Shallots: benefits and harms to the body

A plant crop such as shallots is a collection of onions. However, they still have some differences in the external description and in the chemical composition. Otherwise, the vegetable is called a shrew or charlotte. This variety of onions helps prevent cancer. His benefit does not end there, many other positive qualities are also characteristic of him.

What is shallot

Shallot represents the Onion family. The bulb of this plant is much smaller than the onion variety, it includes several cloves like garlic. The root crop has an average diameter of 3-4 cm. The shape of the fruit is pointed downwards. The inner scales are thin, white in color, covered with films.

What does it look like

Ashkelon onion is a perennial plant that belongs to the Onion family. This species differs from a bulbous relative only in a bulb. There are early, middle and late varieties, sharp, sweet and peninsular varieties. Also, the plant is grouped by the color of the husk, that is, it can be red, white or purple. In the first year of sowing from one fruit, 5–6 bulbs appear. In the second year, you can get up to 4 dozen bulbs from one nest, as well as arrows with seeds.

Shallot is a stunted plant, has a branching stem. The leaves are light green in color. One bulb can produce up to 3-5 leaves. Usually the fruits are small, large specimens are quite rare, have an irregular ovoid shape, are covered with husks on top. The culture is characterized by high preservation and resistance to transportation.

Ethiopia is considered the birthplace of this plant.

What is different from onions

Externally, shallots practically do not differ from onions. The only Ashkelon product is smaller and, depending on the species, may have an elongated shape.

As for the medicinal properties, this variety is much higher in comparison with onions. The studied vegetable contains a lot of B, A, and C vitamins. Green feathers are distinguished by a high concentration of potassium, copper, and phosphorus.

Such a plant component strengthens the protective functions of the body, has an antiviral effect. The plant contains calcium, which can strengthen the skeletal system. Also, this product will help improve appetite, despite the fact that it is dietary, as it contains less than 4% sugar.

Shallots are often used in the preparation of French and European dishes. It is this variety that is used to produce onion soup. The green part of the plant can be used to make salads, marinades and sauces.

Such a product is combined with meat, fish dishes, as well as vegetables. He is not able to interrupt the taste of the main ingredients in each dish. Small onions can be used as an independent dish, after pickling them. Onion variety has a sharp and bitter taste, while shallots have a sweet taste and a peculiar piquancy.

Another important property of shallots is that it does not leave an unpleasant odor in the mouth, which is not typical for onion

It is characterized by high frost resistance, which increases its shelf life.

Composition and calorie content

Valuable properties of shallots are in a rich chemical composition. Like other representatives of the Onions, this variety is appreciated due to its antimicrobial, antifungal and disinfectant qualities. In addition, the product contains sugars, essential oils, antioxidant substances, mineral components and vitamins.

1. So, shallots contain mono- and disaccharides, which carry protein, and thereby provide cells with energy.
2. Minerals such as sodium, calcium, iron and phosphorus are involved in the normal functioning of various organs and systems of the body.
3. The composition of the product contains essential oils, among them phytoncides can be distinguished, the volatile part of which is capable of killing bacteria and microbes. This group of substances provides the prevention of viruses and infections.
4. Shallots are distinguished by the content of an antioxidant such as retinol. This substance has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin. With the regular use of such onions, the epidermis is cleansed, keratinized cells are removed, and the water balance is normalized. In addition, vitamin A affects the central nervous system, protects a person from neurosis and anxiety. This substance is able to improve the fat content and quality of breast milk, is involved in the regeneration of body tissues.
5. Vitamin E or tocopherol should also be noted. This substance also belongs to the group of antioxidant and bactericidal substances. Tocopherol provides the absorption of fats and proteins, improves immunity, cleans liver cells from free radicals, and acts as a prophylactic for oncological pathologies. Vitamin E is involved in the synthesis of red blood cells, dilates blood vessels and stimulates brain neurons. All this leads to increased concentration and improved memory.
6. Shallots contain B-group vitamins. So, thiamine provides the reproductive system in both men and women. That is, this substance is necessary for the health of the reproductive and development of the peripheral nervous system. Vitamin B1 also takes part in hematopoiesis. The substance strengthens eyesight, therefore it is useful to eat such onions for the prevention of cataracts. Niacin stabilizes cholesterol, protects blood vessels from the appearance of plaques on their walls, which leads to blockage of the blood channels. Vitamin PP is useful in the treatment of diabetes, as well as arthritis and osteoporosis.
7. Almost 90 percent of onions are known to be water. In combination with sugars and fiber, the product is able to normalize the digestive system. Shallots regulate metabolic processes, providing weight loss. This effect is also achieved due to pectin, starch and organic acids.

