Article Originally in the April 2007 Newsletter

Early spring means one thing to many Mvskoke people…time for the wild onion dinners to begin!

Due to our very wet winter, there have already been reports of wild onions being harvested in Creek Country. This seasonal favorite is usually cooked with eggs and served hot. Many say that it is good to “clean the blood” after a winter of relative inactivity and rich foods. People have their favorite harvesting spots that are closely guarded family secrets. Many spend hours cleaning the harvest for church and other organization dinners.

 Nutritionists and medical researchers have recently “discovered” what many Indigenous peoples already knew about this little, wild and flavorful weed that grows in moist conditions. It is good for your health. Onions, and their cousins leeks, shallots and scallions, contain the flavonoid quercetin that helps prevent harmful LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and sticking to artery walls and helps prevent platelets in the blood from sticking together to form clots. Red and yellow onions have more flavonoid content than white ones. Higher concentrations of quercetin are present in the outer layers of the onion.

A second beneficial group of compounds are the sulfur compounds that make you cry when cutting them. These compounds are said to help raise the HDL cholesterol and lower levels of triglycerides, thus thinning the blood just as your grandmother said they would. The sulfur compounds also have the effect of killing bacteria in the stomach that may lead to dangerous problems and even be a forerunner of cancer. They can inhibit the allergic inflammatory response experienced in asthma and other respiratory ailments. Maybe the “old-timers” in Appalachia who advised people to put a poultice of slightly cooked onions on their
chest to relieve the symptoms of chest colds and bad coughs knew this. People also put a slice of raw onion on insect bites to reduce the swelling.

You can enjoy onions either raw or cooked to receive the health benefits. The green part of young onions is a good source of Vitamins A and C and is more beneficial eaten raw or slightly cooked. To reduce the strong odor while preparing onions you can chill them for 30 minutes before cutting and avoid slicing through the root end, as that will release a puff of concentrated sulfur compounds when it is cut. Onion skins can be saved and used as a dye to produce a soft brown color. They should not be put onto the compost pile, as they will repel earthworms that are essential to good compost.

It will soon be time to plant onions from sets that are already showing up at grocery and feed and seed stores. Onions prefer sandy loam, moist soil, but are flexible and will grow almost anywhere as long as it is not too acid. Plants should be spaced 3 to 4 inches apart 1 inch deep after danger of hard frost is past. Onions can take a light frost or moderately cold weather. The greens can be harvested for garnish or salads and the whole young onions can be used in many dishes. The onions need to be cultivated regularly to keep the weeds down. After about 100 days the bulbs will be mature and the seed heads will bend down to the ground. That’s when it is time to harvest and dry them for several days. Then cut the leaves off to one inch above the bulb and dry some more before storing in a cool, dry place. Some people keep the leaves and braid the onions together with them. This will work as long as they are hung in a dry and well-ventilated place.