Onions, raw
Introduction
Onions are a bulbous vegetable from the Allium genus, closely related to garlic, leeks and shallots; they are typically eaten cooked or raw depending on the variety and dish—raw in salads and salsas for sharpness, or cooked to develop sweetness and depth. Their papery outer skins range from white through yellow to deep red/purple; the red/purple hues come from anthocyanin pigments, while the golden colour of some varieties develops from natural sugars caramelising when cooked.
Onions are noted for their strong, pungent flavour and volatile sulphur compounds that can cause tearing when cut but also contribute to antimicrobial and potential cardiovascular benefits.
Nutritionally, onions are low in calories and provide carbohydrates (mostly sugars and fibre), small amounts of protein, negligible fat, and useful micronutrients including vitamin C, folate, potassium and trace amounts of B vitamins and manganese; they also contain flavonoids such as quercetin and various sulphur-containing phytochemicals with antioxidant activity.
Nutrition Snapshot per 100g
Kcal nn kcal
Protein nn g | nn %
Fat nn g | nn %
Carbohydrates nn g | nn %
Percentages reflect this food’s Balance*
Fibre nn g
Total Sugars nn g
Saturated Fat nn g
Salt nn mg
Nutritional values are per 100g and sourced from UK CoFID data.
Carbohydrates value includes Fibre (AOAC method).
Carbohydrates value includes Total Sugars including naturally occurring sugars such as glucose, fructose, lactose or sucrose.
Balance*
The Balance value expresses how protein, carbohydrate and fat contribute to a food’s total energy.
Using CoFID data per 100g, each macronutrient is converted into energy using the standard Atwater convention (protein × 4 kcal, carbohydrate × 4 kcal, fat × 9 kcal). The energy from each macronutrient is then calculated as a percentage of the total macro energy.
This provides a simple way to see whether a food is predominantly carbohydrate-based, protein-based or fat-based.
It does not determine whether a food is “good” or “bad”, but helps visualise its macronutrient profile within a broader eating pattern.
When assessing a full meal or daily intake, portion sizes should be taken into account.
Why this matters
Understanding the structure of individual foods can help you make more confident decisions when adjusting to a health diagnosis or long-term condition.
If you are organising meals, tracking intake or reflecting on patterns, you may find the Aardelia digital journals helpful.