Yes I said "Onions"! I want to talk today about Onions. Okay I hear what your saying, "they stink and I don't like them". Just maybe I can change your thinking just a little! Now just listen and read, let's lay out some ground information that I found at the National Onion Association for you about onions.
History of Onions
Because onions are small and their tissues leave little or no trace, there is no conclusive opinion about the exact location and time of their birth. Many archaeologists, botanists, and food historians believe onions originated in central Asia. Other research suggests onions were first grown in Iran and West Pakistan.
It is presumed our predecessors discovered and started eating wild onions very early – long before farming or even writing was invented. Very likely, this humble vegetable was a staple in the prehistoric diet.
Most researchers agree the onion has been cultivated for 5000 years or more. Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world. Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than other foods of the time, were transportable, were easy to grow, and could be grown in a variety of soils and climates. In addition, the onion was useful for sustaining human life. Onions prevented thirst and could be dried and preserved for later consumption when food might be scarce. While the place and time of the onion’s origin is still a mystery, many documents from very early times describe its importance as a food and its use in art, medicine, and mummification.
Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C. There is evidence that the Sumerians were growing onions as early as 2500 B.C. One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of someone plowing over the city governor’s onion patch.
In Egypt, onions were considered to be an object of worship. The onion symbolized eternity to the Egyptians who buried onions along with their Pharaohs. The Egyptians saw eternal life in the anatomy of the onion because of its circle-within-a-circle structure. Paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of the pyramids and in the tombs of both the Old Kingdom and the New Kingdom. The onion is mentioned as a funeral offering, and depicted on the banquet tables of the great feasts –both large, peeled onions and slender, immature ones. They were shown upon the altars of the gods.
Frequently, Egyptian priests are pictured holding onions in his hand or covering an altar with a bundle of their leaves or roots. In mummies, onions have frequently been found in the pelvic regions of the body, in the thorax, flattened against the ears, and in front of the collapsed eyes. Flowering onions have been found on the chest, and onions have been found attached to the soles of the feet and along the legs. King Ramses IV, who died in 1160 B.C., was entombed with onions in his eye sockets.
Some Egyptologists theorize that onions may have been used because it was believed that their strong scent and/or magical powers would prompt the dead to breathe again. Other Egyptologists believe it was because onions were known for their strong antiseptic qualities, which construed as magical, would be handy in the afterlife.
Onions were eaten by the Israelites in the Bible. In Numbers 11:5, the children of Israel lament the meager desert diet enforced by the Exodus: “We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic.”
In India as early as the sixth century B.C., the famous medical treatise Charaka – Sanhita celebrates the onion as medicine – a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes, and the joints.
Likewise, Dioscorides, a Greek physician in first century A.D., noted several medicinal uses of onions. The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the Olympic Games. Before competition, athletes would consume pounds of onions, drink onion juice, and rub onions on their bodies.
The Romans ate onions regularly and carried them on journeys to their provinces in England and Germany. Pliny the Elder, Roman’s keen-eyed observer, wrote of Pompeii’s onions and cabbages. Before he was overcome and killed by the volcano’s heat and fumes, Pliny the Elder catalogued the Roman beliefs about the efficacy of the onion to cure vision, induce sleep, heal mouth sores, dog bites, toothaches, dysentery, and lumbago. Excavators of the doomed city would later find gardens where, just as Pliny had said, onions had grown. The bulbs had left behind telltale cavities in the ground. The Roman gourmet Apicius, credited with writing one of the first cookbooks (which dates to the eighth and ninth centuries A.D.), included many references to onions.
By the Middle Ages, the three main vegetables of European cuisine were beans, cabbage, and onions. In addition to serving as a food for both the poor and the wealthy, onions were prescribed to alleviate headaches, snakebites, and hair loss. They were also used as rent payments and wedding gifts.
Later, the first Pilgrims brought onions with them on the Mayflower. However, they found that strains of wild onions already grew throughout North America. Native American Indians used wild onions in a variety of ways, eating them raw or cooked, as a seasoning or as a vegetable. Such onions were also used in syrups, as poultices, as an ingredient in dyes, and even as toys. According to diaries of colonists, bulb onions were planted as soon as the Pilgrim fathers could clear the land in 1648.
