Are Shallots Onions? A Detailed Explanation of Their Differences, Benefits and Effects

The shallot belongs to the Allium family, and the best planting time is from September to November each year. It originated in Palestine and was later introduced to China, and it is an indispensable seasoning in Western cuisine. So are shallots onions? What is the difference between the two? What are the main benefits and effects?

1. Are shallots onions?

Shallots are not onions. Shallots have a stronger aroma, while onions have a more pronounced sweet and spicy taste.

2. The five main differences between shallots and onions

1. Difference in the bulb

Shallot: The bulb has the ability to tiller, and a single shallot plant can split off into many plants, so its scientific name is the tillering onion.

Onion: The onion plant does not have this splitting ability; a single onion remains a single plant from growth to death.

2. Difference in shape and size

Shallot: Its shape closely resembles a garlic clove, and it is only about 2 cm in size.

Onion: It is round and spherical, about the size of an adult's fist.

3. Difference in the root

Shallot: The root can produce 6 to 14 small bulbs shaped like garlic cloves.

Onion: It can only produce one large round bulb.

4. Difference in taste

Shallot: Its aroma far exceeds that of ordinary onions, and it is an indispensable ingredient for adding fragrance to many dishes.

Onion: It has a stronger spicy taste.

5. Difference in origin

Shallot: Mainly distributed in Palestine and Europe.

Onion: Jinxiang, Yutai, Shanxian and Pingdu in Shandong; Fengxian in Jiangsu; Jiuquan and Wuwei in Gansu; Yuanmou and Dongchuan in Yunnan; Xichang in Sichuan, and other places.

3. What are the main benefits and effects of shallots?

1. Benefit and effect of shallots: strengthening the spleen and improving appetite

If you have a poor appetite, you can eat shallots to strengthen the spleen and improve appetite.

2. Benefit and effect of shallots: preventing cancer

The cancer-preventing effect of shallots comes from their rich content of selenium and quercetin. Selenium is an antioxidant that can stimulate the human immune response, thereby inhibiting the division and growth of cancer cells, and it can also reduce the toxicity of carcinogens. Quercetin, meanwhile, can inhibit the activity of carcinogenic cells and block the growth of cancer cells. One survey showed that people who often eat shallots have a 25% lower chance of developing stomach cancer than those who do not eat them, and 30% fewer deaths from stomach cancer.

3. Benefit and effect of shallots: maintaining cardiovascular health

Shallots are the only known vegetable containing prostaglandin A. Prostaglandin A can dilate blood vessels and reduce blood viscosity, thereby producing effects that lower blood pressure, increase blood flow in the coronary arteries, and prevent thrombosis. Shallots are also rich in quercetin, whose bioavailability is very high. Scientists' research reports point out that quercetin may help prevent the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and it can provide important protection against atherosclerosis.

4. Comparison between shallots and onions

1. The shallot originated in Palestine and was introduced to Europe during the Crusades. Although it and the onion are both “onions”, their appearances are very different. There is no need to say much about the onion; its round, plump appearance is deeply familiar, while the shallot resembles garlic, with each clove wrapped in a red to deep purple outer skin.

2. Shallots are also different from purple-skinned onions, while purple-skinned onions and white-skinned onions are very similar.

3. Shallots have a richer aroma and combine the effects of removing fishiness and enhancing fragrance, but their spiciness is relatively mild, making them especially suitable for dipping sauces. Onions, by contrast, lean toward a sweet and spicy taste and are often used as an auxiliary ingredient in Chinese cooking, but are relatively rarely used as a seasoning.

4. Shallots are often used in Thai cuisine, and they also appear in Cantonese, Hakka and Taiwanese dishes in Chinese cooking. For example, after chopping shallots and frying them in oil until fragrant, you get the crispy fried shallots commonly used in braised pork rice.

5. Common shallot dishes include steamed chicken with shallots and baked spare ribs with shallots, among others. Their aroma is very long-lasting and lingering, and using them to stir-fry meat or make soups is very appetizing.

6. Shallots are also grown in China, but they are used less in other cuisines, and many home cooks are not familiar with them.

7. Although shallots are small, their nutritional value is very high. They have good dietary therapeutic effects on insomnia, pharyngitis, dysentery and certain skin diseases. They can also remove dandruff, improve gastrointestinal tone, promote normal endocrine function in the body, and at the same time have a good blood sugar-lowering effect and a relatively good blood pressure-lowering effect.