Know about the unseen and unheard types and Benefits of Onions

2022-05-09 00:00:00

Onions are used in almost every household to enhance the taste of vegetables, as a tempering and as salad. The description of properties of onions is also mentioned in ancient Ayurvedic texts. Onion is used as medicine for curing many diseases. Consuming it in summer does not cause heatstroke. Apart from this, onions are also capable of protecting against diseases like diabetes and cancer.

What are Onions?

Onion is a vegetable widely used in food, chutney, pickle and salads. Its taste is sharp and can be grown in all types of climates. Talking about its plant, scientists consider onion as a stem which grows inside the ground but onion has been used since ancient times as a medicine and ingredient of food.

The scientific name of onion is Allium cepa. It is known by different names in different languages. It is called Onion, Kanda and Dungri in Hindi, Ulligadda, Erulli and Neeruli In Kannada, Ullipayalu, Yera Gaddalu and Nirulli in Telugu, savanna in Malayalam, piyanaz in Bengali, vengayam in Tamil and kanda in Marathi.

Types of Onions

There are many varieties of onions found all over the world. We’ll talk about some major types-

Yellow onion-

Its pulp is white in color and its outer layer is brown in color. The aroma is like sulphur.

Red onion-

The outer layer of this onion is of magenta color. It is slightly sweet in taste. Therefore, its raw form is consumed in large quantities.

White onion-

It looks a little white when looking at this onion from outside while its taste is mildly sweet compared to other onions.

Green onion-

Green onions, also known as scallions, are under-developed variety of onion. The green leafy part has a great aroma and is used for garnishing a variety of dishes.

Sweet onion-

This onion is a little thick whose outer layer is lighter and less opaque.

Leek-

The underside of this onion is round and small while its stem is slightly longer. This onion is used in making sauces and soups.

Shallots-

The size of this type of onion is small. Its outer layer is brown and the inner flesh is purple in color.

Benefits of Onion

Good for the immune system-

The body needs vitamin C for a good immune system. Onions contain phytochemicals, which helps to increase the amount of vitamin C in the body. Apart from this, onions also contain selenium which works to make the body's immune system healthier and better.

Good for the digestive system and constipation-

The medicinal properties of onions help in improving the digestive system by curing constipation because onions contain a good amount of fiber which helps in constipation and gastritis which keeps the digestive system good.

For oral health-

It is true that eating raw onion causes bad breath but the consumption of raw onion proves to be very good for oral health. The compounds named thio-sulfonates and thio-sulfrates are present in onions which helps to eliminate the bacteria that cause tooth decay. Apart from this, vitamin-C is also found in onions which is essential for dental health.

For colic pain and worms-

Some elements called phytochemicals are found in onions which helps relieve gastric ulcer and its effects to a great extent. Apart from this, some natural probiotics are also present in onions. Onion is also helpful in relieving stomach ache and intestinal worms.

For bowel movement and diarrhea-

The fiber found in onions is called oligofructose which helps in the growth of good bacteria in the intestines that helps in the proper functioning of the intestines. In this form, the oligofructose property of onion is beneficial in the problem of diarrhea.