History of onion

HISTORY OF ONION

by Eva Wilson

The onion or allium family is a large and diverse one containing over 500 species. It has not one but four possible wild plants it could have evolved from all of which grow in the central Asian region. Because onions are small and their tissues leave little or no trace, there is no conclusive evidence about the exact location and time of their origin. Many archaeologists, botanists and food historians believe onion originated in central Asia.

It is presumed that our predecessors discovered and started eating wild onions very early, long before farming or even writing was invented. Very likely, this humble vegetable was a staple in prehistoric diet.

Most researchers agree that the onion has been cultivated for 5000 years or more and that they were first grown in Iran and West Pakistan. However, the archaeological and literary evidence suggests cultivation probably took place around two thousand years later in ancient Egypt. Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world. This happened alongside the cultivation of leeks and garlic and it is thought that the “…slaves who built the pyramids were fed radishes and onions”. 1

For over 4000 years, onions have been used for medicinal purposes. Egyptians numbered over 8000 onion alleviated ailments. There is documentation from very early times, which describe the onions importance as a food and its use in art, medicine and mummification.

Egyptians buried onions along with their Pharaohs. The Egyptians saw eternal life in the anatomy of the onion because of its circle-within-a-circle structure. In mummies, onions have frequently been found in the "…pelvic regions of the body, in the thorax, flattened against the ears and in front of the collapsed eyes. Flowering onions have been found in the chest, and onions have been found attached to the soles of the feet and along the legs". King Ramses IV, who died in 1160 B.C., was "…entombed with onions in his eye sockets". 2

Some Egyptologists theorize that onions may have been used because it was believed that their strong scent and/or magical powers would prompt the dead to breathe again. Other Egyptologists believe it was because onions were known for their strong antiseptic qualities, which were construed as magical, and could be useful in the afterlife.2

The onion is mentioned as a funeral offering and onions are depicted on the banquet tables of the great feasts and they were shown upon the altars of the gods. Paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of the pyramids and in the "…tombs of both the Old Kingdom and the New Kingdom". Frequently, a priest is pictured holding onions in his hand or covering an altar with a bundle of their leaves or roots.2

Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. There is evidence that the Sumerians were growing onions as early as 2500 B.C. One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of "…someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch". 2

Onions may be one of the earliest cultivated crops because they were less perishable than other foods of the time. They were transportable, easy to grow and could be grown in a variety of soils and climates. In addition, the onion was useful for sustaining human life. Onions prevented thirst and could be dried and preserved for later consumption when food might be scarce.

Onions are mentioned to have been eaten by the Israelites in the Bible. In Numbers 11:5 the children of Israel lament the meager desert diet enforced by the Exodus: "We remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic". 3

In India as early as the sixth century B.C., the famous medical treatise Charaka - Sanhita celebrates the onion as medicine “…a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes and the joints". 2

It was the Romans who introduced the onion family to Europe. The Romans ate onions regularly and carried them on journeys to their provinces in England and Germany. Pliny the Elder, Roman's observer, wrote of Pompeii's onions and cabbages. Before he was overcome and killed by the volcano's heat and fumes, he catalogued the roman beliefs about the efficacy of the onion to cure vision, induce sleep, heal mouth sores, dog bites, toothaches, dysentery and lumbago. Excavators of the doomed city would later find gardens where, just as Pliny had said, onions had grown. The bulbs had left behind telltale cavities in the ground.2

The Roman gourmet Apicius, credited with writing one of the first cookbooks (which dates to the eighth and ninth centuries A.D.), included many references to onions.2

The origins of its name are also Roman or at least Latin. The Late Latin name unio was used to describe a species of onion resembling a single white pearl. This was later formed into the basis for the French, “oignon” and then later the English, “Onion”. 1

By the Middle Ages, the three main vegetables of European cooking were beans, cabbage and onions. In addition to serving as a "…food for both the poor and the wealthy…” onions were prescribed to alleviate headaches, snakebites and hair loss. They were also used as rent
payments and wedding gifts.2

The Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed onions as a diuretic, wound healer and pneumonia fighter. Likewise, Dioscorides, a Greek physician noted several medicinal uses of onions. The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the Olympic Games. Before competition, athletes would consume pounds of onions, drink onion juice and rub onions on their bodies.1

The first Pilgrims brought onions with them on the Mayflower. However, they found that strains of wild onions already grew throughout North America. Native American Indians used wild onions in a variety of ways, eating them raw or cooked, as a seasoning or as a vegetable. Such onions were also used in syrups, as poultices, as an ingredient in dyes and even as toys. According to diaries of colonists, bulb onions were planted as soon as the Pilgrim farmers could clear the land in 1648.2

During World War II the Russian soldiers were so taken with onions ability to prevent infection, that they applied onions to battle wounds as an antiseptic.

And through the ages, there have been countless folk remedies that have ascribed their curative powers to onions, such as putting a sliced onion under your pillow to fight off insomnia.1

Yet today, onions are still considered a modern day preventative and healer. These days herbalists use the plant for treating such ailments as earaches, hemorrhoids and high blood pressure. While garlic, another allium, has been highly touted as a cancer preventative, most
people consume far greater quantities of onions.

