Onions, raw
Checked by us One serving: 85 g (about ½ cup chopped) · 32 kcal
Little of the nutrients we score, per serving.
Nothing to watch.
Good for
How we counted this
What one serving (85 g) gives you.
Your body needs enough of each of these. Past enough, more doesn’t help. Amounts are what the food databases list, not what your body absorbs, unless a row says it was measured.
The words: “A lot” means one serving gives 20% or more of Health Canada’s daily amount, “Some” 10% to 19%, “A little” 2% to 9%, “Almost none” under 2%. Strongest word first; within a word, protein and fibre lead, then the biggest share. ?
A milligram (mg) is a thousandth of a gram, and a microgram (µg) a thousandth of a milligram: 1,000 µg make 1 mg.
No nutrient we score reaches “some” in one serving. The rest, at “a little” or less, is below.
22 more nutrients at a little or less
- A little
Vitamin B6
Helps you use protein, and your brain needs it to make its chemical messengers.
Learn more
0.1 mg in one serving: 8% of the 1.3 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B6 fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Vitamin C
Your body makes collagen with it, which wounds need to heal. It also helps you absorb iron from plants.
Learn more
6.97 mg in one serving: 8% of the 90 mg a day men need, 9% of the 75 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin C fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Potassium
Your nerves, muscles and kidneys need it to work.
Learn more
155 mg in one serving: 5% of the 3,400 mg a day men need, 6% of the 2,600 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, potassium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Fibre
Keeps your gut moving.
Learn more
1.62 g in one serving: 4% of the 38 g a day men need, 6% of the 25 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- A little
Folate
Your body needs it to make DNA and to divide new cells.
Learn more
16.2 µg in one serving: 4% of the 400 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, folate fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Thiamin (B1)
Your cells use it to get energy from food, and so to grow and work.
Learn more
0.04 mg in one serving: 3% of the 1.2 mg a day men need, 4% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, thiamin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Magnesium
Your muscles and nerves need it to work.
Learn more
7.65 mg in one serving: 2% of the 400 mg a day men need, 2% of the 310 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, magnesium fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents)
More than 400 of your enzymes need it to work.
Learn more
0.3 mg in one serving: 2% of the 16 mg a day men need, 2% of the 14 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, niacin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Riboflavin (B2)
Your cells use it to make energy and handle fats. It also helps turn tryptophan into niacin and activate vitamin B6.
Learn more
0.02 mg in one serving: 2% of the 1.3 mg a day men need, 2% of the 1.1 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, riboflavin fact sheet for health professionals
- A little
Zinc
Your immune system and healing wounds depend on it.
Learn more
0.17 mg in one serving: 2% of the 11 mg a day men need, 2% of the 8 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, zinc fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Iron
Carries oxygen in your blood.
Learn more
0.24 mg in one serving: 3% of the 8 mg a day men need, 1% of the 18 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, iron fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Calcium
Builds your bones and teeth.
Learn more
12.8 mg in one serving: 1% of the 1,000 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, calcium fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Protein
Your muscles, and every other tissue, are built and repaired from it.
Learn more
0.71 g in one serving: 1% of the 56 g a day men need, 2% of the 46 g women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. Institute of Medicine 2005, Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids
- Almost none
Choline
Your cells need it for their membranes, and to make acetylcholine, a messenger for memory, mood and muscle control.
Learn more
5.19 mg in one serving: 1% of the 550 mg a day men need, 1% of the 425 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, choline fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin K1
Your blood needs it to clot.
Learn more
0.34 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 120 µg a day men need, under 1% of the 90 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin K fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: ALA
The one omega-3 your body can’t make: it must come from food. Your cells build it into their membranes and burn it for energy.
Learn more
3.4 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 1,600 mg a day men need, under 1% of the 1,100 mg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin E
Shields the fats in your cells from damage; your immune system uses it too.
Learn more
0.02 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 15 mg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin E fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Omega-3: EPA + DHA
Long-chain omega-3s, built into your cell membranes. DHA is concentrated in your brain and retinas.
Learn more
0 mg in one serving: under 1% of the 250 mg a day.
Health Canada sets no daily amount for these fats, so the daily figure here is the European Food Safety Authority’s.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, omega-3 fatty acids fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Selenium
Your thyroid uses it to make its hormones.
