For centuries, alliums like onions and garlic have been prized for their remarkable flavor and health benefits. A Jewish folktale illustrates their significance:
Once upon a time, a man heard from a traveler about a wealthy kingdom that did not use onions in its cuisine, as the inhabitants had never seen or heard of the tasty bulbs.
The enterprising man packed a cart with onions and traveled to the kingdom, where he presented the onions to the king.
The king loved them. And he rewarded the man by filling his cart with gold. Upon returning to his village, the man told his neighbors what had happened. One of them reasoned that he could make even more money by introducing garlic to this kingdom. After all, garlic is even more pungent and delicious than onions!
The neighbor’s intuition proved correct. The king adored garlic and proclaimed it the best-tasting food he had ever eaten. Mere gold wouldn’t adequately compensate for this delicacy. Instead, he sent the man home with the greatest treasure his kingdom could supply: a cart full of onions!
This story tells us a lot about humans’ love of alliums, a unique family of plants widely used in traditional medicine and everyday food.
Even if you haven’t heard the term “allium” before, you’re probably more familiar with these vegetables than you think. You may often eat the most common ones, such as onions and garlic.
Me? I eat alliums almost daily, and love them almost as much as the king did in that story!
All(ium) in the Family — What Are the Allium Vegetables?
Although the Latin word allium originally referred only to garlic, the term was broadened to include other plants in the same family, including onions, leeks, scallions, chives, and shallots.
The history and uses of these pungent bulbs go back a long way. In the Bible, the Children of Israel who have been liberated from Egypt complain to Moses about the lack of good food in the desert, reminiscing specifically about leeks, onion, and garlic.
Garlic
Garlic has been used since the dawn of recorded history; archeologists have discovered bulbs in Egyptian pyramids and ancient Greek temples. (I can just imagine Howard Carter and his expedition uncovering King Tutankhamun’s tomb in 1922, seeing all those gold treasures, and getting excited by a mummified bulb: “Say, old chap, can you pass the hummus? I believe there’s some garlic here that would do it a treat.”)
Ancient Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Indian medical texts describe the healing uses of garlic.
Throughout recorded history, garlic and its extracts have been used to treat various conditions, including leprosy, deafness, earaches, gastrointestinal problems, parasitic infections, and fevers. (Perhaps one of its most well-known uses, though, is repelling vampires!)
It was also one of the earliest interventions used in historical epidemics, such as cholera, typhus, dysentery, and influenza. During the 1918 Spanish flu pandemic, it’s said that people wore necklaces of garlic around their necks to ward off the virus.
Today, garlic is most popular as a spice or seasoning for food with a strong aroma and flavor.
When you buy or eat garlic, it’s usually just the clove or bulb. But did you know you can also eat the green shoots (called scapes) that grow off the cloves?
Garlic is available in whole bulb form, in cloves, as a paste, minced, or ground into garlic powder. It’s delicious in many savory recipes, such as pasta dishes, stews, sauces, and marinades.
Onions
Onions may be a commonplace household staple today, but people treated them with reverence in the past.
Ancient Egyptians viewed onions as sacred. They even buried pharaohs with them, believing their round shape and internal rings symbolized eternity. In the Middle Ages, onions were used as currency to pay for goods and rent.
Many ancient healing modalities recognized the power of onions. Perhaps informing their reverence for the bulbs, ancient Egyptians utilized onions’ antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Traditional Chinese medicine practitioners also prescribed onion tea for various ailments like digestive diseases, viruses, and arthritis.
Today, science has validated many of these practices. Both onions and garlic have been found to have cancer-prevention properties, especially for colorectal cancers.
Onions come in a variety of colors like white, yellow, and purple, as well as different sizes, and they have a wide range of cooking uses, too. They can be used as a base for soups, stews, and chilis, cooked into stir-fries and burrito bowls, or eaten raw in salads and salsas.
Many grocery stores sell red, white, yellow, pearl, and sweet onions. Onions are also available as onion powder, minced onion, pickled onion, and crispy onion, which is more processed (typically fried) and used in green bean casseroles.
Whole onions are generally inexpensive and are shelf-stable for long periods when kept in cool, dry places.
Chives
Like other alliums, chives have several health benefits and have been revered for their healing properties. One study on Chinese chives found that the flavonoids and amino acids could even benefit skeletal muscle growth. Move over spinach; it turns out chives can make you strong!
Chives are some of the hardiest plants in the allium family. They’re cultivated as a perennial herb, meaning they’ll keep growing year after year.
