Onions are known for causing bad breath, but they are also one of the most popular ingredients for cooks around the world and have earned a solid reputation as a healthy addition to any diet. In fact, when you take a look at all of the healthful qualities that have been ascribed to this modest vegetable, any concerns about how onions might affect your breath will likely go right out the window.
Here are just three reasons you should consider eating more onions as part of your plan to stay healthy while on the road.
1. Onions are good for your health. Onions have long held a firm position in the world of natural medicine, and current studies continue to add to their long list of healthy attributes. For starters, onions are low in calories and are a source of fiber, potassium, manganese, vitamin B6 and vitamin C. Additionally, onions have been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and increase HDL (good) cholesterol, can help stabilize blood sugar in diabetics and are believed to help protect against certain cancers. They are also credited with fending off the common cold, possibly decreasing bone loss and warding off a plethora of other ailments.
2. Onions are easy to include in meal prep. This versatile veggie can be used in everything from salad to scones, making it a common ingredient in cuisine around the world. Purple or red onions are most often added raw to burgers, salads or sandwiches, while the all-purpose yellow onion is typically added to cooked dishes. If you have a traveling companion who is not necessarily an onion fan, you might try Vidalia onions, which have a sweeter flavor. Alternatively, sautéing your onions before adding them to recipes will lessen the sharpness of their flavor.
3. Onions are easy to store. Onions will keep well for weeks in just about any cool, dry, ventilated place, which makes them an easy produce item to take on the road with you. Once you use part of the onion, you can simply place the remaining cut onion in a food storage container and keep it in the refrigerator for about four days.
You can even grow your own onions in a portable container garden that you can take with you in your RV. This is a great way to have fresh onions available whenever you like, and it is always nice to know exactly where your produce comes from and that no harmful pesticides were used in the growing process. Of course, if you aren’t quite sure you have the room or the interest in growing your own onions, you can also pick up fresh, organic onions at produce stands, farmers’ markets and grocery stores along the way.
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