Onion Onions are an essential part of many foods, and while they make us cry and even embaress us, who could imagine cooking without them? The onion is actually a bulb, which we eat before it has the chance to flower.

Botanical Family The onion belongs to the Liliaceae (Lily) family, and its relatives include daffodils, tulips and hyacinth. It is closely related to leeks, garlic, and chives. The onion has been cultivated since prehistoric times.   History Onions were part of the staple diet of Egyptian peasants (along with beer and bread), and so flourished in Egypt. On one of the great pyramids, a plaque recorded that during its construction, 1600 talens of silver were spent on onions, leeks and garlic for the workmen! The Israelites complained to Moses while in the desert, "We remember the fish which we did eat in Egypt freely, and the cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and the garlic". Alexander the Great took onions to Greece, and fed them to his troops, believing them to increase strength and vitality. They believed they were an aphrodisiac, but were also valued for their medicinal qualities, using them as poultices for snake bites, watery eyes, and anyone who had been struck dumb. Eastern countries acknowledged the onion's medicinal value, but believed they interfered with spiritual development, and so would not eat them. Brahmins in India do not eat them to this day. From the 15th Century, onions have been clutivated worldwide.   Food Value Onions contain Calcium, Potassium, Vitamin C, and sulfur. Some find they are helpful in the treatment of flatulence, arthritis, bronchial trouble, anaemia, worms, and insomnia, and their antiseptic qualities make them useful in treating cuts and burns.   Search our recipe database for onion.

Bibliography Bianchini, F; Corbetta, F; et al. The Complete Book of Fruits and Vegetables [English Translation] (New York: Crown, 1976) Francis, C. The Complete Onion [Australian Edition] (Sydney: William Collins: 1982)