Is An Onion A Vegetable? Onion (Fruit Or Vegetable)

Is it a little bit confusing to you to decide whether onions are fruits or vegetables?
It’s a common question that has been asked by many people. Especially those who are just starting their cooking journey and want to know about food facts. It seems like a simple question, but the answer will surprise you.

Read more to discover a detailed information about onions classification and where onions actually fall. Additionally, you will also find out: Do shallots and leeks count as onions?

A History of Onions

Onions have been a part of human diets for thousands of years, almost 7,000 years ago, when they were cultivated in parts of Asia, Africa, and Europe. Their wild ancestors remain somewhat mysterious, but onions were extremely valued and used by all ancient records known from both Western and Eastern Asia.

All domestication of the onion was probably in West or Central Asia, although claims place origin in Iran, western Pakistan, and Central Asia. Interestingly, the spring onion and Chinese leek are closely related species; both were domesticated in China around 6000 BCE, alongside other important crops. This rich history highlights why the onion remains so popular.

What Are Onions?

Onions are also known as Allium cepa (the name is derived from Latin cepa means “onion”). They belong to the genus Allium family and are cultivated around the world. Onions offer a wide range of flavours that can truly enhance any cuisine. Therefore, they are famous for adding savoury and fragrant flavour to many dishes. Onions are thought to be native to southwest asia but are now grown worldwide in temperate climates. 

It would be no surprise that onions are a universal ingredient, appearing in cuisines throughout the world. But with their all-powerful flavouring properties, it may not be so easy to determine whether they classify as a fruit or vegetables.

The varieties of the Allium family include red onions, yellow onions, spring onions, garlic, leeks, scallions, chives, and shallots. But until 2011, the shallot was classified as a separate species. 

According to a study by New Mexico State University, cited in USA Today, Americans have a voracious appetite for onions, consuming an estimated 350 semi-trailer loads daily.

Classifications Of Vegetables

Classification of vegetables is based on which part of the plant is being eaten. Some vegetables fall into more than one category because different parts of plants are edible, like both the roots and leaves of beetroot can be eaten. Before deciding anything about the onions category, we should learn more about how vegetables are classified. There are three types of vegetables: culinary, botanical, and legal.

Culinary Vegetables

These vegetables are edible parts of plants that are used as a vegetable. These veggies are typically used in kitchens as cooking ingredients. They offer a wide range of flavors, textures, and nutrients, but they are not fruits. Fruit is simply defined as a sweet seed-bearing part of a plant.

There are so many culinary vegetables. I have mentioned the most Common culinary vegetables, including:

• Roots and tubers: carrots, potatoes, beets, and radishes
• Leaves: spinach, kale, lettuce, cabbage
• Stems: celery, asparagus, leeks
• Flowers: broccoli, cauliflower, artichokes
• Bulbs: onions, garlic, shallots
• Fruits: tomatoes, squash, cucumbers (though botanically fruits, they are often categorised as vegetables in culinary terms).

Botanical Vegetables

Botany is the study of plants. According to botany, a fruit is a seed-bearing plant that develops from the ovary of a flowering plant, while all other parts of the plant are vegetables, such as roots, stems, and leaves.

The plants that have seeded components, like apples, squash, and tomatoes, are considered fruits, but we mostly call them vegetables. Plants such as potatoes, celery, and spinach are vegetables because they do not have seeds.

Legal Vegetables

Some edible plants are legally recognised as vegetables for tariff, tax, and regulatory purposes. In 1893, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled (Nix v. Hedden) that tomatoes are legally vegetables for customs purposes, despite their botanical classification as fruits.

Is An Onion A Vegetable Or Fruit?

Now we are at the point where we must decide whether the onions are fruits or vegetables. In a botanical sense, you can consider onions as a fruit due to their seed-bearing nature, but their culinary use and cultural usage place them in the vegetables category. Since it is the root of the plant, hence the onions are considered as a vegetable.

Savory dishes’ usage of onions always counts them as a vegetable, not in pleasant ones. This culinary tradition often associates them with vegetables. Moreover, the common perception of most people is that onions are a vegetable, not fruits.

Nutritional Breakdown of Onions as a vegetable

Onions are packed dense-nutrient, meaning they are low in calories but high in vitamins, fiber, and minerals. They contain

• Calories: 44
• Protein: 1.2 g
• Carbs: 10.3 g
• Sugar: 4.7 g
• Fiber: 1.9 g
• Fat: 0.1 g
• Potassium: 3.4% of Daily Value (DV)
• Vitamin C: 9% of the DV

Is Leek An Onion?

Leeks are a type of onion and considered in a Vegetable Category. They are similar to garlic and shallots and belong to the allium family. These leeks look like a cylindrical white bulb and have broad leaves that resemble a giant spring onion, scallion, or spring onion. You can enjoy leeks in many different ways. They can also be added to omelettes, quiches, and other dishes.

Is Shallot An Onion?

Shallots belong to the same allium family but are not the same. Onions grow individually, while shallots grow in clusters like garlic. Shallots are a small, elongated variety of onions that have a thin layer. Shallots’ skin color varies between golden brown, red, or gray. They have a milder and sweeter flavor than regular yellow or white onions. You can enjoy them raw, fried, or pickled. Try crispy shallots on a salad.

Conclusion

While it may be confusing for many to decide whether onion classification falls within the vegetables or the fruits. The answer is surprising that onions are vegetables, not fruits. From a botanical perspective, you could technically consider them as fruits due to their seed-bearing nature, but their use in cooking places them in the vegetable category.

For more queries related to Home-Gardening, visit our blog regularly.