The calorie content of the green part of the vegetable is 18 kcal, and the onion itself has about 70 calories in 100 g.

What is the use of shallots

General benefit

With constant consumption of Ashkelon onion, most systems of the human body are restored. Firstly, it should be noted that the plant component will help to clear itself of parasites and bacteria. The disinfecting group of substances is represented by volatile, which act mainly in the digestive tract. If intestinal patency and absorption are reduced, residues of undigested food are deposited in the digestive tract, which subsequently rot and develop a pathogenic microflora. When it enters the stomach and intestinal lumen, the vegetable juice is able to suppress bacteria and increase peristalsis, ensuring the removal of toxins.

Due to potassium, magnesium and sodium, as well as some vitamins, the circulatory system is restored, namely, the elasticity and strength of blood vessels increases, blood pressure stabilizes, and the tone of the heart muscle improves. Iron in the product is responsible for maintaining the hemoglobin level at an optimal level.

A high concentration of antioxidant components and vitamin substances has a rejuvenating effect.These elements are able to improve metabolic processes in tissues, neutralize free radicals, and also remove toxic substances and cholesterol. With a sufficient content of these substances in the body, the dermis becomes elastic, hair, teeth and nail plates are strengthened.

A special place in the composition of the vegetable is occupied by such substances as quercetin and allicin. They also belong to antioxidants, have a hypotensive effect. Allicin protects the cardiovascular system.

Shallots also have a high potassium content, which is necessary for water-salt balance and maintaining muscle tone. In addition, this mineral element takes part in the metabolism of carbohydrates, improves metabolic processes. The composition of this onion contains substances that are effective in combating obesity.

For women

Probably the majority of the fair half are faced with a problem such as dysmenorrhea. This concept is a strong pain in the lower abdomen during menstruation. Chinese scientists have found that menstrual cramps appear due to insufficient heat. And to fix this, experts in the field of Chinese medicine recommend consuming products with a warming effect. Among them are all varieties of onions.

As already mentioned, the product contains allicin. This substance tones the dermis, protects it from premature aging and the appearance of wrinkles. Vitamin C in the composition of the product protects the skin from free radicals, makes them healthy and has a whitening effect. The latter property allows the use of green onions to remove freckles and age spots.

Such a plant product will help prevent inflammation. This property is ensured by the presence of antioxidant components in the composition of the plant, which have an anti-inflammatory effect. Sulfur and ascorbic acid are also strong in the fight against inflammation.

A green onion will help fight obesity. And this is due not only to the low calorie delicacy. A number of studies have shown that with the constant inclusion of such an ingredient in the diet, the amount of fat in the body decreases. The substances in the vegetable stimulate lipid metabolism and the breakdown of subcutaneous fat.

Effective shallots also with anemia. The cause of this disease is an unbalanced diet. As for the weaker sex, then they have such a condition with monthly blood loss associated with menstruation. Shallot is enriched with a mineral such as iron, therefore, will prevent the development of this disease.

For men

Ashkelon onions are appreciated not only for their unique characteristics for the whole organism as a whole, but also in particular for representatives of the stronger half. Experts recommend that men consume fresh vegetables.

Plant juice is enriched with many valuable enzymes that are necessary for men's health. This product is able to restore the functions of the reproductive system of men, as well as increase potency. In addition, the composition of the culture increases the synthesis and motility of sperm.

