Why garlic and onions? Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately called “the stinking rose”. A member of the lily or Allium family, which also includes onions, garlic is rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds including thiosulfinates. While these compounds are responsible for garlic’s pungent odor, they are also the source of many of its health-promoting effects. In addition, garlic is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C and a good source of selenium.
Onions are low in calories yet add abundant flavor to a wide variety of foods. With only 45 calories per serving, onions are fat and cholesterol free, very low in sodium, high in vitamin C, and a good source of fiber and other key nutrients. Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have been associated with a variety of health benefits. Research shows that onions may help guard against many chronic diseases. That’s probably because onions contain generous amounts of a flavonoid called quercetin. Onions not only provide flavor; they also provide health-promoting phytochemicals as well as nutrients.
Making garlic and onions a staple in your healthy way of eating may greatly lower your risk of several common cancers, suggests study from Southern European populations (Galeone C, Pelucchi C et al, American Journal of Clinical Nutrition). Study participants consuming the most garlic had a 39% reduced risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 57% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 26% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 44% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer, 10% reduced risk for breast cancer, 22% reduced risk for ovarian cancer, 19% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 31% reduced risk for renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least garlic. Similarly, those eating the most onions showed an 84% reduced risk for cancer of the oral cavity and pharynx, 88% reduced risk for esophageal cancer, 56% reduced risk for colorectal cancer, 83% reduced risk for laryngeal cancer, 25% reduced risk for breast cancer, 73% reduced risk for ovarian cancer, 71% reduced risk for prostate cancer, and 38% reduced risk for renal cell cancer, compared to those eating the least onions.
So it stands to reason we should be eating garlic and onions, lots of them. There are so many varieties of both to choose from. Red, yellow, green and white onions are just the beginning and garlic comes in many varieties also: Persian Star, Inchelium Red, Chet’s Italian Red, Chrysalis Purple and Elephant garlic. So what’s the problem?
For me garlic and onions are not a problem in any way. I love them fresh or cooked. I like all the varieties and flavors. Unfortunately, not all of my children feel the same way. What’s a mom to do? I have found a few things that help my children eat them, because I rarely cook anything without garlic and onions. Here are a few ideas to try:
I will often grate rather than chop my onions before sautéing them. My kids tell me it is not so much the flavor that they don’t like; it is the texture of the onions. When I grate them, they don’t seem to even notice the onions in their food. You can also grate garlic using a microplane or the smallest side of a box grater.
If I am going to make a soup or stew, sometimes I will take the garlic and onions after sautéing and puree them in the blender with some of the stock for the soup. Then when I add the carrots, potatoes and other vegetables, the kids don’t even know garlic and onions are in there.
You can also try roasting garlic. Cut the tops of the garlic. Place on parchment paper or wax paper with a layer of foil underneath. Pour the olive oil over the garlic and sprinkle with a little salt. Wrap the parchment and foil around the top of the garlic. Roast in a 350°F over for about 1 hour until the garlic is soft and caramelized. Allow the garlic to cool before trying to work with it. I have a great recipe for Roasted Garlic Cheese Spread. Give it a try.
I love onions and garlic. With all the evidence indicating they are super-foods, I am going to continue to eat them in abundance. Maybe you should, too.
“I will not move my army without onions!”
-Ulysses S. Grant
“It’s hard to imagine civilization without onions.”
-Julia Child
“Let first the onion flourish there, Rose among the roots, the maiden-fair Wine scented and poetic soul of the capacious salad bowl.” -Robert Stevenson
“The onion and its satin wrappings is among the most beautiful of vegetables and is the only one that represents the essence of things. “
-My Summer in a Garden by Charles Dudley Warner
“For this is every cook’s opinion,
No savoury dish without an onion;
But lest your kissing should be spoiled,
Your onions should be thoroughly boiled.”
-Jonathon Swift, Irish satirist
“No one is indifferent to garlic. People either love it or hate it, and most good cooks seem to belong in the first group.”
-Faye Levy
“The air of Provence was particularly perfumed by the refined essence of this mystically attractive bulb.”
-Alexandre Dumas
“The best thing to do with garlic of course, is to eat it.”
-Sylvia Rubin