As Americans search for low-fat, low-salt, and tasty meals, they’re eating more Onions …“almost 18 pounds per person per year, which is 50% more than a decade ago”. 1 There is great confidence that the onion will be a key in producing long-term health benefits

LOCATION OF ONION

The onion is one of the few plants from the Monocotyledon Class Lily Subclass - Lily Order Allium Family. It has extended leaves that leaf from the bulbous stem that is developed under the ground. A plant that is about a foot tall, it lives two years, in other words the onion is biannual. During the first year the bulb forms and during the second it grows the stem and it forms the flora and the fruit. The flowers are grouped in a spherical puff.

Although the onion may be found in the wild it is dominantly a cultivated herb. With the cultivation of the onion it is adapted to different habitats in climates that are warm, semi-warm, or semidry. It can even be cultivated inside the house.

At least 175 countries grow onions. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, there are an estimated "…6.7 million acres of onions in the world, producing 105 billion pounds of onions each year. Approximately 8 percent of this global onion production is traded internationally. Leading onion production countries are China, India, United States, Turkey and Pakistan, respectively". 2

U.S. farmers plant approximately 145,000 acres of onions, producing approximately 6 billion pounds of onions (excluding dehydration production) each year. The U.S. onion industry accounts for 2.4 percent of the world onion acreage and 6.5 percent of the world onion production. Onions are grown in more than 20 states, literally border-to-border and coast-to-coast. Leading U.S. onion production areas are Idaho-Eastern Oregon, Washington and California.2 (See U.S. onion acreage/production tables below).

Onions can be divided into two categories: spring/summer fresh onions and fall/winter storage onions. Spring/summer fresh onions are available in yellow, red and white throughout their season, March through August. Fresh onions can be identified by their thin, light-colored skin. Because they have higher water content, they are typically sweeter and milder than storage onions. This higher water content also makes them more susceptible to bruising.

Fall/winter storage onions are available August through April. Also available in yellow, red and white, storage onions have multiple layers of thick, dark, papery skin. Storage onions have an intense flavor and a higher percentage of solids.

Spring/summer Fresh Onion Availability Area Trade Name Production Features
Texas
Rio Grande ValleyMarch - July Super Sweet®, Texas Spring
Winter Garden Sweet®,
West & High PlainsJune - August Texas 1015 Super Sweet®

Georgia April - June Vidalia
July - November Vidalia Sweets®

Arizona May - June Arizona Grand Canyon
Sweets™

Hawaii Year Round Limited Mainland Availability
Maui Maui Sweets
March-October Oahu Hawaiian Hula
Sweets™

Washington June - August Walla Walla Sweets®

New Mexico June - August New Mexico Nu-Mex Sweets
South Central Carzalia
Sweets

California April - June Desert Valleys Sweet
Imperials™
San Joaquin Valley May - August
Coastal Valleys June - September

Colorado July - September

NOTE: Various limited production spring/summer fresh "sweet" onions are available on a seasonal basis from other locations including, but not limited to, California, Colorado, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, and Washington.

Fall/winter Storage Onion Availability Area Trade Name Production Features
California September - March
Southern High Desert Valleys

Nevada September - March Mostly Whites

New York August - May Mostly Mediums

Michigan September - March Mostly Mediums

Ohio August - April All Sizes

Minnesota September - March

North Dakota September - March

Wisconsin September - March

Illinois September - March

Indiana September - March

Iowa September - March

South Dakota September - March Limited Production

Idaho August - April Spanish Onions™

Oregon
Eastern August - April Large Size
West/Central August - April

Washington July - May

Colorado August - April

Utah August - March

New Mexico September- December Limited Production

Onions come in three colors - yellow, red, and white. Approximately 88 percent of the crop is devoted to yellow onion production, with about 7 percent red onions and 5 percent white onions.

Yellow onions are full-flavored and are a reliable standby for cooking almost anything. These are most likely the most affordable onions and are generally found in bulk. These are the onions that are most likely to be used in herbal preparations. Yellow onions turn a rich, dark brown when cooked and give onion soup its tangy sweet flavor. The red onion, with its wonderful color, is a good choice for fresh uses in salads or in light grilling. White onions have a golden color and sweet flavor when sautéed.

Onions range in size from less than 1 inch in diameter, in cooking these are used as creamers or boilers, to more than 4.5 inches in diameter, super colossal. The most common sizes of onions sold in the United States are the medium, 2 to 3 ¼ inches in diameter and the jumbo, 3 to 3 ¾ inches in diameter.2

The ground should be well prepared for growing onions. Clay soils, such as what we have in our area, should be worked into fine silt working in plenty of organic matter. It may be necessary and a good idea to prepare the ground before planting using a green manure such as clover. Ideally the onion should be planted between March and September but if it is put in the ground in early October it should grow a little before winter sets in.