Chives are easy to grow yourself (whether indoors or outdoors). Sometimes, I forget I planted them until they pop up — usually even more densely — in my garden the following year. And if you don’t remember to cut them down in the fall, they’ll start growing beautiful purple flowers and lose some of their pungency.
These allium flowers — called chive blossoms — are edible and great on salads. Did you pick chives from the garden and chew on them as a kid? I did, and while the taste was a bit sharp, it was also highly memorable.
In addition to being eaten this way, chives are a great topping for many dishes, such as tofu scrambles, baked potatoes, soups, and vegetable pancakes. Use them when fresh for the best flavor.
Shallots
Shallots are sometimes considered a gourmet onion, thanks to their association with classic French cooking. The French revere shallots for their mild yet distinct flavor.
In France, shallot bulbs, rather than seeds, are planted by hand. The shallots themselves are also harvested and dried by hand. This process and their gourmet association are reflected in their higher price than onions at grocery stores.
Despite their elevated price, shallots offer many of the same health benefits as their more “working-class” allium relatives. Thanks to their antibacterial and antioxidant properties, they have been studied as a potential treatment for salmonella.
The most common type of shallot is the pink Jersey shallot, followed by the French gray shallot. To tone down the strength of the flavor, you can use shallots in recipes instead of onions. Shallots are best used in dressings, sauces, baked goods, and salads.
Scallions
Scallions are long, skinny green onions with a white bulb at the end. They’re also known as green onions, spring onions, Welsh onions, or Japanese bunching onions. Originally native to Asia, scallions are now popular worldwide.
Green onions are known for their vitamin K content, which is essential for blood clotting and bone health. They’re also a good vitamin C source, contributing to their immune-supporting health benefits.
The green and white parts of a scallion offer different tastes and are used in different dishes. They’re good in Asian dishes like stir-fries, Chinese scallion pancakes, and noodle recipes. They also work well in salads, chilis, and soups.
Leeks
Leeks look a bit like scallions that didn’t skip leg day; they’re a lot thicker, with less bend in the stalk. Leeks also have green and white parts, all of which you can eat.
The leek has been Wales’s national symbol for centuries. One legend says that soldiers began wearing leeks in their helmets by order of St. David (who was a vegetarian, no less!) during a battle against the Saxons. To this day, many Welsh people honor St. David’s Day by wearing leeks on their lapels.
Leeks have long been utilized and studied in traditional Chinese medicine. Like other allium family vegetables, leeks benefit the immune system and have been shown to improve blood circulation and detoxification.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy leeks is in potato leek soup. Leeks are also great in grain bowls, salads, and pasta dishes.
Allium Nutrition
Allium vegetables are nutritional powerhouses, containing many compounds that benefit your health. These veggies are low in calories while rich in vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds that support important bodily functions.
A standout feature of alliums is their high sulfur content, which is partly responsible for their characteristic aroma and many of their health benefits. The taste and odor that so many of us love about alliums are the same reasons predators in the wild can’t stand them. This zestiness is a natural defense system.
Alliums release their sulfuric compounds when their tissue is damaged. Raw garlic, in particular, gains health-promoting power by resting for 10 minutes after being cut, chopped, or minced to activate the enzymes that convert to the sulfur-containing allicin compound. (By resting, I don’t mean giving a tiny pillow on the kitchen counter, but instead giving 10 minutes to sit before being cooked.)
Alliums can lend us their defensive power after we eat them. Organosulfur compounds are known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. These compounds also help support heart health by promoting healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Many alliums are an excellent source of vitamin C, which boosts the immune system and supports skin health. They also provide B vitamins like folate and B6, which are essential for energy production and brain function, among other things.
Additionally, these vegetables contain essential minerals such as potassium, manganese, and selenium, which are critical for maintaining healthy muscles, bones, and metabolism.
Another important feature of alliums is their fiber content. Onions and garlic are rich in soluble fibers called fructans, which can help promote healthy gut bacteria. This is one reason members of this vegetable family are so potent at supporting a healthy microbiome.
One cup of chopped raw onions contains approximately 2.7 grams of fiber. Onions, garlic, and other allium-family vegetables can help you reach the recommended intake of 25–35 grams of fiber per day.
5 Fabulous Health Benefits of Allium Vegetables
There are many excellent benefits of eating more alliums. Let’s unpeel some of these layers.
1. Alliums Have Antioxidant Power
The allium family offers powerful antioxidants, such as quercetin, which can have therapeutic applications in treating chronic diseases. Research suggests that quercetin can slow the growth of tumors, particularly in colon cancer, and may work in conjunction with other flavonoids like resveratrol as a potential cancer treatment.
