Onion wholesome properties
Onion( Allium sulfur L.) is a two-year herbaceous plant from the onion family( Alliaceae).Bulb up to 15 cm in diameter, filmy. The outer layers of the scales are dry, yellow, less often violet or white;internal - fleshy, white or purple, located on a shortened stalk, called donetsom. Flower arrow up to 1.5 m high, hollow, ends in a multi-flower umbrella inflorescence. The roots are subordinate, thin, fibrous. Stems are straight, with a swollen base. Leaves tubular, hollow, swollen, all basal. Bulb flattened, spherical, dressed with scales, pleated, red-yellow, dry outside, white, fleshy - inside. The flowers are white, trinomial, in rather large, simple, almost capitate umbrellas. Umbrellas are dressed with blankets. Fruit - a box. Seeds are black, angular. Blossoms in July-August.
In the wild does not occur. Cultivated in many countries.
Bulbs contain 8 - 14% of sugars( fructose, sucrose, maltose), proteins( 1.5 - 2%), flavonoid, enzymes, saponins, mineral salts of potassium, phosphorus and iron. In the bulbs and leaves there is an essential oil that gives them a specific smell and a pungent taste.
Although onions contain 86-89% water, it contains many biologically active substances - proteins, sugars, minerals, mainly potassium, calcium, phosphorus, sodium, iron. In all parts of the onion there is an essential oil containing sulfur. The product of disintegration of essential oil has a pronounced bactericidal action. In onions are present and flavonoids, and elements that stimulate cardiac activity. In onions are also enzymes, vitamins C( 15 mg%), group B, pantothenic and nicotinic acids, glucocinins, organic acids and other substances.
In the middle and northern parts of the Non-chernozem belt, onions are grown from seed to seed in three years. In the first year, small bulbs are given - sowing, on the second - large bulbs, and for the third year - seeds.
We cultivate several types of onions. The most common - onions, grown from bulbs or seeds. There are many varieties and forms of onions with different flavors - from sweet to burning, as well as different colors( from whitish, yellow, brown to red) and various shapes - from flat, roundish to elongated. As a spice and seasoning onions are often used fresh, including greens( feather), then - dried, in powder, in liquid form, in fat. Onions are grown in light soil, not fertilized with fresh manure. In the early spring( it is possible in the autumn), onions are sown or planted with small bulbs. We grow Onions varieties "Stuttgart" "Vshetatsky", "Zlatava", "Ganka", from red species - "Carmen", from winter - "Augusta", "Hiberna", etc. Harvest the onion or young with greens or maturein the period when the tops wither. Onions can be planted in winter in flower pots, accelerating the appearance of green in the light in a warm place.
Distillation
A biennial herbaceous plant of a long day. For forcing all varieties of onions are suitable, but the highest yields in the housing conditions can be obtained from the following varieties: Bessonovsky, Rostov, Arzamas, Stri-gonovsky( varieties of multichannel).
♦ Accommodation. Onion, grown on a feather, unpretentious plant. Pots or boxes with planted bulbs can be installed in light and semi-dark areas. After the germination of the bulbs they are installed on the windows of any exposures. The normal temperature of the premises, where onions are grown on green, can range from +12 - + 15 ° C to +22 - + 24 ° C.
♦ Planting and care. The best substrate for planting bulbs is a mixture of humus, turf and washed river sand( 1: 1: 0.5).You can use and sold in stores "Biogruntom" or flower mixture "Rose".
Planting bulbs in a solid way at a distance of 1-2 cm. For planting, it is best to take large bulbs, as the larger the bulb, the higher the yield from 1 plant. Every 2-3 days, planted bulbs are abundantly watered with warm water( 30-35 ° C).With this content, in 2.5 - 3 weeks you can harvest.
To accelerate the flow of crops from the window, we recommend once every 10 to 12 days to feed onions with mineral fertilizers. The first top dressing should be done when the onion leaves grow up to 8-10 cm with urea, at the rate of 25-30 g per 10 liters of water. In the future, onions can be fed with a complex mineral fertilizer "Rainbow".
Historical background. In medicine it is known since the time of Hippocrates. The healing properties of onions were recognized by all peoples. The Romans believed that the strength and courage of soldiers increased with the use of onions, so he was part of the military diet. Avicenna wrote at the beginning of the XI century: "Edible onion helps especially from the harm of bad water, if you throw the onions into it, it is one of the means that destroys its smell. .. Onion juice is useful for contaminated wounds, greasing eyes with squeezed onion juice is helpful from thorns... Onion juice helps against sore throats. Edible onion, due to its bitterness, strengthens a weak stomach and stimulates appetite. "In the old Russian medicinal herbal medicine, the following recommendations were cited: "During the frosty weather or other sticky diseases, it is necessary to hang bulbs in the rooms, why the infection does not penetrate them, and the air in the rooms will be cleaned.