It is possible to plant the onion plant indoors during the freezing winters in cloches in February or from seed in March. Harvest the onion August through September.

One final point, onions should not be grown on the same patch year after year. This goes for garlic and shallots too, they all should be sown as part of a crop rotation scheme.

Store your onions in a cool, dry, ventilated place - not in the refrigerator. Do not store whole onions in plastic bags. Lack of air movement reduces storage life. Chopped or sliced onions can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

CHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF ONION

Onions not only provide flavor; they also provide health-promoting phytochemicals as well as nutrients. Onion contains an acrid, volatile principle that stimulates the tear glands and the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.

Of all the healthy compounds contained in onions, two stand out: sulfur and quercetin - both being strong antioxidants. They each have been shown to help neutralize the free radicals in the body, and protect the membranes of the body’s cells from damage.

“Antioxidants are compounds that help delay or slow the oxidative damage to cells and tissue of the body. Studies have indicated that quercetin helps to eliminate free radicals in the body, to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation (an important reaction in the atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease), to protect and regenerate vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant) and to inactivate the harmful effects of chelate metal ions”. 2

Major dietary sources of quercetin include tea, onions and apples. Recent studies at Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, showed that the absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples. Based on studies conducted at The Queen's University at Belfast, Ireland and Wageningen Agricultural University, the “…content of quercetin in onions is estimated to be between 22.40 mg and 51.82 mg per medium-sized onion (100 gram)”. Further research at the Agricultural University on Wageningen showed that daily consumption of onions may result in increased accumulation of quercetin in the blood. Studies are in progress to determine whether the increased quercetin accumulation from eating onions translates into significant antioxidant benefit.4

White onions contain very little querctin, so it’s better to stick with the yellow and red varieties. Most health professionals recommend eating raw onions for maximum benefit, but cooking makes them more versatile and doesn’t significantly reduce their potency. In fact, unlike sulfur compounds, quercetin can withstand the heat of cooking as long as it is a low heat.

The strong smell of the onion and its relatives contain thioallyl compound or alliins, and alliins are an amino acid. When cut or crushed, the alliin within the onion is converted by an enzymatic reaction into allicin, this breaks down into sulfide compounds. Sulfide compounds are aromatic and this is what gives the onion, and all the plants in the onion family, their distinctive smell. The cysteine sulphoxides occurring in the genus Allium are precursors for a large number of compounds which are responsible for the typical aroma as well as for the health value of these plants.1

Other studies have shown that consumption of onions may be beneficial for reduced risk of certain diseases. Consumption of onions may prevent gastric ulcers by scavenging free radicals and by preventing growth of the ulcer-forming microorganism, Heliobacter pylori.

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers found that “…the more pungent onions exhibit strong anti-platelet activity. Platelet aggregation is associated with atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke.” A study in progress at the University of Wisconsin is determining the extent to which onion consumption and specific onion compounds affect the in vivo aggregation of blood platelets. "Using an in vivo model, we are beginning to
investigate and, in some cases, confirm the potency of the onion as a blood thinner and platelet inhibitor. Onions may be among the vegetables that will be prized not only for their addition to our cuisine, but for their value-added health characteristics," said Irwin Goldman, Associate Professor of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison.5

A recent study at the University of Bern in Switzerland showed that consumption of 1 g of dry onion per day for 4 weeks increased bone mineral content in rats by more than 17% and mineral density by more than 13% compared to animals fed a controlled diet. This data suggests onion consumption has the potential to decrease the incidences of osteoporosis. Several studies have shown quercetin to have beneficial effects against many diseases and disorders including cataracts, cardiovascular disease as well as cancer of the breast, colon, ovarian, gastric, lung and bladder.6

In addition to quercetin, onions contain the phytochemicals known as disulfides, trisulfides, cepaene, and vinyl dithiins. These compounds have a variety of health-functional properties, including anticancer and antimicrobial activities.

Onions are also a source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and folic acid. They also contain calcium, iron and have a high protein quality, ratio of mg amino acid/gram protein.

Onions are low in sodium and contain no fat. They are low in calories with only 30 calories per serving, yet add abundant flavor to a wide variety of foods. Onions are also cholesterol free, and provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other key nutrients.2

MEDICINAL QUALITIES OF ONION

Research shows that onions may help guard against many chronic diseases. That's probably because onions contain generous amounts of the flavonoid quercetin. Studies have shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In addition, onions contain a variety of other naturally occurring chemicals known as organosulfur com-pounds that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.7

Onions contain 25 active compounds that appear to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells alliin being the main constituent. Onion has been found to help combat heart disease, inhibit strokes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and stimulate the immune system. The potassium salts and the flavonoides that are present perform an anti-inflammatory action. The essential oil is an expectorant, antiseptic, antifungal, anticoagulant, high-blood pressure, antithelmitic, balsamic, rubefciant, and has analgesic properties

In investigating the use of onion in medicinal terms, the onion is found to be a remedy for conditions with symptoms like those which are caused by exposure to onions, such as watering eyes, and a burning and running nose. When looking at the symptoms of cold, it is ironic that we would treat this ailment with an almost like-with-like therapy. Alliums are antibacterial and anti-fungal, so they can help ward off colds and treat colds with sinus congestion that shifts from side to side in the head. Onion will relieve coughs that cause a ripping or tearing pain in the throat or a cough that is merely an irritating dry tickle. The watery and inflamed eyes due to sinus con-gestion and hay fever will be greatly relieved with onion.