During pregnancy

Thanks to folic acid and useful minerals, the Ashkelon vegetable can prevent the development of many diseases in pregnant girls, ensuring the normal formation and development of internal organs and the skeletal system.

The rich vitamin composition of the product also benefits the body of the future mother. When such a plant is included in food, the woman’s body is enriched with substances that are necessary for normal life and a healthy pregnancy.

It should also be noted that the vegetable will help women in position to easily deal with constipation. However, it is necessary to observe the norms of consumption of the product so as not to harm or cause inflammation of the mucous membranes.

When breastfeeding

During lactation, eat this kind of onion with caution. It is recommended to consult a doctor first. Regular moderate consumption will help overcome seasonal vitamin deficiency and colds.

When breast-feeding a baby, the use of shallots for food can cause a change in the taste of milk.

For children

Most parents are aware of the benefits of onions, so they try to introduce a new product to their child’s menu as early as possible. However, it should be remembered that such a vegetable can be given to children from the age of three.

If you want to introduce a child to such a vegetable crop earlier than the specified time, you need to follow certain recommendations. So, starting from the age of seven months, when zucchini, carrots and potatoes are already present in the child’s diet, onions can be cooked.

Despite all the useful characteristics of the product, you should not give the raw vegetable to the kids, or its quantity should be minimized by combining the product with salads, soups and other foods. This will protect the mucous membranes of the internal organs from irritation.

Onions can be used not only as a food product, but also as a way to treat various ailments. So, with the help of juice based on Ashkelon onion, a remedy is obtained for the treatment of cough, sore throat and runny nose. You can also use this composition for inhalation. This will free the respiratory system of mucus. However, you should be aware that such procedures can only be carried out after 3 years and consultations with a pediatrician.

To reduce the irritation that often occurs on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, onions can be given to children only after the main meal. It is also important to combine this culture with honey and milk. The same requirement applies for the treatment of cough. In this case, the child should eat the product together with water or milk. To add flavor to this composition, you can add a sweetener in the form of sugar, honey or jam.

As you know, during seasonal diseases, children are more susceptible to infection. To protect your child, it is recommended to chop a head or two of these onions, put on a plate and put on the table. This method will allow for general disinfection of the room. Such aromatherapy has a beneficial effect on all functions of the human body. Essential oils in the plant are designed to moisturize the nasopharynx. They also facilitate breathing.

In order not to harm the health of the child, you should constantly monitor the consumption of vegetable crops by children. It is important to consider that onions are an acute product that can greatly affect digestive mucous membranes. Uncontrolled intake can cause abdominal pain.

When losing weight

Shallots are able to break down fats, improve their absorption, and normalize metabolic processes. It is these qualities that are appreciated if necessary to lose weight. Even if this vegetable is added to fatty and fried dishes, it will help to neutralize the negative effect of fats on the human body. But, of course, during weight loss, eating such harmful foods should not be.

Onions can be included in the diet while following diets. In this case, it is recommended to use shallots. Such diets involve the use of a special vegetable soup with the addition of a large amount of onion. For example, you can use the following recipe. It will take only 2 carrots, 4-5 tomatoes, 6 onions, 2 peppers and fresh herbs. Boil all the ingredients. Pre-simmer shallots until transparent. In this dish, add any spices and spices, as for salt, it should be used in moderation.

You can follow such a diet based on onion soup for a week. At this time, it is allowed to eat vegetables and fruits. Twice a week you can eat fish and meat dishes. Of course, such ingredients should be steamed, baked in the oven or cooked.

You can also cook onion sauce and use it on the menu once a day. To prepare it, you need to chop 5-6 onions, stew them with spices, and then add a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp. tomato paste and vegetable broth with greens. Cook the dish for a quarter of an hour, and then grind the mass with a blender. You can use it for dressing meat and soups.The resulting sauce helps to better digest food and protects against the deposition of fat in problem areas.

