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Calories In Onions

Submitted by Nick on February 25, 2011

Onions have been cultivated and used in the preparation of food and medicines for thousands of years in various cultures. Known for its medicinal properties, the spherical onion bulb belongs to the same family as garlic and lily. Calories in onions in the raw or cooked form are very low, but the flavor and taste of any dish can be enhanced by the addition of this vegetable. Onions are cultivated around the world and can be red, white or yellow in color, but the calories in onions of various types are uniformly low. Green onions are tender onion plants with green shoots and a small white onion bulb at the bottom.

Onion plants without a noticeable white bulb below the shoots are called scallions. Milder in flavor than other varieties, green onions and scallions are ideal for salads and are also used as garnish. Calories in green onions are much lower than calories in white onion or calories in red onion.

Regardless of the calories in yellow onion, it is a popular ingredient that helps to spice up many a peasant’s simple diet.
Calories in onions can vary depending on how they are eaten. While a cup of chopped raw onions has only 64 calories, the calories in cooked onions go up to 92 for a cup. Nutritionally, onions are rich in vitamins B and C and minerals like calcium, phosphorus and potassium.

The addition of chopped, grated, or sliced onions to a dish enhances the taste and flavor of the dish, and the calories in cooked onions are so low that they do not affect the calorie count per serving. Using onions in soups, salads, casseroles, dips, and stir fries perks up the aroma even as the dish is being prepared. As a snack, onions are often served fried as rings or as a deep fried bloomin’ onion but with fewer calories.

French onion soup is more filling and healthy. Calories in onion rings or calories in a bloomin’ onion are higher because of the fat used in the frying process. For those who count calories, onion rings are not the choice snacks. Raw vegetable sticks with an onion flavored dip would be an ideal alternative.

In addition to the benefit of fewer calories in onions, they are a good source of dietary fiber and have antibacterial and antifungal properties that help in digestion and to regulate blood circulation. Consumption of onions is known to regulate blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. With so many health benefits derived, one should include onions in the diet without asking how many calories in onions one consumes.