The onions ability to relieve congestions especially in the lungs and bronchial tract, is hard to believe until you have actually witnessed the results. The drawing of infection, congestion and colds out of the ear is also remarkable.

The onion will relieve stomach upset and other gastrointestinal disorders and it will also strengthen the appetite.

Onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. 8 The natural constituents of yellow or white onions can “…raise HDL cholesterol by 30% over time”, according to Dr. Victor Gurewich of Tufts University.9

The onion is being used for compresses to be applied to the skin for acne, arthritis, and congestion, and used internally for worms. The onion is also known for its diuretic properties.

There have been cases in which the onion has been proven to be so effective as an antiviral that a cut piece of onion placed in a closed off room will prevent the person in the room to be safe from viruses.

Onion will relieve headache centered behind the forehead; earache in children and adults; stuffed up nose with discharge that makes nostrils and upper lip sore or stuffed up nose with discharge from the alternate nostril; toothache, especially in the molar area or the shifting from side to side or from one tooth to another; hoarseness and the early stages of laryngitis; abdominal colic in babies.

Keeping cooler rooms in the home, and getting plenty of fresh air may prevent the symptoms of a stuffy nose and hoarseness.

CONTRA-INDICATIONS OF ONION

Since onion is a food and not a medication there are almost no contraindications to report.

The following are the few contraindications that were mentioned but not proved to be factual.

Due to fibrinolitica action there may be contraindications of onion in cases of active hemorrhages or when treatments with anticoagulants are used.

When onion is applied to the skin for long periods of time, it may cause dermatitis due to the constant contact with the skin. This would be because of toxins being drawn to the area and trying to be released through the pores.

KNOWN HERBAL FORMULAS OF ONION

The bulb of the onion is the part of the onion that is mostly used in cooking and medicinal applications. The greens may also be used in cooking and for flavoring.

The onion may be tinctured with a menstruum of apple cider vinegar. This will last for a relatively long period of time. The onion may also be chopped and dried either on a screen or in a low-heated dehydrator and stored in an airtight, dark colored container away from light and heat, especially if planning to store the onion for a longer period of time. Once the onion is dried it may also be ground and powered and stored in an airtight, dark colored container away from light and heat.

For conditions in which there is a cough whether it is due to a dry tickle in the throat to the extreme of a wracking, throat-ripping cough, we’ve found that the formula in which Dr. Christopher recommends in his Herbal Home Health Care is the best cough syrup we’ve ever used.

This onion cough syrup is prepared by chopping several large onions into a double boiler. Cover the onions with honey. Boil the water beneath the double boiler. Once the honey has begun to liquefy add an ounce of horehound herb, liquorice root or cherry bark or any combination of these herbs. These herbs will magnify the expectorant properties of the cough syrup. Cover and let this concoction simmer in the double boiler for 4 to 5 hours. Strain the liquid syrup from the herb; bottle, label and refrigerate. The cough syrup will last several weeks in the refrigerator.10

Be sure that the honey has been harvested from the area from which you live and that it is a good pure honey in which no sugar has been used or that has not been pasteurized or changed from its natural state.

Another excellent formula is to be used for earaches and ear infections. And it is simple to prepare and apply. Take a medium sized onion, remove the peal and slice the onion in half. Bake the onion halves in the oven until it is between starting to become translucent and translucent. Cool the onion until the warmth of it can be tolerated on the sensitive area of the ear. It is advisable to rub some olive oil on the ear and around the ear to prevent any skin reactions. Place the warm onions on both ears, (when treating ears, always treat both at the same time) and wrap them onto the ear with a layer of plastic wrap, a bandage and secure this on the head with a nightcap. Garlic oil may also be placed in the ears before the onions are applied to fight infection.10

The use of onions that have been sliced and lightly sautéed in olive oil until just translucent and laid on the chest, covered with a plastic wrapped with a bandage or covered with a towel and kept warm with a hot water bottle will allow the expectoration action to relieve congestion of the lungs and bronchial tract.

DOSAGES AND APPLICATIONS OF ONION

Tincture onion using apple cider vinegar. The dosage of this tincture would be 20 to 40 drops 1 to 3 times a day.

Heat 1 -2 medium onions in olive oil for a poultice to be applied to a congested or affected area.

Simmer onion in distilled water for a tea to help with congestion or for a mild diuretic effect.

Powder the onion and place in a 0 or 00 vegetable capsule. Take 1 - 3 capsules 3 times a day.