It is cultivated in the gardens and fields. All plants with a characteristic bulbous taste and smell. The chemical composition of the onion is complicated. It contains compounds rich in sulfur, essential oils, traces of iodine, phytoncides and especially a lot of vitamin C.
Benefits of
Indications: preparations of onion are used for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, atonia, colitis with a tendency to constipation, with pulmonary diseases,hypertensive disease, taking place against the background of atherosclerosis, for the treatment of trichomonas colpitis. They are used as a means of increasing appetite.
Onion partially supports the activity of the liver and pancreas, and hence it has a beneficial effect on the digestive processes, regulates and intestinal microflora and, in the opinion of some scientists, positively affects the activity of the thyroid gland. However, not everyone carries onions without any ailments. Onion serves as the basis of spices when preparing meat dishes, soups, salads, marinating vegetables, cooking sauces, stewed vegetables and spicy mixes.
Onions are a reliable remedy for many diseases. Traditional medicine and now heals boils and boils with baked onions. Rubbing onion juice bruises relieves pain. Comrades from a bulb cooked in table vinegar, remove calluses, and fresh juice of onions remove warts. Onion gruel is treated with a cold and cold.
Onion juice has a sputtering ability and is popularly used in a mixture with honey for coughing and bronchitis: 500 g of crushed bulbs, 400 g of sugar, 50 g of honey are mixed and 1 liter of water is added. Cook the mixture over low heat for 3 hours. Cool down. Filter and pour into the bottle. Take 1 tbsp.spoon 4-6 times a day. You can inhale freshly prepared gruel from rubbed onions for 10 minutes. The course of treatment is 30-40 days, repeated in a month.
Modern medicine has established that onion juice can dissolve kidney sand and even stones. The ability of onions to lower the sugar content in the blood has been established, and mannitol has been isolated from bulbs, which is used by people with diabetes. Widely used onions received in cosmetics. Folk cosmetics has long used onions as a means of promoting growth and strengthening of hair;1-2 times a week, 2-3 tablespoons of fresh onion juice are rubbed. Then tie the head with a towel, and after 1-2 hours wash with soap or shampoo. This simple tool strengthens hair, promotes their growth, eliminates dandruff, gives hair silky and shine.
To protect the skin from wrinkles apply an ointment consisting of equal parts of onion juice, honey, wax and white lily. Juice of onion in folk medicine freckles.
Decoction of onion husks color not only eggs for Easter, but also hair in beautiful and fashionable reddish orange tones. To do this, take 30-50 g of peeled onions, pour a glass of water and boil for 15-20 minutes, and then let it brew and drain and the hair dye is ready.
Medicinal forms( pharmacies): "Allyliep" - alcohol extract from onions, take inside 20-30 drops 3 times a day for 15 minutes before meals with milk or water with intestinal atony with a tendency to constipation, with atherosclerosis.
Allylchep improves intestinal tone and secretion of the digestive glands, improves heart function and overall well-being. Allylchep is used with weakness of the intestine, with colitis, they are treated with atherosclerosis and sclerotic form of hypertensive disease. From the snake bite: it is necessary to cut the bulb in half, attach it to the wound and keep it until the bulb turns black with the poison.
"Alliglycer", condensed onion extract, mixed with glycerin, - used for trichomonad colpitis as directed by a doctor.
Widely used onions in everyday life as a diuretic and antiscorbutic.
Onions have a disinfecting effect and are used as a home remedy for treating, for example, influenza. To this end, folk medicine uses so-called onion swabs: quickly rub onions on a grater, grind the mass put in pieces of gauze about 3x3 cm, tie up and put into the nostrils for 15 minutes in the morning, afternoon and evening.
Onions can be used as an antiscorbutic, as well as in all other cases when vitamin C. is required.
In folk medicine, onion juice mixed with honey is a good way to prevent the development of a thorn in the eye.
The baked in the test or the onion cooked in milk is applied in the form of compresses for abscesses, furuncles, fresh grated onions are successfully used for injuries( bruises), wounds.
Corns and warts are removed with fresh onion juice or onions pre-cooked in table vinegar. Fresh juice heals wounds. Use it in the people for hair growth. In this case, the juice is rubbed with fingers into the roots of the hair( 1-2 times a week for 2-3 tablespoons).After lubrication, it is recommended to tie the head with a towel for 1-2 hours, and then wash it with soap, as usual. This is a good cosmetic, since the hair after washing becomes soft, silky and acquires a beautiful shine.
Apply onions to prevent the appearance of wrinkles on the face and to remove already appeared. The recipe for ointment for this purpose: the onion juice, honey, white lily juice and white wax - 30 grams, all this in pottery is heated on low heat and steam, mixed with a wooden stick before cooling.
Cough and to improve expectoration of sputum use a bow with honey, onion, fried in butter or boiled in milk.
