Ingredient of the Month: Onions

We've passed the midpoint of introducing you to our 10 Core Ingredients!

Horseradish, Ginger, Turmeric, Garlic, Oranges and now Onions.

Cultivated for most of the last 7,000, onions (Allium cepa) have been part of our cooking and medicinal practices for even longer. Well known for their antibacterial and antifungal applications as well as their many and varied culinary uses, onions are a surprisingly useful and beneficial vegetable to have in your diet!

Here some fun facts about our favorite layered veggie!

• Onions have been found in the tombs of ancient Egyptian Pharaohs! They believed the spherical shape and inner circles symbolized eternity and would bring prosperity in the afterlife.
• Phytochemicals present in significant amounts in onions act as a boost for vitamin C within the body.
• You can apply onion juice to reduce the pain caused by honeybee stings.
• Flavonoids in onion, which are responsible for many of the functional benefits, are usually more concentrated in the outer layers of the bulb so don't peel too much!
• Estimates put onion production at 105 billion pounds worldwide each year.
• The average American consumes 18lbs of onions per year.
• In the Middle Ages, you could pay your rent with onions! They were a form of currency.