ONION - EXPERIENCE

As we live in Arizona where the climate is mild, even at a relatively high elevation, the winters are not those that leave snow on the ground for long nor do we get any kind of permafrost. Therefore, we planted some onion two years ago in August to grow over winter. When May came around the leaves were about five inches above the ground bulbs were larger than we expected. We were very satisfied with the ease of this method the planting and caring of the onion literally took no time at all.

These were the first onions we had grown, as we had always been able to buy them cheaply in bulk from the local grocery store. As the family members at home are becoming fewer and fewer we found that the economy bags of onions we used to purchase would more often than not sprout or mold before we had a chance to eat or use them all. It was a real treat to have fresh onions for a longer period of time.

Most seed packets will give you an idea of the depth of sowing and spacing. I always try and imagine what the plant will look like when mature and give it a little more room than that. So each onion will be planted about 2 and a half sizes from its neighbor so that the bulb and roots will have plenty room to grow.

Once we had harvested our onions we hung them in a dark cool place to dry. We did use the bulk of the onions shortly after harvesting them. We made a cough syrup and refrigerated it to prepare us for the cold and flu season. We dehydrated some of the onion to keep on hand for flavoring and cooking. We kept the rest of the onions in a cool, dark place so that they would last longer through the winter.

Onions are sold either in pre-packed sacks or in bulk. When buying onions, I choose those with short necks and dry, papery outer skins. They need to be firm and hard and reasonably free of blemishes.

The storage onion can be stored in a cool dry, well-ventilated place for weeks and even months without loss of vitamins or minerals. I try not to store them in piles, since a single layer will give room for air to circulate and ensures a longer life.

Spring/summer onions have a thinner skin and should also be firm but not as hard as a storage onion. I choose those onions that are free of cuts and bruises. Fresh onions are more delicate and need more care than the storage onion and will not keep as long. They fresh onion should be stored in a well ventilated, cool dry place or refrigerated to sustain their quality.

To prevent some of the tear producing effects when cutting onions I cut the top and peel down without trimming off the root or bottom end until the last possible moment. The cells that release the sulfuric compounds are concentrated at the base of the onion, so cutting off the root end last helps to prevent those tears.

In our image-concerned society, some people worry that they may have "onion breath." Although this problem normally comes from eating raw onions, a mild raw onion may cause no odor. Cooked onions help alleviate this problem and leave virtually no odor on the breath. Here are a few helpful ways that I fresh my breath after eating raw onion.

* Rinse mouth with equal parts of lemon juice and water.
* Chew a citrus peel to sweeten the breath.
* Eat a sprig or two of parsley, nature's natural breath sweetener.

We have truly been blessed with a very healthy family despite the rigors our society has put us through. The children have had vaccinations as at the time I thought we were doing the right thing. And we have a raging case of Gulf War Syndrome to deal with on a regular basis. So I have had some experience with the childhood earaches, tonsillitis, mumps and the congestion from colds, flu, and dairy products.

One year in particular our then 12-year old son seemed to have an unusually weak immune system and he had come down with a severe cold with the congestion in his chest that left a burning sensation. At the time we were just starting our journey in herbal healing. So we decided to follow Dr. Christopher’s program. We first made sure the bowels were eliminating and had him take capsules of a lower bowel formula that I had made following Dr. Christopher’s FenLB Formula.

We then wanted to work on the congestion so that he could begin to expel the phlegm and mucus that was trapped in his chest. I had read that onion would relieve congestion and many complications of a cold. So I sliced up two onions and slowly sautéed them with olive oil on the stove. Once they were a translucent color we removed from the heat and let them cool to where they could be placed on his chest.

We first rubbed some olive oil on his chest and then placed the warm onions on the chest and wrapped the upper torso with plastic wrap and then wrapped this with an ace bandage. This first night the loose onions did not stay on the area the entire night. He didn’t seem to be feeling much better. He stayed home from school and I stayed home from work and we were going to work on this. We started the day with a hot diaphoretic bath with some yarrow in the bath water and a quart of yarrow tea to drink and finished it off with a cold shower rinse.

At this time he was especially tired and seemed to be weak so we let him rest for a while. We then prepared the sautéed onions again and this time we placed the onion mixture in a single layer of cheesecloth and then placed the package on the chest and wrapped again with plastic wrap and ace bandage. The onions seemed to stay in place a lot better this way. We just did one short application of this during the day and gave him a break so that he could move around more freely for the rest of the afternoon. And during this time we administered another hot diaphoretic bath with yarrow and a cold-water rinse. By this time it was bedtime and we again made the sautéed onion poultice, (all the while keeping the bowels moving), and wrapped up the chest and covered him with only natural fiber blankets.

When we were treating him I kept asking myself if I was doing the right thing and if maybe I should consult a doctor as my son seemed to be in a lot of pain and was very uncomfortable with this illness. However, in the morning when he woke up after sleeping in longer than normal he was his young self again. Other than being a bit tired all the congestion and pain in his chest was relieved and he had only had a couple of bad bouts of coughing which were productive. Due to
some of the severe symptoms he had, I still wonder today if what I was treating was actually pneumonia or flu and not a chest cold at all.