Garlic, onions, leeks, and chives also contain other flavonoids that promote the production of glutathione, known as “the mother of all antioxidants” because it’s crucial for every cell in the body. It protects cells from damage, boosts the immune system, and supports the liver in detoxifying harmful substances.
Incorporating antioxidant-rich foods like alliums into your diet can reduce your overall risk of death and the development of cancer.
2. Alliums Are Heart-Healthy
Eating garlic and onions is good for your heart. These veggies are known to prevent blood clots, lower triglycerides, and plaque buildup in your arteries.
A 2017 study in the Journal of Hypertension examined the relationship between frequent consumption of allium vegetables and the incidence of cardiovascular disease. The researchers followed over 3,000 men and women for an average of six years, using food frequency questionnaires to evaluate their diet.
Even after adjusting for potential confounding variables, like whether participants exercised, smoked, or were overweight, researchers found that those who consistently ate more allium vegetables (at least 39 grams a week, to be specific) reduced their risk of cardiovascular and associated kidney disease by a stunning 64% compared to those who consumed almost no alliums. That’s right — eating less than the weight of a golf ball in alliums over seven days was associated with a huge improvement in health outcomes.
3. Alliums Have Antimicrobial Properties
Studies have shown that pure allicin (one of the compounds in garlic) can be effective against multidrug-resistant strains of E. coli, Candida albicans, and human intestinal parasites and viruses.
A 2015 study conducted at a hospital in Western India showed that garlic juice was effective against E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus, two bacteria commonly found in hospital settings.
This is particularly important because, amidst a full-blown antibiotic resistance crisis, modern medicine is increasingly ineffective against “superbugs.” Instead, natural substances, such as allicin, may be necessary alternatives as pharmaceuticals lose their effectiveness.
4. Alliums Help Prevent Cancer
A meta-analysis published in the journal Gastroenterology found that people who ate large amounts of alliums had a lower risk of gastric cancer.
The researchers reviewed outcomes from 21 studies on allium vegetables and gastric cancer conducted between 1966 and 2010, which involved over half a million participants. They concluded that high consumption of onion, garlic, leek, Chinese chive, scallion, and garlic stalk has a strong potential for cancer prevention.
Additional studies show the benefit of eating alliums for other types of cancers:
- The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) is a vast, ongoing study of people from 10 countries that looks at the impact of nutrition on cancer. So far, it has found that those who eat more onions and garlic have a reduced risk of intestinal cancer.
- According to a 2019 study in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, alliums may also reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, even in the face of tobacco and alcohol usage.
- Researchers in China also found garlic and scallions especially promising in reducing the risk of prostate cancer in men.
- A 2016 study published in the Journal of Breast Cancer found that eating a lot of garlic and leeks could reduce breast cancer risk.
5. Alliums Have Anti-Inflammatory Effects
Alliums are also great for reducing inflammation, which is one reason they’re said to have potential anti-aging effects.
The quercetin in onions can be therapeutic for inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and painful joints.
South Korean researchers isolated thiacremonone, an organosulfur compound in garlic, and found that it displayed anti-inflammatory properties. Raw garlic may offer greater anti-inflammatory benefits than cooked garlic, as heating reduces its allicin activity and diminishes its benefits.
Why Alliums Aren’t for Everyone
Although alliums are accessible across most demographics and offer health benefits for many people, they are not for everyone.
Some people are advised to avoid including allium vegetables in their diet:
People with IBS
Between 25 and 45 million people in the United States experience Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. IBS is a gastrointestinal disorder that can cause extreme stomach discomfort and changes in bowel habits. The most popular alliums — garlic, leeks, shallots, and onions — are very high in fructans, which can sometimes trigger IBS symptoms.
Ayurvedic Diet Followers
The Ayurvedic diet, developed alongside the traditional practice of yoga in India, is deeply rooted in the idea that the human body should remain in balance with nature and the universe. This diet categorizes foods based on their energetic qualities and effects on the body, mind, and spirit. Interestingly, allium vegetables, such as onions and garlic, are among the foods that may be limited or avoided in certain Ayurvedic dietary practices, even though they are widely used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Ayurvedic practitioners classify foods according to their influence on the three doshas — vata, pitta, and kapha — and their impact on sattva (purity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia). Garlic and onions are believed to fall under the rajasic and tamasic categories, meaning they can overstimulate the mind (rajasic) and create heaviness or dullness (tamasic), which may hinder spiritual clarity and emotional balance.
