Scroll to Recipes with Onion / प्याज as ingredient

Onions are the most common of the vegetables that are cultivated worldwide and belong to the genus Allium. It is closely related to garlic, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion.


China is the largest cultivator of onion with 24.3 million tonnes of production. Indian is second to China with 22.4 million tonnes of production in the world. Onions come in size, shape, color, and flavor. The most common variety is red, yellow, and white onions.

With the differences in their color, their tastes also differ.  The taste varies from sweet and juicy to sharp, spicy, and pungent, often depending on the season in which people grow and consume them.

Commonly Known as

Language Name Written as
Arabic basila بصلة
Bengali Pēm̐ẏāja পেঁয়াজ
Gujarati Ḍuṅgaḷī ડુંગળી
Kannada Īruḷḷi ಈರುಳ್ಳಿ
Malayalam uḷḷi ഉള്ളി
Hindi pyaaj प्याज
Punjabi Pi’āja ਪਿਆਜ
Tamil Veṅkāyam வெங்காயம்
Telugu Ullipāya ఉల్లిపాయ
Urdu pyaaj پیاز

Nutritional Profile of Onion

Nutritional profile per 100 gms

  • Calories: 40
  • Protein: 1.1g
  • Carbohydrate: 9g
  • Fiber: 1.7g
  • Sodium: 4mg
  • Potassium: 146mg

Source: USDA & Google

Benefits

May Help With Health of Heart

Onions have anti-inflammatory properties. It reduces the risks of many heart diseases such as high blood pressure, elevated triglyceride levels, and inflammation.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Antioxidant

Oxidation is a process that leads to cellular damage and contributes to diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. Antioxidants are the compounds that reduce the damage done by these oxidants. Onion is packed with such antioxidants.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Fights Cancer

Vegetables that are rich in compound allium can be helpful in fighting against cancer. Onion is one such vegetable that is rich in allium.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Controls Blood Sugar

Onion contains many different and specific compounds. Due to the presence of such compounds, onions are helpful in controlling blood sugar.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Boosting Bone Health

A study has shown that onion juice had improved bone mineral density and antioxidant activity compared to a control group.

Source: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Side Effects

Onions may cause blood clotting to slow down. It might also lower the level of blood sugar in our bodies. So the overconsumption of onion can be harmful to diabetic patients. It also can increase the risk of blood clotting after surgery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can we eat onions at night?

You can eat onion at night but you need to be cautious. Onions can create gas in your stomach and can interrupt your sleep.

Does onion absorb viruses?

It is not yet proved but it is believed that onion can absorb viruses and can pull germs out.

Is onion water good for hair growth?

The water from the onion can pull extra sulfur for the strength and thickness when added to the hair or scalp.

Can you store onions in the fridge?

Peeled onions can be stored for 14 days. Whereas, diced onions will last 7-10 days in the fridge.