Best to buy
Onions are available all year long. Green onions are available in the spring and summer. Sweet
onions are available from April through July
Cut & clean
No tissues needed! Avoid tearing up by rinsing onion under running water to peel, and toss in
freezer for 20 minutes before chopping or slicing.
A raw deal
Sweet, red, or green onions are perfect simply raw for salads and sandwiches.
To avoid tearing, caused by sulfur compounds in onions, try holding onions under water to
peel, then freeze them for 20 minutes before chopping. An inexpensive pair of plastic goggles
from the hardware store is the best way to prevent tears. Onions can be sautéed, baked,
roasted, or used in soups, stews, casseroles, and a variety of other dishes. Sweet onions, red
onions, and green onions can be eaten raw, on sandwiches, or in salads.
Buying and storing tips
Onions are available all year long. Green onions are available in the spring and summer.
Sweet onions are available from April through July. Look for firm, heavy onions, and avoid any
with brown, soft, or translucent spots, or those that have begun to sprout. Green onions,
scallions, leeks, and ramps should have crisp, bright greens with no signs of wilting. Use
green onions, leeks, scallions, and ramps as soon as possible, or store in a plastic bag for
up to two days. Bulb onions can be stored loose, in a paper or mesh bag, in a cool, dry
location for up to two weeks.
Varieties
Onions come in a variety of sizes, from the size of large marbles to softballs. Onion
varieties include full-flavored and versatile yellow onions; cipollini; white onions, which
have a higher water content and are slightly sweeter; Spanish onions, which are very large
yellow onions; and red onions, also called Bermuda onions, which are sweeter and milder. Sweet
onions, such as Vidalia, Maui, and Walla Walla onions, named after the locations in which
they’re grown, are usually available only during spring and summer. Green onions are
small, with their tender greens still attached, and have a fresh, bright flavor. Scallions are
long and slender, with white roots fading into green tops, and a delicate flavor. Leeks look
like larger scallions and have an earthier flavor. Ramps look like tiny leeks, but the greens
are delicate and can be used with the white bulbs, and the flavor is more assertive and wild.
Shallots are sold as firm, violet-tinged bulbs in golden skins; they have a more intense
flavor, without the harshness of onions or garlic.
Nutrition Highlights
Onions (raw), 1 cup (chopped) (160g)
Calories: 67
Protein: 1g
Carbohydrate: 16g
Total Fat: 0g
Fiber: 2g
*Good source of: Manganese (0.21mg), Vitamin B6 (0.24mg), and Vitamin C (10.24mg)
*Foods that are an “excellent source” of a particular
nutrient provide 20% or more of the Recommended Daily Value. Foods that are a “good
source” of a particular nutrient provide between 10 and 20% of the Recommended Daily
Value.
The information presented in the Food Guide is for informational purposes
only and was created by a team of US–registered dietitians and food experts. Consult
your doctor, practitioner, and/or pharmacist for any health problem and before using any
supplements, making dietary changes, or before making any changes in prescribed medications.
Information expires September 2008.
