilated.

The calorie content of onions is about 43 kcal per 100 g of product, its green feather is 23 kcal.

The harm of onions

The disadvantages of fresh onions include an unpleasant odor that appears from the mouth after it. Fresh parsley, if chewed in the mouth for a short time, or fried walnut kernels help get rid of it. Heat-treated onion loses some of its useful properties, but does not have an unpleasant specific smell.

The harm of onions in chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract consists in excessive stimulation of the digestive glands and an increase in the acidity of gastric juice. This can provoke an exacerbation of gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, gastroduodenitis.

The irritating properties of onions can adversely affect the state of the nervous system, cause an increase in blood pressure in predisposed individuals.

YouTube video related to the article:

Found a mistake in the text? Select it and press Ctrl + Enter.