Green onion is extremely healthy and is a staple ingredient in Chinese cuisines. You may have known it by a different name, such as spring onion, scallion, or salad onion. As its name suggests, it is closely related to the onions family Allium. Examples of the Allium family are garlic, chives, leeks, and shallots.
Green onion has long but hollow green stalks, small white stems at the bottom, and no bulb. Like other family members of its same genus, green onion is likewise used for culinary means. Green onions are a wonderful addition to your cuisines, such as soups, Chinese cuisines, and French cuisines. They can alter the taste of the dish for the better.
The taste of green onions is the same as any other onion, but milder. So where can you get one? Green onions are found easily in the grocery. However, you may not have noticed it since it can go by different names. So, if you see the label scallion or spring onion, they are one and the same.
Did you know that green onions are just very young onions? Yes, they are! In fact, green onions are regular onions but are harvested early before the bulb develops. Every part of the green onions is edible, from the top leaves down to the white stem. The leaves have a mild taste, while the white stem has a stronger taste.
For the health-conscious of you out there, how exactly will green onion benefit your health? In fact, how many calories in green onions? We will answer these questions below.
History of Green Onions
Green onion is one of the most used ingredients in Japanese Chinese cuisines aside from garlic and ginger. In Japanese cuisines, you can find green onions being used almost everywhere, from noodle dishes to hot pots and stir-fries. Other green onion varieties are also cultivated by the Japanese that can be replanted and grow new leaves.
Mexicans also come to love green onions as well. When sliced and chopped, green onions add flavor to rice, fish, cheese, and beans. Mexicans call their green onions Cebollitas, which is typically grilled and served alongside Asado dishes.
Green onions, as you might guess, is native to Asia and is believed to be cultivated for roughly 200 years now. The first recorded use of green onions is in a Chinese text Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. Today, green onions are now grown and sold all over the world.
Picking The Best Green Onions
So how do you pick which is the best green onion in the grocery? There are three things you need to look for to pick the best green onions. Look for stiff, firm, undamaged stalks. Next, make sure that they have bright green leaves. And finally, make sure they are a bit dry and not slimy.
Preparing The Green Onions
The best way to prepare the green onions is to, of course, slice them. Preferably slice, not chop. Chopping the green onions can give too much force, and thus bruising the leaves.
Here is how to slice your green onions. First, stack the green onions against each other. Next, use a sharp and place the tip on the chopping board. And finally, pull back the knife gently to slice the green onions.
Storing The Green Onions
To make your green onions last longer, keep them in the fridge, in a jar, with a winch of water. With this setup, your green onions can last a week or longer. If you don’t have enough space in your fridge, you instead slice the green onions and place them in a freezer. However, freezing the green onions can change their texture.
Health Benefits of Green Onions
The green onions won’t replace your vitamin supplements. Not because it lacks any vitamins, but because it does not offer in terms of quantity. So if you want its nourishment, consider increasing the serving. Here are nutrients that are contained in green onion.
- Vitamin K: The body needs vitamin K to make various proteins that are needed for blood clotting and bone metabolism. People that are using blood-thinning medications, however, should not start intaking vitamin K without first consulting a doctor.
- Vitamin C: This vitamin is one of the most known vitamins. Vitamin C is an essential vitamin, which means your body does not produce it naturally and must be obtained through diet. It is known to reduce risks of chronic diseases, manage high blood pressure, prevent iron deficiency, and boost immunity.
Are you familiar with scurvy? This sickness was a plague among sailors in the age of discovery during long voyages. They would experience muscle sores and intense bleeding. It was then, later on, discovered that scurvy is a by-product of vitamin C deficiency.
- Calcium: Green onions contain small grams of calcium. Calcium, like vitamin C, is also not natively found in your body. So you will need to have calcium regularly in your diet. Your body will use this calcium to maintain and build strong muscles.
- Potassium: The benefits of potassium are highly underrated. Potassium is a mineral that is considered an electrolyte since it is highly reactive in water. When any electrolytes come in contact with water, it produces positively charged ions. In short, electricity.
Not many are familiar that electricity is produced in the body. Electricity is used to manage different bodily processes such as nerve functions, fluid balance, and muscle contractions. Without potassium, you won’t be able to move a single muscle.
- Vitamin A: You all have heard the saying, vitamin A is needed for good eyes, and there is truth to it! Vitamin A is essential in your bodily process, which includes maintaining healthy vision and maintaining a healthy immune system.
Low On Calories
For those who are curious, how many calories in green onions. It’s 32 calories per 100 grams of green onions. You can easily burn these calories by doing a walk.
Conclusion
Green onions are a healthy spice to add to any dish. Feel free to use green onions as there are no known downsides to eating them too much.
