Onion

Onion – one of the most ancient vegetable cultures which the person began to cultivate. Advantage of onion not only in its acute taste and specific aroma, long since it is known of its salutary properties which with success are applied and today.

In a wild look this perennial plant, at its cultivation in culture – two-year-old. In the first year the bulb grows from seeds, in the second year it gives a floriferous stalk and seeds. Reproduction of onions - a bulb is also widespread in the vegetative way.

The bulb represents modified escape, and scales of which it consists – modified leaves. Bulbs of some grades of onions reach diameter of 15 cm. Outside scales dry, and depending on a grade can be painted in yellow, violet or red color. In a scale white, greenish or violet, on structure juicy and fleshy. They are located on the shortened modified stalk – a collum from which white roots depart down. Between juicy scales there are modified kidneys, new bulbs at a vegetative way of reproduction are formed of them.

Leaves at onions tubular, with a cavity inside, glaucous-green coloring. The inflorescence has spherical shape with whitish colors.

Advantage of onion

The smell of onions cannot be confused with others, it is defined by essential oils and phytoncides as a part of a plant. Phytoncides – the vegetable substances having antibacterial and antiseptic properties. They are capable to kill viruses and bacteria.

In the course of evolution phytoncides were produced as a plant security measure from wreckers. These substances also perniciously affect influenza viruses, a parainfluenza, rhinoviruses and such bacteria as streptococci and staphylococcus. They are effective within 15 minutes after cutting of a bulb, and then their action decreases. Antibacterial and antiseptic properties of onions are used for disposal of cold symptoms, in treatment of wounds (especially purulent) and cuts.

The advantage of onion is demonstrated by high content of vitamins of group B and C in it, and also microelements – iron, calcium, potassium, sodium, cobalt. Vitamin C remains in onions at storage in the winter that does this product by a valuable source of ascorbic acid in the period of a hypovitaminosis. The people who are regularly eating fresh onions have caries less often. By the way, the green feather of onions contains more vitamins and minerals, than a bulb.

The onions thanks to availability in it of special sulphurous substances reduce cholesterol in blood, the thrombogenesis warns, has anti-sclerous properties that is important for normal work of cardiovascular system. Onions are capable to strengthen and recover memory, especially at advanced age.

Juice from onions and onions infusion is used as the means reducing a prostatauxe and antivermicular. Onions juice possesses weak diuretic action.

It is known of advantage of onions at a varicosity, hemorrhoids. The researches testimonial of its anticarcinogenic activity are conducted. Low caloric content of onions allows to use this useful product even at people with obesity.

The use of onions in food

To food the onions have both a bulb, and a green feather. On flavoring features onions are divided into sweet, acute and semi-acute grades.

The most widespread bulbs of yellow color belong to acute grades, red and violet onions – to semi-acute. They are used most often for preparation of the first and second courses that all sharpness and aroma of onions passed into food. With acute grades of onions cook soups and broths, fish soup, second courses from potatoes, fish and vegetables.

White (Italian) onions belong to sweet grades, it is nice to the taste even in the raw therefore it found broad application in production of fresh salads from vegetables or as additive to a garnish.

The onions are well stored within a year, till a new harvest. It is important that the place for storage was dry, cool and it was well aired.

Caloric content of onions is about 43 kcal on 100 g of a product, its green feather – 23 kcal.

Harm of onions

It is possible to carry an unpleasant smell which appears from a mouth after it to shortcomings of fresh onions. Help to get rid of it fresh greens of parsley if it is short to chew it in a mouth, or fried kernels of walnuts. Thermally processed onions lose a part of useful properties, but have no unpleasant specific smell.

Harm of onions at chronic diseases of digestive tract consists in excess stimulation of digestive glands and increase in acidity of a gastric juice. It can provoke an aggravation of a peptic ulcer of a stomach and duodenum, a gastroduodenit.

The irritating properties of onions can reflect adversely on a condition of a nervous system, cause increase in arterial pressure in predisposed persons.