Learn more
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 55 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, selenium fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin A
Your eyes need it to see in dim light.
Learn more
Getting enough matters; more than enough doesn’t sharpen your sight.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 900 µg a day men need, under 1% of the 700 µg women need. The word follows the smaller share, which is the share of the higher amount. ?
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin B12
Your body needs it to make red blood cells and keep nerves working.
Learn more
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 2.4 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin B12 fact sheet for health professionals
- Almost none
Vitamin D
Your body needs it to absorb calcium and keep your bones hard.
Learn more
Your skin also makes it in sunlight, so food is only one of its sources.
0 µg in one serving: under 1% of the 15 µg a day.
Source: How much of it gets in hasn’t been measured for this food yet. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin D fact sheet for health professionals
Watch out
How we counted this
Checked for cadmium and lead: fine at normal amounts.
Cadmium
Nothing to watchYou’d need about 7.7 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to use up what an average adult’s intake leaves under the limit.
Learn more
One serving carries 0.94 µg
How we got this
A serving a day adds 5.3% to what an average adult already takes in: a share of that intake, not of the limit. With that serving every day, an average adult would be at about 75% of the limit.
An average adult already takes in about 71% of the limit. One serving a day fits in the room left.
Counted from zero, with no allowance for what adults already take in from other food, 16,000 g a week would reach the limit.
Why this rating: Eating it daily comes to 595 g a week, which stays within the 4,600 g of room left before the limit.
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: under the limit
A daily serving adds 5.3% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap.
Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites) · grade A
Lead
Nothing to watchYou’d need more than 100 servings a day, every day, of this food alone to double the lead an average adult already gets. No dose is known to be safe, so doubling is where we flag.
Learn more
A serving a day adds 0.7% to what an average adult already takes in. There is no limit to take a share of.
One serving carries 0.23 µg
How we got this
The dataset’s rating: Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake
No safe threshold is set for lead. A serving (0.085 kg x 2.743 µg/kg = 0.23 µg) adds about 0.7% to the average adult lead intake (35 µg/day), far from doubling it, so no cap. Without the 1999 composite the mean is 2.79 (n = 16); the three most recent (2016-2018) 0.83 (+0.2%). FDA Total Diet Study: 1 of 27 detected, mean 0.27, max 7.4, reporting limit 4 µg/kg (at the limit, 0.34 µg, +1.0%).
Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites) · grade A
Worth knowing
No limit applies, so none is rated.
Sugar
3.6 g of sugar in a 85 g serving, natural and added together.
Learn more
Shown, not rated. The food tables we read give total sugar, and few give added sugar, so the site can’t yet tell sugar added in making a food from the sugar in fruit or milk.
Also checked (nothing to act on) · 2
Noted for context, or not measured in this food yet.
Shown as context, not scored (acceptable daily intake 3.7 mg/kg body weight/day = 259 mg for 70 kg). At the EFSA mean 164 mg/kg an 85 g serving carries 13.9 mg (5.4%); at the median 60 mg/kg, 5.1 mg (2.0%); at the Hong Kong total diet study mean 14 mg/kg, 1.2 mg (0.5%). EFSA: bulb vegetables 'were generally low in nitrate'.
Shown as context. The Public Health Agency of Canada closed its 2020 outbreak investigation on 2020-10-01 (onions from one US supplier, Thomson International Inc.). This is one outbreak, not an occurrence rate. Raw onion has no cooking step; cooking (the sautéed row) is the control.
Better options
How we counted this
“Better” here always means better at something the row names: more of one nutrient, more nutrients per serving, or the goal you pick. It never means better in every way.
Every amount below is for the same weight, 85 g, the size of one serving of this food, so a swap compares like with like. A serving of another food can be bigger or smaller.
More nutrients per serving, counted together
The other vegetables we’ve checked with more nutrients per serving than this one, counting at most 100 kcal. One score ranks them all, so the same few often lead.
