Sweet onion facts for kids
A sweet onion is a special kind of onion that tastes very mild and not spicy at all! Unlike other onions that can make your eyes water, sweet onions have less of a chemical called sulfur and more water. This makes them much gentler on your taste buds.
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 133 kJ (32 kcal) |
|
7.55 g
|
|
| Sugars | 5.02 |
| Dietary fiber | 0.9 g |
|
0.08 g
|
|
|
Protein
|
0.8 g
|
| Vitamins | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Thiamine (B1) |
4%
0.041 mg |
| Niacin (B3) |
1%
0.133 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) |
2%
0.098 mg |
| Vitamin B6 |
10%
0.13 mg |
| Folate (B9) |
6%
23 μg |
| Vitamin C |
6%
4.8 mg |
| Minerals | Quantity
%DV†
|
| Calcium |
2%
20 mg |
| Iron |
2%
0.26 mg |
| Magnesium |
3%
9 mg |
| Manganese |
4%
0.076 mg |
| Phosphorus |
4%
27 mg |
| Potassium |
4%
119 mg |
| Sodium |
1%
8 mg |
| Zinc |
1%
0.13 mg |
|
National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference
|
|
| †Percentages estimated using US recommendations for adults. | |
Contents
Sweet Onions in the United States
Sweet onions first became popular in the United States in the early 1900s. Different types of sweet onions grew in various places.
Vidalia Onions: Georgia's Sweet Treat
Vidalia onions were first grown in the 1930s near Vidalia, Georgia. Today, only onions grown in a special 20-county area of Georgia can be called Vidalia onions. This rule is set by both Georgia state law and U.S. federal rules.
Texas 1015 Onions: The Million Dollar Baby
In the early 1980s, Dr. Leonard M. Pike, a professor at Texas A&M University, helped create the 1015 onion in South Texas. These onions are named "1015" because October 15th is the best day to plant them.
These large, sweet onions are only grown in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. It took ten years of hard work and a lot of money to develop them. Because of the big investment, they earned the nickname "Million Dollar Baby." Onions are Texas's most important vegetable crop. Most of the onions grown there are sweet yellow kinds. In 1997, the sweet onion became Texas's official state onion!
Walla Walla Sweet Onions: Washington's Favorite
The Walla Walla sweet onion is named after Walla Walla County, Washington, where it grows. Its story began around 1900. A French soldier named Peter Pieri brought sweet onion seeds from the island of Corsica to the Walla Walla Valley.
Farmers developed this sweet onion by choosing the sweetest, largest, and roundest onions each year to plant new seeds. The Walla Walla sweet onion is now the official vegetable of Washington State. Governor Christine Gregoire signed a bill in 2007 to make it official.
Other Sweet Onion Varieties in the U.S.
Many other sweet onion varieties are grown across the United States:
- Imperial Valley Sweets come from the Imperial Valley in southern California. They are available from late April through June.
- The Carzalia Sweet onion is grown by Carzalia Valley Produce in Columbus, New Mexico.
- The Sunbrero (Texas) Sweet Onion is grown in Texas.
- The Sweetie Sweet is grown in the Mason Valley in Yerington, Nevada. You can find them from September to January.
- The Glennville sweet onion is grown in Tattnall County, in Glennville, Georgia.
- Mattamuskeet Sweets are grown in Eastern North Carolina, especially near Lake Mattamuskeet. People in coastal Carolina love them for cooking.
- Maui onions are smaller onions grown on the Hawaiian island of Maui. They are known as "Kula-grown" onions.
- Pecos onions are sweet onions grown in the Pecos Valley in Texas.
Sweet Onions from Other Countries
Bermuda Onions
The Bermuda onion is a sweet onion grown on the island of Bermuda. The seeds for these onions first came from the Canary Islands before 1888. Shipping onions to the United States became so important to Bermuda that people from Bermuda started calling themselves "onions"! Later, sweet onions from Texas became more popular and took the place of many Bermuda onions.
European Sweet Onions
In Europe, there are also well-known and tasty sweet onions.
- The sweet onion from Cévennes, in South East France, has a special status called PDO. This means it can only be called a Cévennes onion if it comes from that specific area.
- The Cebolla Dulce de Fuentes is a type of sweet onion from the Zaragoza province in Northeast Spain. Farmers there have traditionally grown this onion.