Another time I had a co-worker who had been fighting a cough for over a month. Having not seen her very often at the office I had no idea she had been sick. Until one day she asked me to take attend a meeting in her place because she couldn’t even talk without having a severe bout of coughing.

She said she had been taking an over the counter cough syrup with codeine but that it had not been doing any good. Plus she is a strict LDS member and did not like to take any kind of drug that would make her intoxicated in any degree. (I couldn’t even get her to try an alcohol Echinacea tincture that had been placed in hot water to evaporate the alcohol off.)

I told her I could make her a drug free cough syrup. She was willing at this point to try anything. She was open minded to this therapy as she said her mother had always treated the children at home with folk medicine and that as children they did not go to the doctor.

I made up a pint of the onion, honey, with a half-ounce of powered liquorice root, and a half -ounce of powered horehound herb. I prepared the cough syrup in a double boiler that very same evening.

The next morning I took in the cough syrup to her read the label to her as to the cough syrups contents and how I had prepared it. On the label I had instructed to take one tablespoon three times a day. But then I started thinking, this is just food and will not harm her but will only bring her nutrition. And so I instructed her to take a tablespoon as needed for the cough.

It wasn’t until the second morning that I saw her again. She came bouncing into my office raving about the onion honey cough syrup. She had slept all night, and she could tell me all about it without coughing. She had me write down the formula for her and asked where she could buy the liquorice root and horehound herb. From that day forward whenever she heard of anyone having a cough, this is the cough syrup she recommends they take

According to the USDA, to dehydrate onions you need to trim the bulb ends and remove the paper skins. Slice 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Onions may be cut into 3/8 to ½ inch dice, but will be slightly less pungent when dried. Dry at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 to 2 hours and then 130 degrees until dry. To tell if they are dry they should feel like paper. Dried onions readily reabsorb moisture, causing deterioration during storage, so they need to be packaged in airtight containers and kept in the freezer.11

FOOTNOTES - ONION

1 “…slaves who built the pyramids were fed radishes and onions”.The origins of its name are also Roman or at least Latin. The Late Latin name unio was used to describe a species of onion resembling a single white pearl. This was later formed into the basis for the French, “oignon” and then later the English, “Onion”.

The Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed onions as a diuretic, wound healer and pneumonia fighter. Likewise, Dioscorides, a Greek physician noted several medicinal uses of onions. The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the Olympic Games. Before competition, athletes would consume pounds of onions, drink onion juice and rub onions on their bodies.

And through the ages, there have been countless folk remedies that have ascribed their curative powers to onions, such as putting a sliced onion under your pillow to fight off insomnia.

As Americans search for low-fat, low-salt, and tasty meals, they’re eating more Onions …“almost 18 pounds per person per year, which is 50% more than a decade ago”.

The strong smell of the onion and its relatives contain thioallyl compound or alliins, and alliins are an amino acid. When cut or crushed, the alliin within the onion is converted by an enzymatic reaction into allicin, this breaks down into sulfide compounds. Sulfide compounds are aromatic and this is what gives the onion, and all the plants in the onion family, their distinctive smell. The cysteine sulphoxides occurring in the genus Allium are precursors for a large number of compounds which are responsible for the typical aroma as well as for the health value of these plants.
selfsufficientish.com/onion.htm

2 "…entombed with onions in his eye sockets".
Some Egyptologists theorize that onions may have been used because it was believed that their strong scent and/or magical powers would prompt the dead to breathe again. Other Egyptologists believe it was because onions were known for their strong antiseptic qualities, which were construed as magical, and could be useful in the afterlife.

The onion is mentioned as a funeral offering and onions are depicted on the banquet tables of the great feasts and they were shown upon the altars of the gods. Paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of the pyramids and in the "…tombs of both the Old Kingdom and the New Kingdom". Frequently, a priest is pictured holding onions in his hand or covering an altar with a bundle of their leaves or roots.

Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago and they are referenced in some of the oldest Vedic writings from India. There is evidence that the Sumerians were growing onions as early as 2500 B.C. One Sumerian text dated to about 2500 B.C. tells of "…someone plowing over the city governor's onion patch".

In India as early as the sixth century B.C., the famous medical treatise Charaka - Sanhita celebrates the onion as medicine “…a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes and the joints".

It was the Romans who introduced the onion family to Europe. The Romans ate onions regularly and carried them on journeys to their provinces in England and Germany. Pliny the Elder, Roman's observer, wrote of Pompeii's onions and cabbages. Before he was overcome and killed by the volcano's heat and fumes, he catalogued the roman beliefs about the efficacy of the onion to cure vision, induce sleep, heal mouth sores, dog bites, toothaches, dysentery and lumbago. Excavators of the doomed city would later find gardens where, just as Pliny had said, onions had grown. The bulbs had left behind telltale cavities in the ground.

The Roman gourmet Apicius, credited with writing one of the first cookbooks (which dates to the eighth and ninth centuries A.D.), included many references to onions.

