Onion
Onion (Allium cepa L) is one of the important condiments widely used in all household all the year round. Nature has given us many beneficial and useful plants to mankind. One such wonderful plant is onion. Onion is one of the oldest cultivated herbs.
According to the United Nations Food & Agriculture Organization, Pakistan is the fifth leading onion producing country now.
It is wonderful vegetable. It would have been a fruit if it had not been pungent and full of sulphuric compound. It comes in varying shapes and sizes; and has beneficial properties for health particularly being fat free. This vegetable is most often used to enhance flavors in a wide range of recipes, casseroles, pizzas, soups, stews and salads. Onions are also processed for fresh consumption. Onions are a vegetable for all seasons and tastes.
Recent research has suggested that onions in the diet may play a part in preventing heat disease and other ailments. Onion bulb is rich in phosphorus, calcium and carbohydrates. The pungency in onion is due to a volatile oil know as ‘allyl-propyl disulphide. Its taste is sweet and pungent. It is an appetizer and helps in digestion of food. It is a source of energy and acts as stimulant increases vigor and vitality, acts as an expectorant and diuretic and slows the heart beat, prevents flatulent and dyspepsia.
In ancient Egypt, physicians prescribed onion is various diseases. Studies have shown that it also helps eliminate free radicals in the body to enable low-density lipoprotein oxidation to protect and regenerate vitamin E and to inactivate the harmful effects of chelate metal ions. One onion contain 60 calories. It is also considered potent as a blood thinner and palletelate inhibitors.
The green leaves, immature and mature bulbs are eaten raw or used in preparation of vegetables. Onions are most often used to enhance flavors in a wide range of recipes , soups, sauces casseroles, pizzas, stews salads and for seasoning foods. World onion production is estimated at approximately 105 billion pounds each year. The average annual onion consumption calculates to approximately 13.67 pounds of onions per person across the world The small bulbs one pickled in vinegar.