Onions are one of those things I can't understand why I haven't just always loved them. I hated them as a kid, but as I've gotten older and my taste buds have started thinking straight I have come to the realization that onions are so good! Especially caramelized onions- that stuff's just addictive! When I was younger I didn't really know or care if they were good for you. I had watched the movie "Holes", and I knew that onions could keep away poisonous lizards, but that was about the extent of my onion knowledge.

So why are onions good for us? Hundreds of years ago onions were used as medicinal miracles. Hippocrates used onions to fight pneumonia and heal wounds; Egyptians used it for several medical purposes, and Russians in World War II used the onion as an antiseptic. That's a pretty impressive resume for a vegetable!

Onions contain 2 things that make them particularly healthy: sulfur (hence the very strong odor) and quercetin (a plant pigment that helps your immunity system). These help protect our cells from damage. Onions can also lower hypertension and prevent blood clotting (basically they are great for your heart!). Incorporating several servings of onions into your diet can also decrease your risk for colon, laryngeal, and ovarian cancer; it can even increase your bone density, which is important especially for women going through menopause, as this is when you lose a lot of bone density. There has even been some evidence to suggest that onions can help those with inflammatory health issues, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and that it can help level your blood sugars!

Basically- onions are good for you! And that's good news because they are so tasty! There a few basic onion types that you will see at the grocery store:

Red onions have a very strong flavor- and they can make a beautiful addition to any dish! They are most commonly used in dishes that call for raw onions or they can be grilled.

Yellow onions are your basic go-to onions. Most recipes call for yellow onions.

White onions are typically not as strong as yellow onions. They are often used in salsas and other Mexican foods/recipes.

Pearl onions are usually white, but they can come in yellow and red varieties. They are small onions, usually about 1 inch in diameter. Great for roasting or grilling.

Sweet onions are very juicy and mild, and they actually do have a sweet taste to them! These are also used raw or in cooking.

Green onions (also called scallions) are basically onions that have not matured fully. They were harvested before the bulb was able to grow into a full onion. They work great as a garnish or cooked with a dish for some extra flavor.

Onions are best kept in a cool, dark and dry place, like a basement or a cool pantry/closet. You'll want to make sure your onions can have plenty of air circulation to prevent them from going bad too fast. However, you'll want to keep your green onions in the refrigerator to keep them fresher longer (or you can try slicing them and freezing them to save yourself some inconvenience when making dinner!).

What is your favorite onion, and how do you like to eat it?