By the Middle Ages, the three main vegetables of European cooking were beans, cabbage and onions. In addition to serving as a "…food for both the poor and the wealthy…” onions were prescribed to alleviate headaches, snakebites and hair loss. They were also used as rent payments and wedding gifts.

The first Pilgrims brought onions with them on the Mayflower. However, they found that strains of wild onions already grew throughout North America. Native American Indians used wild onions in a variety of ways, eating them raw or cooked, as a seasoning or as a vegetable. Such onions were also used in syrups, as poultices, as an ingredient in dyes and even as toys. According to diaries of colonists, bulb onions were planted as soon as the Pilgrim farmers could clear the land in 1648.

At least 175 countries grow onions. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, there are an estimated "…6.7 million acres of onions in the world, producing 105 billion pounds of onions each year. Approximately 8 percent of this global onion production is traded internationally. Leading onion production countries are China, India, United States, Turkey and Pakistan, respectively".

U.S. farmers plant approximately 145,000 acres of onions, producing approximately 6 billion pounds of onions (excluding dehydration production) each year. The U.S. onion industry accounts for 2.4 percent of the world onion acreage and 6.5 percent of the world onion production. Onions are grown in more than 20 states, literally border-to-border and coast-to-coast. Leading U.S. onion production areas are Idaho-Eastern Oregon, Washington and California. (See U.S. onion acreage/production tables below).

Onions range in size from less than 1 inch in diameter, in cooking these are used as creamers or boilers, to more than 4.5 inches in diameter, super colossal. The most common sizes of onions sold in the United States are the medium, 2 to 3 ¼ inches in diameter and the jumbo, 3 to 3 ¾ inches in diameter.

“Antioxidants are compounds that help delay or slow the oxidative damage to cells and tissue of the body. Studies have indicated that quercetin helps to eliminate free radicals in the body, to inhibit low-density lipoprotein oxidation (an important reaction in the atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease), to protect and regenerate vitamin E (a powerful antioxidant) and to inactivate the harmful effects of chelate metal ions”.

In addition to quercetin, onions contain the phytochemicals known as disulfides, trisulfides, cepaene, and vinyl dithiins. These compounds have a variety of health-functional properties, including anticancer and antimicrobial activities.

Onions are also a source of vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber and folic acid. They also contain calcium, iron and have a high protein quality, ratio of mg amino acid/gram protein.

Onions are low in sodium and contain no fat. They are low in calories with only 30 calories per serving, yet add abundant flavor to a wide variety of foods. Onions are also cholesterol free, and provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, vitamin B6, potassium, and other key nutrients.
National Onion Association website

3 Onions are mentioned to have been eaten by the Israelites in the Bible. In Numbers 11:5 the children of Israel lament the meager desert diet enforced by the Exodus: "We remember
the fish, which we did eat in Egypt freely, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic".
New Testament Bible Numbers 11:5

4 Major dietary sources of quercetin include tea, onions and apples. Recent studies at Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, showed that the absorption of quercetin from onions is twice that from tea and more than three times that from apples. Based on studies conducted at The Queen's University at Belfast, Ireland and Wageningen Agricultural University, the “…content of quercetin in onions is estimated to be between 22.40 mg and 51.82 mg per medium-sized onion (100 gram)”. Further research at the Agricultural University on Wageningen showed that daily consumption of onions may result in increased accumulation of quercetin in the blood. Studies are in progress to determine whether the increased quercetin accumulation from eating onions translates into significant antioxidant benefit.
Wageningen Agricultural University website

5 University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers found that “…the more pungent onions exhibit strong anti-platelet activity. Platelet aggregation is associated with atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke.” A study in progress at the University of Wisconsin is determining the extent to which onion consumption and specific onion compounds affect the in vivo aggregation of blood platelets. "Using an in vivo model, we are beginning to
investigate and, in some cases, confirm the potency of the onion as a blood thinner and platelet inhibitor. Onions may be among the vegetables that will be prized not only for their addition to our cuisine, but for their value-added health characteristics," said Irwin Goldman, Associate Professor of Horticulture, University of Wisconsin-Madison.
University of Wisconsin-Madison website

6 A recent study at the University of Bern in Switzerland showed that consumption of 1 g of dry onion per day for 4 weeks increased bone mineral content in rats by more than 17% and mineral density by more than 13% compared to animals fed a controlled diet. This data suggests onion consumption has the potential to decrease the incidences of osteoporosis. Several studies have shown quercetin to have beneficial effects against many diseases and disorders including cataracts, cardiovascular disease as well as cancer of the breast, colon, ovarian, gastric, lung and bladder.
University of Bern website

7 Research shows that onions may help guard against many chronic diseases. That's probably because onions contain generous amounts of the flavonoid quercetin. Studies have shown that quercetin protects against cataracts, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. In addition, onions contain a variety of other naturally occurring chemicals known as organosulfur com-pounds that have been linked to lowering blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
www.herbs4highbloodpressure.com

8 Onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association.
American Heart Association website

9 The natural constituents of yellow or white onions can “…raise HDL cholesterol by 30% over time”, according to Dr. Victor Gurewich of Tufts University.
Tufts University website

10 This onion cough syrup is prepared by chopping several large onions into a double boiler. Cover the onions with honey. Boil the water beneath the double boiler. Once the honey has begun to liquefy add an ounce of horehound herb, liquorice root or cherry bark or any combination of these herbs. These herbs will magnify the expectorant properties of the cough syrup. Cover and let this concoction simmer in the double boiler for 4 to 5 hours. Strain the liquid syrup from the herb; bottle, label and refrigerate. The cough syrup will last several weeks in the refrigerator.