Even if you follow Ayurveda, dietary avoidance of garlic and onions may depend on your lifestyle, spiritual goals, and dosha type.
Allium Allergies
Allergies to plants in the allium genus, including garlic, onions, leeks, shallots, and chives, are rare but can significantly impact the quality of life due to the widespread use of these vegetables in cooking.
Symptoms vary from mild to severe and may include skin reactions such as hives or allergic contact dermatitis, particularly after handling raw garlic or onion.
Respiratory symptoms like wheezing and coughing can occur, especially in environments where garlic or onion dust is inhaled.
Gastrointestinal distress, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain, is also possible upon ingestion. In rare cases, severe reactions like anaphylaxis have been reported, even in infants.
If you have an allergy to allium vegetables, of course, don’t consume them!
Why Alliums Make Your Eyes Water
Onions, leeks, scallions, and shallots don’t just make you jump for joy at their tastes and health benefits; they can also make you cry. It’s called the lachrymatory factor — and it’s due to an enzyme that can make your eyes water. The effect of this enzyme intensifies when alliums are cut or chopped.
Want to chop onions without crying your eyes out? This video shows you one way to cut an onion to prevent crying:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1FfZiiK-I4
Note for the video: You can compost the inner bulb instead of throwing it in the garbage disposal.
Here are a few more ideas that might help stop crying over onions:
- Use a sharp knife.
- Try cutting onions under running water.
- Run the vent hood on your oven
- Try freezing onions for a little while (but not too long so that they become mushy).
- Squint your eyes while chopping.
- Or you can always try wearing goggles.
When you’re done cutting onions, wash your hands well, and don’t rub your eyes!
Recipes With Onion, Garlic, and Other Alliums
Discover the savory, aromatic world of alliums with these three delicious recipes! From the bold flavors of leeks and garlic to the zesty kick of green onions, alliums are the unsung heroes of the kitchen. They bring depth to dishes and offer incredible health benefits, such as immune support and anti-inflammatory properties. Get ready to savor the versatility and goodness of these nutrient-packed powerhouses.
1. Garlic Shallot “Butter”
This Garlic Shallot “Butter” is a savory celebration of alliums, blending the sweet richness of shallots with the bold flavor of garlic. Cashews and plant-based milk create a creamy base, while vegetable broth adds a touch of umami. A pinch of salt ties it all together. Packed with heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory benefits, this spread is perfect as a drizzle, dip, or swirl. Elevate your dishes with this simple, flavor-packed upgrade!
2. Chickpea Scallion Pancakes With Kimchi
These Chickpea Scallion Pancakes showcase the savory magic of alliums. Green onions, garlic powder, and onion powder deliver zesty depth and a host of health benefits, from supporting immunity to promoting heart health. Balanced with chickpea flour and plant-based buttermilk, the pancakes are light, protein-packed, and flavorful. Topped with sesame seeds, tangy kimchi, and a drizzle of creamy kimchi mayo, this dish is a delicious fusion of taste and nutrition — perfect for any meal.
3. Potato Leek Soup
Dive into a bowl of cozy goodness with this Potato Leek Soup, where the flavor-packed charm of alliums takes center stage. Leeks, yellow onion, and garlic combine to create a savory, aromatic base that’s as comforting as nourishing. Known for their immune-supporting and anti-inflammatory powers, these alliums make every spoonful as wholesome as it is flavorful. Creamy potatoes and hearty white beans add satisfying richness, while thyme and a splash of lemon brighten things up. Topped with a sprinkle of fresh chives and even more allium flair, this soup is the perfect mix of comfort and vibrancy!
Alliums Are Worth Adding to Your Diet (in Most Cases)!
From their rich history in traditional medicine to their indispensable role in kitchens around the world, alliums are truly extraordinary plants. Their powerful health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, make them valuable allies in promoting overall well-being.
Whether you use garlic to season a sauce, onions as the base of a soup, or chives as a garnish, these vegetables contribute far more than just flavor — they nourish the body and support a healthy lifestyle.
Of course, alliums aren’t for everyone. Those with allergies, IBS, or specific dietary restrictions may need to avoid them. But for most people, incorporating alliums into their meals is an easy way to boost the taste and nutrition of their dishes.
Tell us in the comments:
- Do you like allium vegetables or find them too strong in taste or odor?
- What’s your favorite way to use alliums at home?
Featured Image: iStock.com/Liudmila Chernetska