Another way to lose weight with shallots is to add it to salads. Vegetable salads themselves are useful, but if you add this plant component, the process of losing weight will accelerate. However, in this case, you will need to adjust your menu and abandon sweets and flour products.

Shallots in folk medicine

To cure purulent wounds, it is necessary to cut the bulb into two parts, attach to the affected area with a cut and bandage it. The components in the plant will accelerate tissue renewal and destroy pathogenic microbes.

Viral diseases

For the treatment of viral diseases and flu, it is recommended to rub the head of shallots, place in a teapot and use the spout of the dish to inhale the vapors for 15–20 minutes.

From burns

Shallots can be used to treat burns. In this case, it is necessary to combine the onion gruel with salt and grated soap. The resulting composition as soon as possible to attach to the affected area.

From corns

To eliminate corns, you should take onion husks and pour vinegar so that the plant material is drowned in a liquid. Cover the dishes tightly and place in a dark place for two weeks. After the specified period, remove the husk, dry it slightly and apply on corns all night, bandaging it. Treat the skin around the callus with a greasy cream. In the morning, hold your foot in hot water and cut off the corn. Repeat the procedure until such a defect disappears completely.

Toothache

If you have toothache, you can rub onion juice into the gums around the affected tooth.

From worms

To obtain an anthelmintic, it is recommended to eat raw onions before breakfast in 3 small heads. The duration of such therapy is 4 days. You can also prepare an infusion. To do this, finely chop 1 head, mix with a glass of cold water and leave for 10-12 hours. Ready to use before breakfast 4 days in a row. For every day, prepare a fresh solution. The same infusion is used for enemas.

For vessels

To clean the vessels and normalize blood pressure, you should combine an equal amount of grated onion and honey of honey. Take medicine for 1 tbsp. 3-4 times a day.

In case of malfunction of the menstrual cycle

It is necessary to take onion peel with 1 kg of vegetable, pour 400 ml of boiling water, simmer over low heat for 15-20 minutes. After cooling, filter the solution and consume 100 ml in the morning before meals. Therapy should be continued for 14 days.

With diabetes

It is recommended to cut 3 shallots, fill them with 300 ml of warm water and set aside to stand all night. The filtered composition is consumed in 50 ml 3 times a day on an empty stomach.

With hemorrhoids

Shallots are also used to treat hemorrhoids. In this case, you need to drink 1 tsp. onion juice before each meal.

Hair masks with shallots

Shallots can be used to make hair masks. This plant is suitable for all types of hair. As a result of the use of such compounds, hair grows better, acquires shine and silkiness. In addition, dandruff disappears. To achieve a positive effect from the procedure, you must complete a course of 30-40 procedures. You can use such masks every other day. To obtain a healing mass, mix 2 tbsp. onion juice with 1 tablespoon cognac, the same amount of kefir, sea salt, natural honey and burdock oil. Apply the resulting mixture to the scalp and distribute along the entire length of the curls.After that, put on a plastic cap and insulate with a towel on top. The mask should be valid for an hour.

To stimulate hair growth, it is necessary to combine in equal proportions onion juice, as well as carrot and lemon squeeze. In addition, add 0.5 tsp to the mask. almond and burdock oil, as well as 1 tsp. dry yeast soaked in 2 tablespoons of water. Also keep on hair 60 minutes.

You can also mix 1 tbsp. burdock oil, grated Ashkelon onion and hot pepper tincture. You will also need 1 egg yolk, 5 drops of retinol, 1 tbsp. castor oil. After combining the above components add 3 drops of sage oil.

Beauticians believe that hair, which is subjected to frequent dyeing, drying with a hairdryer and using other tools and cosmetics, is most absorbed by the onion smell. In order to get rid of the unpleasant smell of shallots after applying these masks, you need to mix water with apple cider vinegar in equal proportions. Rinse the hair with the resulting composition after washing off the treatment mask.

Cooking Application

Shallots are considered one of the most popular spices in the whole world. It can be used not only in the fresh state, but also in the marinated, as well as in the dried form. Most often it is included in soups, sauces and salads, used as a spice. The bulb of this plant is characterized by lilac color, which allows you to give the dish a variety of colors.

