The onion, also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium.
There are 27 different types of onion, green, purple, yellow or white.
Health Benefits of Onions
Onions are healthy, whether they are eaten raw or cooked and have a plethora of benefits to our health.
Onions are rich in flavonoids which reduce the amount of bad cholesterol in our bodies. They are also a good source of thiosulfinates which maintain the correct consistency of our blood. This reduces the risk of heart attacks and stroke.
1 onion contains 25.3mg of calcium which helps build better bone health.
Onion is an anti-allergen and a lot of allergies lead to respiratory problems. Onion has a relaxing effect on the muscles of the isolated trachea which helps asthma patients breathe more easily.
Onion is rich in selenium which helps the production of vitamin E, which in turn is good for eye health. Could eating onions cure conjunctivitis ?
Onions are good for oral hygiene due to the vitamin C content.
Onions are rich in quercetin, a powerful flavonoid antioxidant which has positive effects in people battling lung cancer.
10 Fun Facts about onions!
- Wild onions grow on nearly every continent. The popularity of onions grew because they are one of the few vegetables which can be easily stored for winter.
- The oldest known onion harvest dates back to the Bronze Age, 5000 BC !!!
- Sulfuric compounds in onions are what cause us to cry when cutting them. To avoid tears:
- chill the onion
- chop it in water
- cut the root off last Onions were worshipped by the Egyptians - they believed its spherical shape and concentric rings symbolised eternity. Onions played a vital role in burial rituals and it is believed that onions helped the dead succeed in the afterlife.
- English folklore states that the thickness of an onion skin could predict the severity of the upcoming winter. A thin skin predicts a mild winter, a thick skin predicts a rough winter.
- Eating parsley will help to get rid of onion breath.
- According to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest onion ever grown belonged to Peter Glazebrook in 2011 and weighed 18lb!
- In the Middle Ages, onions were used as currency to pay for rent, goods and services.
- A sliced onion can soothe insect bites and burns on the skin.
- Libya is the country which eats the most onions per capita. Each person eats 66.8lb of onions every year!
Come and enjoy the different ways we will be serving onions in our lunch menu today!
JB CAMPUS by Chef Rizzal
Onion rice with onion and turmeric chicken and cucumber salad
Caramelised onion and grilled fish with tomato pasta and mixed vegetables
Onion and cheese pizza with baked wedges and salad
EP CAMPUS by Chef Asrul
Chicken cordon bleu with steamed vegetables and onion rings
Beef biryani rice with tomato and onion salad
Aloo gobi with naan bread and tomato and onion salad