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Onions, Leeks & Garlic

Red Onion

(Scientific Binomial Name: Allium cepa)

Selection Information

Usage: Raw in salads, barbecued on shish kebabs, in stews and soups, on sandwiches, hamburgers and in meat dishes.

Selection: Good-quality red onions will be firm, free of blemishes or mold spots and have even-colored, paper-dry skin. Some feel that sweeter onions will be flat-shaped from stem to root-end, not round. Store onions in a dry, dark, well-ventilated place; not in the refrigerator.

Avoid: Avoid product that is soft, wet-skinned, bruised, has dark blemishes or spots of mold.

Seasonal Information

Red onions are available year-round.

Red Onion Nutritional Information

Serving Size: 1 cup, chopped (160g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 64	Calories from Fat
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g	1%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 6mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 15g	5%
Dietary Fiber 3g	11%
Sugars 7g
Protein 2g
Vitamin A 0%	Vitamin C 20%
Calcium 4%	Iron 2%
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Source: PMA's Labeling Facts

Red Onions are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. They're also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6, Folate, Potassium and Manganese, and an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Onion Tips & Trivia

To avoid teary eyes, peel onions under cold water. Water washes away volatile sulfur that causes teary eyes.
Onions and garlic have been cultivated for 6,000 years and have been credited with everything from making hair grow on bald heads to giving valor to the troops of Alexander the Great.
Onions are the vegetable which gave Chicago its name since the Chippewa Indians found these "she-gau-ga-winshe" growing at the site of the modern day city.
The name onion comes from the Latin, "unio" via the French "oignon" and the English "unyun." The onion plant belongs to the same family as the narcissus.