Another excellent formula is to be used for earaches and ear infections. And it is simple to prepare and apply. Take a medium sized onion, remove the peal and slice the onion in half. Bake the onion halves in the oven until it is between starting to become translucent and translucent. Cool the onion until the warmth of it can be tolerated on the sensitive area of the ear. It is advisable to rub some olive oil on the ear and around the ear to prevent any skin reactions. Place the warm onions on both ears, (when treating ears, always treat both at the same time) and wrap them onto the ear with a layer of plastic wrap, a bandage and secure this on the head with a nightcap. Garlic oil may also be placed in the ears before the onions are applied to fight infection.
Herbal Home Health Care page 49, 57

11 According to the USDA, to dehydrate onions you need to trim the bulb ends and remove the paper skins. Slice 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Onions may be cut into 3/8 to ½ inch dice, but will be slightly less pungent when dried. Dry at 160 degrees Fahrenheit for 1 to 2 hours and then 130 degrees until dry. To tell if they are dry they should feel like paper. Dried onions readily reabsorb moisture, causing deterioration during storage, so they need to be packaged in airtight containers and kept in the freezer.
United States Department of Agriculture website

ONION - BIBLIOGRAPHY

Onion; 03/2003; www.selfsufficientish.com; Self Suffcientish; online; MSN; 03/20/2005
Onion; www.onions-usa.org; National Onion Association; online; MSN 03/20/2005

Crop Growth and Development; 08/19/1997; wwwwlife.uiuc.edu; Wageningen Agricultural University; online; MSN; 03/22/2005

Horticulture; www.horticulture.wisc.edu; Horticulture at the University of Wisconsin; online; MSN; 03/22/2005

Allium; 1996; www.bafz.de; Federal Centre for Breeding Research on Cultivated Plants; online; MSN; 03/22/2005

Diet; www.americanheartassociation.org; Quick Tips for Dieting; online; MSN; 03/30/2005

Christopher; John R; Herbal Home Health Care; United States by Christopher Publications 1976
Onion; 01/24/2005; www.herbs4 highbloodpressure.com; High Blood Pressure; online; MSN; 03/23/05

ONION - QUOTES

"We remember the fish we ate in Egypt for nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic; but now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at."
-Numbers (11:5-6)

"I crawled into the vegetable bin, settled on a giant onion and ate it, skin and all. It must have marked me for life for I have never ceased to love the hearty flavor of onions."
-James Beard, American cooking expert and author

"I will not move my army without onions!"
-Ulysses S. Grant

"It's hard to imagine civilization without onions."
-Julia Child

"The onion and its satin wrappings is among the most beautiful of vegetables and is the only one that represents the essence of things. It can be said to have a soul."
-My Summer in a Garden by Charles Dudley Warner

"Onion skins very thin,
Mild winter coming in.
Onion skins very tough,
Coming winter very rough."
-old English rhyme

"If you hear an onion ring, answer it."
-Anonymous

"It's probably illegal to make soups, stews and casseroles without plenty of onions."
-Maggie Waldron, American author and editor

"Life is like an onion.
You peel it off one layer at a time;
And sometimes you weep."
-Carl Sandburg, American poet

"Onions can make even heirs and widows weep."
-Benjamin Franklin

"Life is like an onion; you peel off layer after layer and then you find there is nothing in it."
-James Gibbons Huneker, American musician, critic

"For this is every cook's opinion,
No savoury dish without an onion;
But lest your kissing should be spoiled,
Your onions should be thoroughly boiled."
-Jonathon Swift, Irish satirist

"Take care to chop the onion fine."
-Opening line of Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel

"Why is it that the poet tells
So little of the sense of smell?
These are the odors I love well:
The smell of coffee freshly ground;
Or rich plum pudding, holly crowned;
Or onions fried and deeply browned…"
-Christopher Morley, poet

"It was for bringing the cook tulip-roots instead of onions."
-The reason the Queen of Hearts wants to behead the Seven-of-Spades in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
"Mine eyes smell onions: I shall weep anon."
-All's Well that Ends Well by William Shakespeare

"The onion tribe is prophylactic and highly invigorating, and even more necessary to cookery than parsley itself."
-George Ellwanger, British food writer

"Banish (the onion) from the kitchen and the pleasure flies with it. Its presence lends color and enchantment to the most modest dish; its absence reduces the rarest delicacy to hopeless insipidity, and dinner to despair."
-Elizabeth Robbins Pennell, American columnist