Scallion

  • 30 Dec - 05 Jan, 2018
  • Mag The Weekly
  • Cookery

Nutritional Profile

Spring onions provide 32 calories per 100gm; 0.2g fat, 1.8g of protein, 7g of carbohydrates, 16mg of sodium and 276mg of potassium.

Interesting facts

· Spring onions and chives are recorded in Chinese history from around 2000BC.

· The spring onion is the only member of the onion family commonly associated with Japanese cooking. In fact, there are several spring onion varieties specifically cultivated in Japan for its cuisine.

· They are sometimes called bunching onions because they tend to grow in bunches in the ground.

· In the garden, spring onions can be planted amongst lots of other vegetables and herbs because it lets off a scent that masks the smell of the other plants. This scent confuses insects who hopefully don’t realise that other delicious vegetables are in the garden, so they tend to fly off elsewhere. This is called companion planting.

· Spring onion seedlings look almost like grass but as they grow, their white base starts to thicken and their leaves become hollow like straws. Beneath the ground are thick but very shallow growing roots. They are from the same family as the globe onion but spring onions don’t form a round ball at the bottom.

Health facts

· Spring onions are rich in vitamins and other minerals.

· Chromium, found in the vegetable, is also helpful in lowering levels of insulin and increase glucose tolerance. It is beneficial for regulating blood sugar levels and for cardiac health, as well. It reduces the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides, and increases good cholesterol (HDL) levels.

· Allyl propyl and high sulphur compounds in spring onions help to lower the blood sugar levels.

· Anti-bacterial properties in spring onions make them very effective against sinus-infections and colds.

· They also contain flavonoid Quercetin which is very helpful in reducing the chances of cancer, especially ovarian, oral, esophageal, breast, prostate and colon cancer. Regular consumption of onions is very good for reducing the risk of cancer.

Study

Spring onions possess proportionately fewer thiosulfonates antioxidants which are converted into allicin through an enzymatic reaction when its leaves are subjected to crushing, cutting, etc. Laboratory studies show that allicin decreases cholesterol production by inhibiting an enzyme in the liver cells. Furthermore, it is also found to have antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal properties.

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