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Fun Facts

Purple onions (also called red onions) are over 5000 years old! Ancient Egyptians loved them, and carved their likeness into pyramids. In the Middle Ages, Europeans paid their rent in onions! Some even gave them as gifts. Eaten often for breakfast, these ringed veggies were frequently prescribed to relieve toothaches, headaches and insomnia as far back as the sixth century BC. The very first Olympics game wouldn't have happened without onions - athletes ate them raw, gulped onion juice and even rubbed them on their bodies to boost their strength before running rings around the competition! (Couldn't resist!)

Star Power

The cool thing about fruits and veggies is that the darker the color, the more nutrient-rich they are. Which makes purple onions pretty impressive. Let's start with the outer rings, where there's lots of quercitin. This flavonoid destroys damaging free radicals to keep cells and vital organs healthy. Vitamin C boosts the immune system. And stinky sulfur makes us cry and, when eaten raw, gives us onion breath! Actually, sulfur is really good for us. It helps the body remove toxins, keeps hair and skin healthy, and speeds up wound healing. Did you know that you can get rid of onion breath by eating parsley?

Quick Preps

PREPARE: Slice off each end of onion and peel away the crinkly, dry outer layer.

• Slice and dice purple onion and add to pizzas, salads, soups, sandwiches, salsa, dips and eggs.
• Sauté purple onion and add to any dish for a zing of flavor.
• Add sliced purple onion to any veggies you are roasting.