I know history is just might not be your thing, and I may be boring you so onto some of the fun stuff!
Onion Trivia
What compound in onions brings tears to your eyes? Sulfuric compounds. To cut down on the crying, chill the onion and cut into the root end of the onion last.
How many pounds of fresh and storage type onions does the average American eat per year? 20 pounds.
How many truckloads of onions are consumed each day? Over 450 semi-truck loads.
What country boasts the highest per capita consumption of onions? Libya, with 66.8 pounds of onions consumed per person each year.
A single serving of onion contains how many calories? 45 calories.
What are the three colors of onions sold in most grocery stores? Yellow, red, and white.
How many acres of onions are planted in the United States each year? On average, 125,000 acres (excluding onions for dehydration processing).
How many onion farmers are there in the U.S.? Less than 1,000.
What cocktail is traditionally garnished with a pearl onion? The Gibson. According to the Webtender (online bartender), the Gent of the Jury, Patton Martini, Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster #2, and the Yellow Rattler also call for a cocktail onion.
According to an old English Rhyme, the thickness of an onion skin can help predict what? The severity of the winter. Thin skins mean a mild winter is coming while thick skins indicate a rough winter ahead.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, how much did the largest onion ever grown weigh? 10 pounds 14 ounces. It was grown by V. Throup of Silsden, England.
What should you eat to get rid of onion breath? Parsley.
In which animated movie does the main character compare himself to an onion? Clue - the character also lives in an onion patch and travels to “Far, Far Away” in an onion carriage. Shrek the ogre in the movie Shrek and Shrek 2 states, “Ogres are like onions, they’re made of many layers.”
New York City is known as the Big Apple. Before having that nickname, it was known by a different nickname. What was it? According to the book *1,000 Places To See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz, New York City was called the Big Onion because it was a place from which you could peel off layer after layer without ever reaching the core.*
What Beatles song has “onion” in the title? Glass Onion. (The White Album)
In what famous story was the Seven-of-Spades threatened to be beheaded for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions? Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Now we need to talk a little about nutrition! Per the National Onion Association Onions are high in vitamin C, a good source of fiber, and with only 45 calories per serving, add abundant flavor to a wide variety of food. Onions are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide a number of other key nutrients.
Research has made the benefits of knowing the nutritional facts of vegetables clear: An active lifestyle combined with a high intake of fruits and vegetables have been associated with a variety of health benefits highlighted in the health research section.
How many pounds of fresh and storage type onions does the average American eat per year? 20 pounds.
How many truckloads of onions are consumed each day? Over 450 semi-truck loads.
What country boasts the highest per capita consumption of onions? Libya, with 66.8 pounds of onions consumed per person each year.
A single serving of onion contains how many calories? 45 calories.
What are the three colors of onions sold in most grocery stores? Yellow, red, and white.
How many acres of onions are planted in the United States each year? On average, 125,000 acres (excluding onions for dehydration processing).
How many onion farmers are there in the U.S.? Less than 1,000.
What cocktail is traditionally garnished with a pearl onion? The Gibson. According to the Webtender (online bartender), the Gent of the Jury, Patton Martini, Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster #2, and the Yellow Rattler also call for a cocktail onion.
According to an old English Rhyme, the thickness of an onion skin can help predict what? The severity of the winter. Thin skins mean a mild winter is coming while thick skins indicate a rough winter ahead.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records, how much did the largest onion ever grown weigh? 10 pounds 14 ounces. It was grown by V. Throup of Silsden, England.
What should you eat to get rid of onion breath? Parsley.
In which animated movie does the main character compare himself to an onion? Clue - the character also lives in an onion patch and travels to “Far, Far Away” in an onion carriage. Shrek the ogre in the movie Shrek and Shrek 2 states, “Ogres are like onions, they’re made of many layers.”
New York City is known as the Big Apple. Before having that nickname, it was known by a different nickname. What was it? According to the book *1,000 Places To See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz, New York City was called the Big Onion because it was a place from which you could peel off layer after layer without ever reaching the core.*
What Beatles song has “onion” in the title? Glass Onion. (The White Album)
In what famous story was the Seven-of-Spades threatened to be beheaded for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions? Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.
