What would a kitchen be without the distinctively pungent smell and taste of onions filling out the flavours of almost every type of cuisine imaginable?

This humble vegetable that is the life-breath of every kitchen has been cultivated for over 5,000 years. It was used for its medicinal properties in ancient India, thousands of years ago.

Health Benefits
Onions, like garlic, are members of the Allium family, and both are rich in powerful sulphur-containing compounds that are responsible for their pungent odours and for many of their health-promoting effects. Onions contain allyl, while garlic is rich in allicin. In addition, onions are very rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin, plus vitamin C, and numerous flavonoids.

Health benefits.

Asthma
Vitamin C, present in fruits and vegetables, is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. This anti-inflammatory activity may influence the development of asthma symptoms. A large preliminary study has shown that young children with asthma experience significantly less wheezing if they eat a diet high in fruits rich in vitamin C.
– Onions have blood sugar regulating effects due to its chromium content as well as increasing insulin availability. This makes it a friend of diabetics.
– Regular consumption of onion reduces bad cholesterol and high blood pressure. It also reduces atherosclerosis.
– Eating onions as little as 2-3 times a week significantly reduces risk of colon cancer
– Onions have this compound that inhibits the breakdown of bone cells thereby reducing osteoporosis.
– The anti bacterial property of onion has long been recognised by Ayurveda. The anti-inflammatory agents present in onions help reduce the cell-inflammation in conditions like asthma and respiratory tract infection. Onion soup could be nature’s own remedy to soothe a cold!

• Drinking the mixed juice of onion and bitter gourd cures severe indigestion.

• The juice of a boiled and crushed onion clears phlegm.

• Eating onion helps to clear phlegm from the throat and mouth. Teeth turn brighter. It sharpens the memory and strengthens the nerves.

• One spoonful of onion juice eliminates worms in the stomach of children.

More ways to use onions in your diet

• Use sliced onions in salads with tomatoes, cucumber slices and feta cheese, flavoured with salt, pepper and juice of a lime.

• Roast onion slices in an oven and use them as a garnish on curries and gravy vegetables.

• Make a paste of onions, tomato, garlic, ginger, red chillies and salt. Sauté in a little oil and use as gravy for your favourite vegetables.

• Sliced onions can be cooked with any vegetable like cauliflower, gourds, peas, lady’s finger, etc., to make a dry curry.

Simple Onion Cutting Tips

• The bigger and firmer the onion, the easier it will be to cut. A wet onion is easier to peel than a dry one.

• Use a sharp knife—a dull knife can slip and will mash rather than slice through the onion. Use a straight-edge chef’s knife, if you have one, rather than a serrated knife, for cleaner cuts.

• Be sure your cutting board is positioned securely on the counter. If necessary, place a damp kitchen towel underneath to keep the board from sliding around.

• If cutting onions ahead of time, pack them in a plastic zipper-lock freezer bag, squeezing all the air out, then enclose in a second plastic zipper-lock freezer bag, and refrigerate, to keep everything in your fridge from tasting like onions.

• When you need only a small portion of an onion, do not peel the whole onion. Cut off the size you need and peel it. The remaining portion will keep longer with the skin on it in the refrigerator.

• Use pre-cut onions within 2 days.

• Save onion trimmings, including the papery brown skin and add to soup stock for golden colour, store in a well-sealed plastic zipper-lock freezer bag in your freezer.

• If you need the juice of an onion, squeeze half an onion with the skin on it. Use a lemon squeezer.

MORE TIPS ON ONIONS.
Slice while partially frozen, and there will be no tears.
If you have many onions to peel, cover them with very hot water a few minutes and the skins will slip off easily.
Peel and quarter onions. Place one layer deep in a pan and freeze. Quickly pack in bags or containers while frozen. Use as needed, chopping onions while frozen, with a sharp knife.
To get the onion smell off your hands, rub a stainless steel spoon over your hands or rub your hands on a stainless steel sink. It works every time!
If an onion seems too strong to use raw on a sandwich or in a salad, place the slices in a bowl of water to which you have added about 1 teaspoon of sugar per cup of water. Let the slices soak for about one hour.
Rub your hands with parsley after cutting up onion, and the onion smell will disappear.
When cooking onions and garlic together, always cook onions first then add the garlic. The flavour of each will be kept separate and the garlic will not become bitter.

Handling onions
Next time you chop an onion and it stings your eyes, remember ‘allyl sulphate’. This is the compound that makes you cry and bestows so many benefits.
Some people soak the halved onion pieces in water before chopping it. But this process causes a loss of nutrients and you may not reap the full benefits of this vegetable. The best way to avoid the tears is to chill the onions for some time before you start chopping. Also, chopping onions in standing position will keep your eyes away from the line of fumes and lessen the eye irritation.