To properly consume onion nutrients, don't peel the skin.

Onions lower blood cholesterol levels and have excellent antioxidant properties. They're also good for your health and add a sweet flavor, making them an essential ingredient in many dishes. We've explored the proper way to prepare and cook onions to ensure you get the full benefits.

 

◇Only the brown outer skin should be peeled off

 

When washing and preparing onions, it's best to peel only the brown outer skin. This is because the transparent second layer, which is revealed after peeling off the brown outer skin, is rich in nutrients such as calcium and magnesium. In particular, onion skins contain 20 to 30 times more polyphenols and about four times more quercetin than the whole onion. Polyphenols convert free radicals that attack healthy cells in our body into harmless substances. Quercetin lowers blood cholesterol levels and helps blood circulation. The nutrients in an onion are more abundant the closer you get to the outer skin. If you find it difficult to eat the skin, you can add the onion with the skin to broth or dry it and grind it into powder.

◇It is helpful to write the onion results vertically.

 

It's best to slice onions perpendicular to the grain (fiber). This breaks down the onion's tissue cells, allowing nutrients like allicin to become more active. Allow vertically sliced ​​onions to sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before cooking. This is because when the onion comes into contact with oxygen, the sulfur compounds responsible for its pungency are converted into beneficial enzymes in the body. This helps boost metabolism and prevents blood clots.

 

◇Frying in oil makes it sweeter

 

Stir-frying onions in oil can increase nutrient absorption. Stir-frying also evaporates moisture, intensifying their sweetness. Specifically, some of the organic compounds responsible for the onion's pungency break down into propyl mercaptan, which is 50 to 70 times sweeter than sugar. Most nutrients in onions are heat-resistant, so even when stir-fried, their nutritional value remains intact.

 

Meanwhile, a good onion should feel heavy when lifted and firm, not soft. Also, consume onions with clear, well-dried skins. When selecting onions, look for ones with no visible sprouts, no dark color, and thin skins that don't peel easily.

 

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When cooking with onions

I try to remove only the brown outer skin as much as possible.

 

The brown part and the head of the green onion

It also makes a great broth.