If you harvest onions before their bulbs form, you get scallions. Just like their full-grown counterpart, scallions have vitamins and minerals that can give you better health. Add scallions to your meals to give your food more flavor and texture.
Here are some nutritional facts about scallions, which are also known as spring onions:
- Scallions contain very low calories. If you have a hundred grams of fresh scallion leaves, you will only get 31 calories from them.
- Scallions are rich in antioxidants. Just like many leafy greens, scallions naturally have plant-derived antioxidants. These antioxidants are actually disease combating compounds that repel the toxins that enter the body. You need them to help lower your risk of acquiring illnesses, including those that are considered fatal.
- Scallions have high levels of dietary fiber. In fact, scallions have more fiber than shallots and ripe onions. If you have 100 grams of scallions, you get about 2.6 grams of fiber or equivalent to 7% of the recommended daily levels.
- The allicin in scallions provide more benefits. Aside from reducing the production of cholesterol, allicin also decreases the stiffness you may have in your blood vessels. This is performed by releasing nitric oxide in the blood to lower your blood pressure. Allicin also helps in blocking platelet clotting, which can cut your risk.
- Scallions have compounds that prevent certain cancers. Spring onions have vitamin A (about 33% of your total RDA for every 100 grams). Aside from vitamin A, scallions also have vitamin C and K. It is even believed that scallions are amongthe richest when it comes to vitamin K content. Additionally, adequate amounts of vitamin K in the body can help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Scallions are nutritious with each part almost entirely edible, except the roots. With the rich taste, you may want to start adding scallions to your menu as they are also beneficial to your health.