Are Onions Vegetables Or Fruit?

What are onions exactly? Are onions vegetables or fruits? Root, bulb or what?

We use them for all sorts of cuisines for their health benefits and their tastiness. 

This article will cover how onions are classified and if they fit into any of these categories: vegetable, fruit, root, and/or bulb.

• Related article: Fruit vs Vegetable

Is An Onion A Vegetable?

Both fruits and vegetables come from plants, but they are developed differently. Fruits are produced from the ovaries of flowering plants. They contain seeds that enable them to reproduce. 

Vegetables grow from different parts of the plant. These parts include the leaves, roots, stem, and bulbs. Examples of the different parts include:

• Leaves – Lettuce and Kale
• Roots – Potatoes and Turnips
• Stems – Celery
• Bulbs – Onions

Onions are considered a bulb vegetable. As a bulb vegetable, onions are great to make meals with. They’re not often eaten by themselves, but rather they add to the flavor of the food.

The classification of botanists distinguishes true roots (also called taproots) from those that are not. However, the general term ‘root vegetable’ is used to refer to any bulbous plant. Home cooks and gardeners both accept the use of this term. However, it’s essential to remember that this classification is not always clear-cut.

Is An Onion A Fruit?

From earlier, fruits are produced from flower plant ovaries. That means the definition of fruit is that fruits bear seeds. 

The main difference between fruits and vegetables is that vegetables don’t have seeds.

But onions, the part that grows in the ground, do not include seeds. Nor are they produced directly from the flower of a plant. That makes Onions a vegetable and not in the fruit category.

How Do Onions Reproduce?

Onion seeds come from the flower of the onion plants, called an umbel. It’s made up of many small flowers clustered together.

Each individual flower has two petals. One on top and one below it. When you look at the bottom half of each flower, there’s a little bumpy area where pollen can be found.

This is where the male reproductive organ resides. Pollen is released when the onion plant stamens open during pollination season.

Onions can also be grown from the bulbs. The bulbs have been planted with soil around them. This allows the bulbs to develop underground. Once mature, the tops of the bulbs break off exposing the green skin underneath.

The green skin contains layers of cells which protect the inside of the bulb. Inside this layer is another protective cell wall. And then finally, the edible portion of the onion lies within.

Onions are asexual vegetables that can produce offspring without sexual reproduction. They do this by storing food, which feeds the growth of new plants. 

Bulbs are able to store food and feed the development of a plant. This allows for new plant growth without seeds.

How to Grow Onions

Home-grown vegetables such as onions are easy to grow. However, you need to make sure that your plants get enough sunlight. 

Onions need lots of light to grow properly. You must provide them with plenty of light, but not direct sunlight. Put them in a sheltered spot near a window.

Use peat moss or coconut husks as mulch. If you want to grow onions outdoors, you should use pots on the windowsill to get the good light, as long as it’s not direct light. If there’s too much heat by the window, keep them some distance from teh window. 

Make sure to water them when the soil is almost dried out. Clay pots work better than plastic ones. Gravel works as a smooth surface for roots.

It is very important to water your onions regularly. You should water the pots at least once a month. The soil in a bottle should be watered first followed with the watering of the onions and then put into the sun. When the soil driers out, it should be watered again.

Nutrition and Health Benefits of Onions

There are several reasons why people eat onions and want to grow their own healthy onions. Some like its taste while others enjoy its health benefits. Here are some of those reasons:

Healthier Skin

One reason people love eating onions is because they help keep your skin healthy. There are certain nutrients present in onions that promote healthier looking skin.

These nutrients include vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B6, potassium, folate, and vitamin E. 

Cancer Prevention

In addition to helping maintain good skin, onions may help with cancer prevention. Studies show that compounds in onions inhibit tumor formation. They also prevent tumors from growing or spreading.

In fact, studies suggest that onions could even reduce the risk of colon cancer. Western Yellow varieties seem to have the greatest anti-cancer effect on colon cancer cells.

Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Another benefit of onions is their anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation occurs when tissue becomes damaged due to injury or infection.

When inflammation happens, immune system cells rush to the site of damage. But sometimes, too much activity causes more harm than good.

That’s what makes onions so beneficial.

How Are Onions Used In Cuisine?

There are so many ways to cook with onions! You can sauté them, bake them, boil them, fry them, grill them, roast them, steam them, stir-fry them, and even eat raw onions.

They have been around since ancient times. People were using them long before we knew about nutrition. Today, onions continue to play a major role in our diet.

We use them as flavoring in dishes such as soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza toppings, dips, sauces, casseroles, appetizers, and main courses.

Onion Varieties

Onions are in the allium family. There are a variety of onions that can be used for different purposes. These types include sweet white onions, red onions, yellow onions, shallots, scallions, leeks, garlic chives, and pearl onions.

Each type of onion has unique characteristics that make it suitable for specific uses.

• Sweet Onion – Sweet onions will actually taste sweet and not have the sharp taste that we often associate with onions. Vidalia and Walla Walla are the most common kinds. Sweet white onions are often found in supermarkets.
• Red Onion – Red onions are usually smaller than other types of onions. The color comes from anthocyanin pigments. It tastes sweeter than any other kind of onion. Red onions are commonly used in salads.
• Yellow Onion – These are the most common onion bulbs that we use to cook varieties of foods. Yellow onions come in two forms; small and medium sized. Small ones tend to be sweeter than larger ones. Medium size yellows are great for cooking.
• Shallot – Shallots look similar to regular onions but they are thinner and shorter. They are mostly grown in Asia and Europe. Shallow fried shallots are popular in Chinese cuisine.
• Leek – Leeks are one of the oldest vegetables in existence. They originated in China over 5,000 years ago. They are now widely cultivated throughout the world. This vegetable looks like an elongated green onion. Its leaves resemble flat blades.
• Pearl Onion – Pearl onions are tiny bulbs that are related to leeks. They are perfect for garnishing food because you don’t need to peel them first.

If you have a vegetable garden and extra room, you can look to grow multiple onion varieties. 

Is an Onion a Vegetable or Fruit Final Thoughts

Onions are versatile vegetables that can be used in both savory and sweet recipes. If you want to add flavor to your meals, then onions are definitely worth adding to your shopping carts.

Here are other related articles:

• Can You Compost Onions?
• Is Mushroom a Vegetable or Fruit?
• Are Apple Fruits?
• Is an Avocado a Fruit?
• Is a Bell Pepper a Fruit?
• Is Potato a Fruit or Vegetable?

Onions FAQs