Pickled vegetable

You can pickle Ashkelon onions. This method is the most common. For this, the root crop must be blanched for 2 minutes, and then quickly cooled with cold water and cleaned. To prepare the marinade you will need 1 liter of water, 1 tbsp. salt, 2 tbsp. sugar, a few peas of black pepper, a couple of cloves of cloves, as well as several bay leaves. Bring the resulting composition to a boil, then add 1 tsp. vinegar essence. Pour this mixture into cans with onions and sterilize for a quarter of an hour. After this, blank the blanks. To make the color of the solution more beautiful, add a piece of beet to the jar.

Baked vegetable with honey

Shallots can also be baked with honey. In this case, you should cut the vegetable crop and put in a mold. After that, mix honey with a small amount of oil and pour the chopped onions with the resulting composition. This dish can be supplemented with dried fruits and nuts. Bake in the oven at 150 degrees for 30 minutes.

Onion cream soup

Onion cream soup is also considered popular. To obtain it, you must first blanch 0.5 kg of product in slightly salted water. After that, rinse, squeeze and grind the raw materials using a mixer. Next, chop 5 onions and a clove of garlic and sauté until golden. Add 1.5 kg of spinach to this and fry the mass. Now it remains only to mix the resulting mashed potatoes and fry, salt, season with spices and serve.

What can be replaced

This variety of onion is used in the process of preparing dishes, sauces and salads, where the aroma and taste of this vegetable should not drown out the taste and aromatic properties of the main components. Shallot differs from ordinary onions a little, except with a more refined and delicate smell and taste. If the recipe contains shallots, it can be replaced with the usual onions or red. As for salads, instead of the specified ingredient, you can also use green feathers of other varieties.

How to eat shallots

In cooking, both bulbs and young shoots of this culture are used. If we compare shallots with other relatives, it is not so sharp, it contains more glucose and ascorbic acid. His taste is also milder among all members of the Onion family.

Young feathers of the plant have a juiciness and delicate aftertaste. They are used for salads, pickled, stewed, fried dishes. Onions can be served with meat, fish and vegetables. It is also used as a seasoning for marinades and wine vinegar.

For quick onion cleaning, it is recommended to dip the onion in boiling water for several minutes, after which the skin will be easily removed.

Harm and contraindications

This species should not be abused. It is necessary to add it to food products in moderation, since exceeding the permissible doses can provoke undesirable consequences. If after using this culture unpleasant symptoms appear, its further consumption is possible only after consulting a doctor.

The vegetable is not capable of causing much harm, but it is still important to take into account some contraindications to the use of shallots.

First of all, use should be limited in the presence of pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. If pancreatitis, colitis, gastritis are diagnosed, it is important to know that the amino acids in the root crop can irritate the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines.

Pathologies of the kidneys and urinary system are also a limitation to the use of such delicacies in large quantities. After all, its consumption leads to stagnation of fluid in the body and difficulty urinating.

How to choose and store

Before buying, you need to feel the onion. Strong surface and weightiness testify to a good product. Dry and soft fruits will not be stored for a long time.

If the shallots sprouted onions, this indicates that the product is old.

Keep this vegetable culture in a well-ventilated area. In the refrigerator, such a plant will begin to sprout. It can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. It is best to hang the raw materials in a mesh stocking. In the presence of a dry room, the storage duration is two months.

Interesting Facts

1. Ashkelon onion is considered an aristocratic product. This is due to the fact that this variety has unique features and many advantages. We are talking about thin feathers with a delicate taste and vitamin-rich composition.
2. The Egyptians used the culture as an ornamental plant due to unusual flowers. Most often, such a root crop planted in the temples of the gods. It was noted that ministers who spent a lot of time here were very rarely ill.
3. India is considered the largest importer of shallots. Not a single meal is complete without such a healthy treat.
4. This variety of onions contains much more sugar than apples and pears.

Photo of shallots