Now we need to talk a little about nutrition! Per the National Onion Association Onions are high in vitamin C, a good source of fiber, and with only 45 calories per serving, add abundant flavor to a wide variety of food. Onions are sodium, fat, and cholesterol free, and provide a number of other key nutrients.
Research has made the benefits of knowing the nutritional facts of vegetables clear: An active lifestyle combined with a high intake of fruits and vegetables have been associated with a variety of health benefits highlighted in the health research section.
Onion Nutrition Facts | Serving Size 1 cup (160g) | Percent Daily Values* |
| Calories | 64 | 3% |
| Total Carbohydrate | 14.9 g | 5% |
| Total Fat | 0 | 0% |
| Cholesterol | 0 | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.7 g | 11% |
| Sugars | 6.8 g | |
| Protein | 4.9 g | |
Vitamins | ||
| Vitamin A | 3.2 IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 11.8 mg | 20% |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.2 mg | 10% |
| Folate | 30.4 mcg | 8% |
Minerals | ||
| Calcium | 36.8 mg | 4% |
| Iron | .3 mg | 2% |
| Magnesium | 16 mg | 4% |
| Phosphorus | 46.4 mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 234 mg | 7% |
| Sodium | 6.4 | 0% |
| Zinc | .2mcg | 1% |
| Copper | 0.1 mg | 3% |
| Manganese | 0.2 mg | 10% |
| Selenium | 0.8 mcg | 1% |
| Fluoride | 1.8 mcg | |
Other | ||
| Alcohol | 0.0 g | |
| Water | 143 g | |
| Ash | 0.6 g | |
| Caffeine | 0.0 mg |
Okay, enough fun, lets move on to the "Onion Myth", I will present you with some information that I found and let you decide.
The myth is about: Onions Used For Collecting The Flu Virus
The Myth goes like this: In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.
The Myth goes like this: In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.
The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then).
The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.
Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work.. (And no, she is not in the onion business) The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.
If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case..
Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:
Weldon, thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmers story, but I do know that I contracted pneumonia and needless to say I was very ill I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put one end on a fork and then place the forked end into an empty jar... placing the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs... sure enough it happened just like that... the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.
Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties. (End of Article)
Now after reading the myth article I think for myself, the "Mighty Onion and Garlic Bulb" have benefit and should not be ignored! Now per the National Onion Association Onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid (one category of antioxidant compounds). Antioxidants are compounds that help delay or slow the oxidative damage to cells and tissue of the body. Studies have indicated that quercetin helps to eliminate free radicals in the body, to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation (an important reaction in the atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease), to protect and regenerate vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant), and to inactivate the harmful effects of chelate metal ions.
What do you have to lose by using an onion besides the cost of it and maybe a stinky room! And if you're worried about contamination then by all means don't look at "Chicken". If you want to be safe just keep stuff clean and food at the proper temperatures. For me, I am not giving up on the "Mighty Onion and Garlic". One thing you need to understand a lot of the medications and treatments that we have out there today came from "Folk Medicine, Indian Medicine, the Chinese, and Grandma! Nothing like a good old Mustard Plaster or Onion Poultice! Well, the next time I have a virus or feel one coming on I will again reach for the clove of Garlic, my vitamin C and a good hot bowl of Onion soup or homemade chicken noodle soup loaded with Onion! Along with a healthy dose of probiotics!
One thing you need to understand though, I am not prescribing, telling you nor advocating that you do not consult or go to your doctor, that is your choice to exercise. My purpose here is to just open up your mind and to get you to think!
Okay Enough for now, Come on over tomorrow, bring your cup of coffee and sit a spell! Thanks for visiting and your welcome to comment. June
Reference:
http://onions-usa.org/all-about-onions/
Hoax Slayer
http://www.hoax-slayer.com/onions-flu-remedy.shtml
The Doctors Book of Food Remedies- Selene Yeager
Granny's Recipes, Remedies and Helpful Hints - Jean Cross
Granny's Recipes, Remedies and Helpful Hints - Jean Cross
