No two onions have ever been the same. They vary in shape, size, and structure and sometimes even in the astringency of their taste. Onions belong to allium family of vegetables and have a bulb-like structure. It has a pungent odor, and its flavors can range from just sweet to juicy and sharp.
The food and agricultural organization of the united nations had declared China, the biggest producer of onions. The production of onions every year is a whopping 105 billion pounds, which shows how extensively this vegetable is used all across the world.
Types of Onions
As it has been stated previously that no two onions are the same thus, we can gauge the fact that it comes in a lot of varieties. These are:
1) White Onions
The white onions have white skin and flesh and thus, are called so.
2) Green Onions or Scallions
These onions have a long and thin shape with dark or light green tops and white bulb like the bottom. The white bulb is more pungent in taste than the mild tasting green region.
3) Red Onions
These onions have a mildly sweet flavor and thus, can be consumed raw. They add beautiful color to the delicacy they are added in.
4) Leek
Similar to green onions with a flattened green part. Even the leeks are mild in their flavor and aroma. These can be consumed raw or added to soups and can also be fried and consumed by themselves.
5) Yellow Onions or Brown Onions
The yellow onions are like the jack of all traits and thus, can be used as per our preferences. They have a tangy sweet flavor to them.
6) Sweet Onions
These onions are flatter and little larger than all the other types. They have a high sugar content which makes them a great option for caramelizing while their size makes them a great choice for onion rings.
7) Pearl Onions
These small petite onions can be consumed raw as they have a sweet taste. They come in a variety of color namely red, yellow and white.
8) Spring Onions
These look very similar to scallions, but the base bulb is bigger and recognizable as an onion. These are a variety of either red, white or yellow onion which has been plucked young.
9) Shallots
These onions have a beautiful light purple flesh and a pungent flavor almost similar to garlic.
10) Bianco De Maggio
An Italian native of the onion family with a mildly sweet flavor and white color.
11) Tropea Lunga
These onions have a unique zesty taste. They have a delicious flesh which is very fragrant too.
12) Owa
These onions have a slight teardrop shape to them. They have a slightly spicy taste.
13) Creole Onions
These onions almost look like baby onions and are spicy to eat.
14) Cipolline Onions
A native of Italy, the Cipolline onions are usually flat and taste almost buttery when roasted.
15) Mayan Onions
These onions are available more so during the fall season. They are juicy and mild in taste, and the flavor is refreshingly fresh.
16) Inca Sweet
This variety is a native of Peru and is mild in its flavor and aroma.
17) Walla Walla
These onions are so sweet that they can be consumed raw just like fruits.
18) Red Bull Onions
These types are large onions. The red bull onions are mostly dry and have a subtle hint of spice tot hem.
19) Candy Hybrid Onions
As the name suggests, these onions are really sweet to taste and thus, are best for caramelizing.
20) Turbo Onions
Turbo Onions are small in size but great for storage. These have a spicy flavor with a lot of heat in them.
21) Stuttgart
After growing yellow onions as pearls, they are dried. This classic dried version is called Stuttgart.
22) Copras
These are really large onions and much juicy too. These are generally found late in the season.
23) Wethersfield
These are generally grown for their sweetness.
24) White Granex
This is another sweet type which is a close relative of the Vidalia Onions.
25) Australian Browns
These onions have a pungent flesh.
26) Red Baron
The red baron onions are small in size. They are one of the red variety onions. They have a distinct sharpness to them.
27) Red Zeppelin
These onions are generally perfect for storage. These are red onions, but they are too defined for this type.
28) Red Burgermeister
These onions are generally sweet and have a unique crunch to them. These onions are perfect for sandwiches.
29) Paris Silver Skins
These onions are white, crisp and mild in taste. These onions are also a great selection for pickling.
30) Siskiyou Onion
Siskiyou onions are best sold in summer. They are perfect to be consumed raw.
31) Crystal White Wax
These are white pearl sized onions which can be cooked and will still retain their shape.
32) Jet Set
This is a small variety of the yellow onions and tastes spicy and is only seen during the early part of the season.
33) Bermuda Onions
These onions are large and can be stored for long. These are most generally sweet.
34) Giant Red Hamburger
These onions are as big as buns. They have a sweet and juicy taste to them.
35) Boiling Onions
They are really small onions which have a diameter of about 1–1.5 inches. Though, usually, they are white but can also be red or yellow.
36) Spanish Onions
Spanish onions can range from yellow to purple. These onions have a distinguishingly mild flavor to them.
37) Ameri Sweet Onions
These onions usually have a thick skin with deep color. These onions are large and often rounded and are sweet to taste.
38) Italian Onions
These onions as the name suggests are a native of Italy and have red skin. They are shaped like a bottle and are also called torpedo onions.
39) Maui Sweet Onions
These onions are grown in Hawaii and have sweetness in their taste. These are great for slicing as they have a sweet taste.
40) Oso Sweet Onions
These onions contain a lot of sugar and are a native of South America.
41) Vidalia Onions
These are one of the best known sweet onions. They have rounded bottoms and are a flatter towards the stem.
42) Welsh Onions
These onions though resemble green onions but are slightly more pungent and are often used for stir-frying.
43) Pickling Onions
As the name says it all, these onions are used for pickling and are small in size. These are generally pungent and bold in their flavor.
44) Egyptian Onions
These onions are also called tree onions or top onions and are a native of obviously Egypt. These types of onions are mild in their taste and flavor.
45) Cipollini Onions
These onions have a rich flavor and are still sweet to eat.
46) Cocktail Onions
These onions are usually pickled and mildly sweet. The name is to specify their usage as cocktail garnishes.
47) Southport Red Globe Onions
These large round onions have reddish-purple skin which is very glossy. The red globes are slightly pungent in their flavor.
48) Ramps
Ramps are wild leeks. Their unique flavor is a combination of green onions and garlic.
Health Benefits of Onions
After talking about the various types of onions, it will be even more astounding to know the benefits that these bulbs have on our health apart from the tears that we can shed while chopping them.
1) Onions are rich in phytonutrients which help in fighting and preventing Cancer. It has one of the most famous phytonutrients called quercetin. It helps in fighting free radicals which is the main cause of cancer.
2) Onions have vitamin C which helps in improving immunity system of our body.
3) Onions are rich in fiber and thus assist in the process of digestion as the fibers act as laxatives and promote a healthy bowel movement.
4) Onions have a high content of sulfur and amino acids which help in detoxifying our body by clearing out the digestive system.
5) Certain studies have also shown indication towards the fact that consumption of onion can prevent the occurrence of age-related osteoporosis. They have a positive impact on the overall bone health.
6) The prebiotic content in onions helps you sleep well and fight insomnia. These also improve gut health. The same prebiotics also helps in fighting stress.
7) Onions help in boosting the internal production of antioxidants which in turn help in maintaining good skin health and delaying the aging process of our body.
8) Onion juice is known to relieve a common cough and cold.
9) Onions also help in fighting the bacteria in our mouth and thus, help in maintaining oral hygiene. They are also known to be antimicrobial.
Conclusion
Onions come in various varieties and can be consumed in various ways. Their benefits always inspire the world to keep consuming them as a staple.
Lastly, let us conclude on a note that just like onions need to be peeled and every time we pull out the skin there is still some left, just like the benefits this allium has for us we count some, but some will always be left and might even go unnoticed.