National Onion Day 2024: 11+ Facts You Need to Know About Onions

Today, June 27th, marks National Onion Day, a day dedicated to this versatile and much-loved member of the Amaryllis family.  Onions boast not only a unique flavour profile but also a surprisingly long history and a surprising number of health benefits.

Whether you're a gourmet chef or a home cook, National Onion Day offers a chance to explore and appreciate this versatile vegetable.

What is the History of National Onion Day?

National Onion Day is a relatively young holiday, established in 2019. It was created by the National Onion Association, a group representing onion producers in the United States, to celebrate two things:

• The Onion Itself: Onions have a long and rich history, believed to be cultivated for at least 5,000 years. They're a staple ingredient in many cuisines around the world.
• The National Onion Association: The association was founded in 1913 and National Onion Day falls on their official incorporation date of June 27th.

So, National Onion Day is a day to appreciate the humble onion and the organisation that supports America's onion growers.

National Onion Day 2024: Facts

1. According to the National Onion Association, “Most researchers agree the onion has been cultivated for 5000 years or more. Since onions grew wild in various regions, they were probably consumed for thousands of years and domesticated simultaneously all over the world.”
2. Onions are a nutritional powerhouse. They are a good source of vitamins C, B6, and K, as well as fibre and manganese.
3. The largest onion ever grown weighed a whopping 8.9 Kgs!  
4. Ancient Egyptians worshipped onions. They believed the concentric rings and spherical shape of the onions were symbols of eternity.  Onions were even placed in tombs with the deceased
5. There are many different varieties of onions, each with its own unique flavor and color.  The most common types of onions are yellow, white, red, and green.
6. Onions can make you cry. When you cut into an onion, you release a gas called sulfenic acid. This gas irritates the eyes, causing them to tear up. 
7. The world's biggest onion consumer is Libya. The average Libyan eats about 68.8 pounds of onions per year, according to the National Onion Association. 
8. Onions can absorb the flavours of other foods. This is why they are often used as a base for soups and stews.
9. Onions were once used as currency. In the Middle Ages, people used onions to pay rent and buy goods and services.
10. According to Vee’s Produce, “Yellow onions make up more than 75% of the world’s production of onions.”
11. The official state vegetable of Texas is sweet onion. 

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