NOURISH O · VEGETABLE · BULB
Red Onion
Bright, beautifully layered and full of character. Crisp when raw; mellow and sweet when cooked.
A little sharpness, beautiful purple rings and sweetness waiting to unfold.
What it brings
Red onion contributes fibre and variety to a balanced diet. It contains flavonoids including quercetin, a plant compound explored in nutrition research.
Its lively flavour can make vegetables, beans and grains especially enjoyable to prepare and eat.
In the kitchen
Slice finely for a crisp salad, soften into soup, or roast thick wedges alongside beetroot. Give cooked onion time to become tender and sweet.
Roots & traditions
Onion has a documented history as food and in traditional medicinal use. Kew records uses for the species Allium cepa. Specific traditions deserve their own names and context as our pantry grows.
Explore the evidence & tradition
Human studies here tested specially prepared onion powders or extracts. Those products differ from ordinary red onion in a meal. Historical use and clinical evidence offer different kinds of knowledge.
NHS: fibre and digestion
Nishimura et al.: quercetin-rich onion powder
Brüll et al.: onion-skin extract
Kew: Allium cepa
Sources reviewed 16 October 2026.