The difference between onions and shallots

People who have been to the Northeast may have seen the shallots produced locally, but people who have not seen this plant often mistake it for the same plant as onions. If you are not careful, it is difficult to distinguish them. In fact, onions and shallots are not the same plant. There are big differences between them. If you want to know the differences between onions and shallots, you can read the editor’s professional introduction to this.

The difference between onions and shallots

1. The appearance of onions and shallots is different

Onion is also called onion or shallot. It is oval in shape and larger than onions. It is a biennial herb in the genus Allium of the lily family. The head of shallot is smaller. Although it is also nearly round, it will produce six to fourteen onions when it grows, which is different from the single onion.

2. Onions and shallots have different origins

The origins of onions and shallots are also different. Onions are an alien species, said to be native to Iran and Afghanistan in southwest Asia, and later introduced to all parts of the world. Shallots are endemic to China, also known as tillering onions, and are a traditional high-yield crop in Northeast China. Its growing period is less than two months, and it is particularly cold-resistant.

3. The effects of onions and shallots are different

The effects of onions and shallots are very different. Although they can both provide a variety of nutrients to the human body, the health benefits of onions are much weaker than those of shallots. shallots have excellent anti-cancer effects. They can prevent the occurrence of many malignant diseases such as brain cancer, breast cancer and prostate cancer. In Southeast Asia, people extract the juice of shallots and make it into health products, which can effectively improve human immunity.