Super Benefits of Green Onions

Green onions work perfectly as a garnish for virtually any savory dish, so they're a great way to get more productive, and they come loaded with essential nutrients, like vitamin A, as well. But do we know what are the key benefits of green onions? In fact, can we distinguish green onions efficiently from scallions and spring onions? If you're nodding your head with a no, then worry not. We have served the facts for you just right.

Differences between Green Onions, Scallions, and Spring Onion

• Essentially, all the mentioned three are obtained from the same crop. But the major difference comes from the time they are harvested at.
• Scallions are older than green onions. Simply because they are harvested at the very start of maturity.
• The white bulb of a scallion will be about the same width as the stem and leaves of the plant.
• Spring Onions for that matter are the oldest among the three. As they are harvested along with a mature full-grown onion.
• Simply said, the growth cycle of onion and its leaves goes from scallions to green onions to spring onions.
• All three are heavily used in Asian, American, and European cuisines.

Health Benefits of Green Onions

1. Rich in nutrients

• Calories: 4.8
• Fat: 0g
• Sodium: 2.4mg
• Carbohydrates: 1.1g
• Fiber: 0.4g
• Sugar: 0.4g
• Protein: 0.3g

So you get the idea, these fresh greens are actually packed with large nutrient amounts in small doses.

2. Helps in building bone health

Fact says that by eating three green onions every day, our body gets enough amount of vitamin K for the whole day. This vitamin is important for blood clotting and also for bone health, and research specifically links onions with decreased risk of osteoporosis.

3. Reduces the risk of cancer

Studies show a correlation between the consumption of the vegetables like green onions and garlic and reduced risk for myeloma, gastric, colorectal, endometrial, lung, and prostate cancer. As these vegetable come from the Allium family, they also come with multiple other benefits too.

4. Low-Calorie Flavour

Green onions make it easy to cook healthy because they offer a powerful savoury flavour for virtually no calories. These are used in soups, salads, veg and add a mild kick to the food. A small bowl of chopped green onions — more than you'd probably use in a single serving — is only worth 19 calories, or less than 1 percent of your daily calorie limit if you're on a 2,000-calorie diet.

5. Reduces Obesity

Researchers are investigating the many antioxidants and bioactive compounds in onions. Their findings so far depict that the antioxidants represent in green onions can reduce obesity. In fact, they are also showing the connection between green onions and the possibility to avoid deadly diseases like high blood pressure and diabetes.

The best catch when it comes to green onions is that they are available all year round. The entire green onion is edible, although you may want to trim off the tiny roots. You can even re-grow your green onion by placing the base in a small container of water.

Image Credits: Christine Gallary