Purple onions are a type of onion. Those who have not eaten it may be confused by the color of the pulp and onion peel.
Their shades may differ in intensity from variety to variety, but all belong to the red-violet range, so many believe that these are red onions.
Features of red onion
All varieties with reddish flesh, like traditional onions (white flesh, yellow husk), are divided into three groups according to taste:
- spicy varieties;
- semi-sharp varieties;
- sweet varieties.
The flesh of pungent varieties still tastes less sharp than that of bulbs with yellow husks. There are many varieties and hybrids of purple onions. For any region, you can choose a variety suitable for the ripening period. You need to pay attention to the keeping quality characteristics if the goal is to grow purple onions for winter storage. Most varieties of red onions are used for salad purposes and do not store well.
About the benefits
Now everyone is passionately interested in the topic of healthy eating and is actively studying the beneficial properties of foods, fruits and vegetables. The favorites are those vegetables that contain vitamins and beneficial microelements. It is the healing composition of the pulp that explains the growing interest in the red (purple) variety of onions in recent years.
Red varieties contain a full range of microelements and a large amount of vitamin C.
As you know, we need it to protect ourselves from the aggressive influence of the external environment, helps keep our immunity in shape, fight various seasonal infections and keep cancer cells under control.
The juice and pulp of red turnips contain anthocyanins - pigments (coloring substances from the group of glycosides) that have an antioxidant effect. Once in the body, glycosides:
- fight bacteria;
- normalize blood sugar levels;
- slow down the aging process in the body;
- serve as cancer prevention.
Nutritionists have paid attention to the beneficial properties of the red vegetable; in their opinion, women achieve results faster by including it in their daily diet. The body is cleansed of toxins, the digestive system becomes toned, fats are broken down, and bad cholesterol goes away.
It is useful for women to eat purple onions during menstruation; they reduce pain and normalize the length of the menstrual cycle. Red turnip juice is used to treat colds and bronchitis, and is used as a preventive measure during epidemics of ARVI and influenza.
The medicinal properties of the purple vegetable are not limited to this. Red (purple) turnip is useful for people prone to allergies; it contains quercetin, which helps relieve unpleasant symptoms and reduces swelling. Studies have shown that daily consumption of red onions improves the condition of blood vessels and reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack.
There is a category of people who have both benefits and harm from eating red onions. People with severe pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, and liver should use with caution. Pregnant and lactating women should eat red turnips in moderation; during this period of life, any excesses are harmful.
A few simple recipes
Use purple onion juice for minor health problems and for cosmetic purposes. This is an excellent folk hair care product. Before washing your hair, you need to rub a small amount of purple turnip juice into your scalp. The mask improves the appearance of hair, makes it shiny, helps get rid of dandruff, and stimulates growth.
Red onion juice will help if you have been bitten by mosquitoes or other blood-sucking insects. You need to lubricate the bite sites with it, the itching and inflammation will go away. The juice will help with sprained ligaments; you can make compresses with it, they will help relieve inflammation and reduce pain.
You can use purple onion juice to solve more serious health problems:
- Fight worms. To do this, pour 1 head with 1 glass of warm, boiled water for 7 hours.Drink ½ glass on an empty stomach for 5 days.
- For colds (ARVI, acute respiratory infections), mix juice with honey 1:1 and drink 1 tbsp at least 4 times a day. l.
- Use an infusion of 2 crushed heads filled with warm water (1 glass) as a diuretic. Leave for 8 hours, drink ¼ glass 3 times a day.
Grow red onions!
You can buy a healthy vegetable in any supermarket, but onions from the garden, grown with your own hands, will bring more benefits. It is grown in the same way as regular onions and propagated using sets.
Variety selection
Summer residents should pay attention to Carmen, a new variety of purple onion with a beautiful name. It has a piquant taste and is juicy. An average-sized turnip weighs about 80 g, large bulbs - 120 g. The better the agricultural technology, the more convincing the size. Carmen is not called a red onion for nothing; the skin is shiny, red, red-blue or red-violet.
A two-germ variety of Dutch selection, it ripens early (85–90 days), recommended for cultivation throughout the Russian Federation. Residents of the northern regions should pay attention to the Carmen onion; it has time to ripen during the short summer. The turnip has a rounded-flattened shape, the length of the feather is 30 cm. The color of the pulp is white, the taste is semi-sharp. Luk Carmen Used raw, it is great for salads and contains a lot of vitamin C.
Landing
The place for the onion bed should be well lit, and rainwater should not stagnate in the rows. Light and fertile soil with a pH of 6 to 7 is more suitable for growth. Dolomite flour should be added in spring or autumn if the pH is lower (the soil is acidic).
When digging, you need to add humus (compost) and ash; add organic matter in moderation; excess impairs keeping quality.Sets grow well after any types of cabbage, legumes and potatoes. Its plantings can be combined with carrots. These two crops are good neighbors and repel pests from each other: onion and carrot flies.
Treat the sets before planting. Soak for 30 minutes in a pink solution of potassium permanganate to destroy harmful microorganisms. To speed up germination, soak in a growth stimulator. Place the processed purple turnip in a canvas bag and plant it in open ground after 2 days. The planting depth of purple bulbs is from 1 to 2 cm, the planting pattern is 3*10 cm.
Care
When growing red onion varieties for storage, the feathers are not cut off during the season. Organize standard care for the culture. Watering is carried out as the top layer of soil dries, it should be plentiful; surface watering has a bad effect on yields. From mid-July, watering is stopped.
During the planting season, they are fed - the first time with a solution of mullein 2-3 weeks after planting, the second time, when the bulbs begin to set, the surface of the ridge is thickly powdered with sifted ash and watered with water from a watering can. Until the stems close together, carry out shallow loosening of the row spacing. At the end of June - beginning of July, dust the beds of purple onions with shag to prevent onion flies.
Harvest
Watering is stopped 10–14 days before the start of harvesting. They will know when to dig by the condition of the neck. It should be dry. By the time the purple turnip is harvested, most of the feathers should dry out and turn yellow, and purple (red) scales should appear on the bulbs. When deciding when to harvest onions, be sure to check the weather forecast. It is better if the day is warm and sunny.
Bulbs picked in rainy weather take longer to dry and are stored worse. Do not trim the feather immediately, but opportunities to dry onions in the sun for several days and only then trim the stems, leaving tails from 3 to 5 cm. Clean the surface of the onion scales from dirt, tear off the roots.
How to store bulbs?
Any room with constant humidity and air temperature is suitable. Bulbs are stored well if the temperature does not exceed 18 °C and the air humidity is kept at 60%. There are different ways to store the harvested purple onion varieties.
Purple turnips can be poured into old tights and hung in the pantry, or braids can be made. Red (purple) onions, collected in beautiful bunches, can be used as a decorative element when decorating a kitchen in a country house or in a city apartment.
It is better to store a large number of purple heads in boxes (wooden, plastic, baskets) or on special racks. During storage, red turnips must be periodically inspected; specimens with signs of rotting must be removed.
Conclusion
Many interesting purple onion varieties await summer residents on the shelves of gardening stores. You definitely need to choose the right option for yourself. Purple bulbs will add variety to the menu and improve your health.