Turnip greens, cooked- More vitamin K1 (312 µg vs 0.34 µg)
- More vitamin A (324 µg vs 0 µg)
- More folate (100 µg vs 16.2 µg)
Kale, cooked- More vitamin K1 (355 µg vs 0.34 µg)
- More omega-3: ALA (286 mg vs 3.4 mg)
- More vitamin A (124 µg vs 0 µg)
Brussels sprouts, cooked- More vitamin K1 (119 µg vs 0.34 µg)
- More vitamin C (52.7 mg vs 6.97 mg)
Where the calcium card measured that less calcium gets in than from milk, calcium counts for less; everything else is as listed.
Your goal
Your goal changes only this list, not what the food gives you or what to watch.
Losing weight: fewer calories, and more nutrients, protein and fibre for each calorie.
Asparagus, cooked- 19 kcal in 85 g (this food: 32)
- More vitamin K1 (43 µg vs 0.34 µg)
- More folate (127 µg vs 16.2 µg)
- Turnip greens, cooked
- 17 kcal in 85 g (this food: 32)
- More vitamin K1 (312 µg vs 0.34 µg)
- More vitamin A (324 µg vs 0 µg)
- More folate (100 µg vs 16.2 µg)
Broccoli, cooked- 24 kcal in 85 g (this food: 32)
- More vitamin K1 (74.9 µg vs 0.34 µg)
- More vitamin C (34.1 mg vs 6.97 mg)
Building muscle: more protein and more calories, per 100 g. In a typical diet most protein comes from other foods; among vegetables, these help most.
Green peas, cooked5.2 g protein · 78 kcal per 100 g
Sweet corn, frozen, cooked2.6 g protein · 81 kcal per 100 gNeeds care in handling: see its page
Beets, cooked1.7 g protein · 44 kcal per 100 g
Why some foods aren’t suggested
Left out: Spinach, cooked (Cadmium: go easy · lots of oxalate, more than its own calcium can bind).
Left out: Edamame, cooked (not tested for contaminants yet).
Bring a tracker export or describe your usual week. The same rules check all of it.
The numbers
Open every value
Name in the database: Onions, yellow, raw
How the serving was set: 85 g (Health Canada V.1, vegetables without sauce; whole onion shown as pieces closest to 85 g)
Listed nutrients, per 100 g
For each nutrient, the value this page uses is marked “used”. A row marked “second database” is another database’s figure for a matching food, kept so you can see how far databases disagree (they can differ in the samples analysed, lab methods and rounding). Its own cells are worked out from it, but none of the page’s words or scores are.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Omega-3: ALA | 0.004 g | 0 g | 0.01 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Calcium | 15 mg | 12.75 mg | 39.47 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 30 mg | 25.5 mg | 78.95 mg | second database · not used · 2× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| 23 mg | 19.55 mg | 60.53 mg | copy of USDA · not used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #2401 | C | |
| Carbohydrate | 8.61 g | 7.32 g | 22.66 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Choline | 6.1 mg | 5.19 mg | 16.05 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Energy | 38 kcal | 32.3 kcal | – | FDC Energy (kcal) used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) | – |
| Omega-3: EPA + DHA | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Fat | 0.05 g | 0.04 g | 0.13 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 0.1 g | 0.09 g | 0.26 g | second database · not used · 2× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.042 g | 0.04 g | 0.11 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Fibre | 1.9 g | 1.62 g | 5 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 2.2 g | 1.87 g | 5.79 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Folate | 19 µg | 16.15 µg | 50 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 11 µg | 9.35 µg | 28.95 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Iron | 0.28 mg | 0.24 mg | 0.74 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 0.3 mg | 0.26 mg | 0.79 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Magnesium | 9 mg | 7.65 mg | 23.68 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 8 mg | 6.8 mg | 21.05 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, niacin equivalents) | 0.349 mg | 0.3 mg | 0.92 mg | listed used | Canadian Nutrient File 2026 #2401 | C |
| Phosphorus | 34 mg | 28.9 mg | 89.47 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 23 mg | 19.55 mg | 60.53 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Potassium | 182 mg | 154.7 mg | 478.95 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 138 mg | 117.3 mg | 363.16 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Protein | 0.83 g | 0.71 g | 2.18 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 1 g | 0.85 g | 2.63 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Riboflavin (B2) | 0.027 mg | 0.02 mg | 0.07 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0.02 mg | 0.02 mg | 0.05 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Selenium | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Sodium | 1 mg | 0.85 mg | 2.63 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 3 mg | 2.55 mg | 7.89 mg | second database · not used · 3× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Sugars | 4.24 g | 3.6 g | 11.16 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 6.2 g | 5.27 g | 16.32 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Thiamin (B1) | 0.046 mg | 0.04 mg | 0.12 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0.11 mg | 0.09 mg | 0.29 mg | second database · not used · 2.4× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Vitamin B12 | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.12 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.32 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0.1 mg | 0.09 mg | 0.26 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Vitamin C | 8.2 mg | 6.97 mg | 21.58 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 3 mg | 2.55 mg | 7.89 mg | second database · not used · 2.7× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Vitamin D | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Vitamin E | 0.02 mg | 0.02 mg | 0.05 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0.29 mg | 0.25 mg | 0.76 mg | second database · not used · 14.5× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Vitamin K1 | 0.4 µg | 0.34 µg | 1.05 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Water | 90.1 g | 76.59 g | 237.11 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 89.1 g | 75.73 g | 234.47 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Zinc | 0.2 mg | 0.17 mg | 0.53 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 0.1 mg | 0.09 mg | 0.26 mg | second database · not used · 2× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C |