Widely used onions for the treatment and prevention of atherosclerosis. To this end, often use a mixture of fresh juice with honey in equal parts, which is taken at 1 tbsp.spoon 3-4 times a day. And with angina, suppurative processes in the lungs and tuberculosis, fitoncids are inhaled, using for this inhalation freshly prepared onion gruel. If the gruel has stayed in the air for 10-15 minutes, its healing power is significantly reduced, since the strongest phytoncides volatilize.
Onion gruel is used for itchy skin inflammations, for removing acne, freckles, birthmarks and warts. Milk porridge and baked onion accelerate the maturation of abscesses, soften the pain with hemorrhoid cones;Onion gruel is treated with frostbite and fresh burns.
Fresh onion juice is used in the treatment of ulcers on the mucous membrane of the mouth.
Freshly prepared onion gruel, applied through gauze, cleanses purulent wounds and ulcers and promotes their healing.
During the beastly case, string more bulbs and garlic heads on the string and tie cows, horses and other pets around the neck so that they do not become infected. "
Experimental and clinical data. Onion stimulates the secretion of digestive juices, has a diuretic, expectorant, laxative, antiscorbutic and soothing effect. Is able to improve the production of sperm. It has bactericidal and anthelmintic activity.
In cooking
Onions are eaten raw, boiled, fried, marinated and dried. He not only gives the food a certain taste, but also vitaminizes it. Therefore, it is widely used in the preparation of meat, fish and vegetable dishes. Fresh onions stimulates appetite, increases the secretion of digestive juice, improves digestion and promotes better digestibility of nutrients by the body.
In the French cuisine is very popular onion soup.
French onion soup with garlic and herbal toasts
4 servings
3 tbsp.spoonfuls of butter or margarine, 4 large, large-sliced onions, 2 teaspoons of light brown sugar, 1 liter of vegetable broth, 1 tbsp.a spoon of cornmeal( corn starch), 4 slices of French bread, 50 g of cheese with garlic and herbs, salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat the oil or margarine in a large saucepan. Add bulbs and fry, stirring, for 5 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and continue frying with constant stirring for another 10 minutes, until the bulbs acquire a beautiful golden brown color. Add the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, close the lid and cook on a small fire for 15 minutes. Combine the corn flour with water and stir it in the soup. Stirring, cook over low heat for 2 minutes. Season to taste. Make a toast from a French loaf and on each slice on one side spread garlic-herb cheese. Fry in a grill( on an open fire) to make the cheese melt and bubble. Pour the soup into warmed plates. Leave a slice of cheese bread floating on the surface in each bowl and immediately serve to the table.
Onion and apples in breading
2 servings of
3-4 diced diced apples, 1 teaspoon of dried sage, pinch of grated nutmeg, 3-4 onions, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 cup of flour, 1/2 cupbutter or margarine, 1 cup of breadcrumbs.
Lubricate the heat resistant dish. Alternately lay the layers of apples and onions, seasoning with sage, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Rub the flour and butter( margarine) to a mixture, in a consistency resembling breading. Add the breadcrumbs and sprinkle the dish. Bake in a preheated oven at 200 ° C for about 30 minutes until the filling is softened and a golden crust is formed.
Onion salad and green peas
2 servings
2 onions, 1 head of green onions with feathers, 3 pickled cucumber, 1/2 can of green peas, 3 tbsp.spoons of vegetable oil, 1/2 cup of tomato juice, vinegar, salt, sugar, black ground pepper, 2-3 cloves of garlic.
Onion and onion of onions cut into rings, green onion feathers - slices and, cucumbers - mugs. Mix everything, add the green peas. In tomato juice, add vegetable oil, salt and sugar, vinegar, ground, pepper and crushed garlic. The resulting sauce to season the salad, mix it well. Before serving, cool a little.
You can make pickled onions, which is used not only as an appetizer and garnish for pickled or salted herring, but is also added to the salad and some vegetable and fish salads.
Onion with spices
Bulbs are sorted into small( 15-20 mm) and medium size( 20-25 mm), large cut. To accelerate the cleaning, the onions are blanched for 2-3 minutes, then cleaned with a knife and cut off the bottom. In this form it can be stored for a short time in salted water. Pour from 1 liter of water, 50 g of sugar, 50 g of salt, 4-6 pcs.cloves and a piece of cinnamon boil, at the end of cooking add 150 g of 9% vinegar. Banks with onions, spices and pouring are warmed, keeping in slightly boiling water: half-liter-3-5, liter-8-9 min.
Pickled onion salad
For marinade: 0,5l 6% vinegar, 2 tbsp.spoons of salt, sugar, a little cinnamon, badyan, cloves, sweet pepper, red pepper, bay leaf. Cut the onion into rings, sprinkle with boiling water, allow the water to drain. Add vinegar and salt, spices and sugar to the water. Boil. Onion pour hot marinade, let it brew for 1-2 hours. Pour the marinade, put the onions in a salad bowl, sprinkle with melted butter.