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Per serving | Per 100 calories | How | Source | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta-carotene | 1 µg | 0.85 µg | 2.63 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Copper | 0.035 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.09 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 0.04 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.11 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Energy (Atwater general) | 38 kcal | 32.3 kcal | 100 kcal | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Energy (Atwater specific) | 36 kcal | 30.6 kcal | 94.74 kcal | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Ash | 0.41 g | 0.35 g | 1.08 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Starch | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Sucrose | 1.6 g | 1.36 g | 4.21 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Glucose | 2.31 g | 1.96 g | 6.08 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Fructose | 1.91 g | 1.62 g | 5.03 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Maltose | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Theobromine | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Energy | 160 kj | 136 kj | 421.05 kj | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Sugars, Total | 5.82 g | 4.95 g | 15.32 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Galactose | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Fluoride, F | 1.1 µg | 0.94 µg | 2.89 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Vitamin A, IU | 2 iu | 1.7 iu | 5.26 iu | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Carotene, alpha | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0 iu | 0 iu | 0 iu | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Lycopene | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.04 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.11 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Biotin | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Vitamin K (Dihydrophylloquinone) | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Folic acid | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Folate, food | 19 µg | 16.15 µg | 50 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Folate, DFE | 19 µg | 16.15 µg | 50 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Betaine | 0.1 mg | 0.09 mg | 0.26 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tryptophan | 0.014 g | 0.01 g | 0.04 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Threonine | 0.021 g | 0.02 g | 0.06 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Isoleucine | 0.014 g | 0.01 g | 0.04 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Leucine | 0.025 g | 0.02 g | 0.07 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Lysine | 0.039 g | 0.03 g | 0.1 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Methionine | 0.002 g | 0 g | 0.01 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Cystine | 0.004 g | 0 g | 0.01 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Phenylalanine | 0.025 g | 0.02 g | 0.07 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Tyrosine | 0.014 g | 0.01 g | 0.04 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Valine | 0.021 g | 0.02 g | 0.06 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Arginine | 0.104 g | 0.09 g | 0.27 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Histidine | 0.014 g | 0.01 g | 0.04 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Alanine | 0.021 g | 0.02 g | 0.06 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Aspartic acid | 0.091 g | 0.08 g | 0.24 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Glutamic acid | 0.258 g | 0.22 g | 0.68 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Glycine | 0.025 g | 0.02 g | 0.07 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Proline | 0.012 g | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Serine | 0.021 g | 0.02 g | 0.06 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Vitamin E, added | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Fatty acids, total trans | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 4:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 6:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 8:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 10:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 12:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.004 g | 0 g | 0.01 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.034 g | 0.03 g | 0.09 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.004 g | 0 g | 0.01 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 20:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.013 g | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.013 g | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.004 g | 0 g | 0.01 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 22:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Phytosterols | 15 mg | 12.75 mg | 39.47 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.013 g | 0.01 g | 0.03 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.017 g | 0.01 g | 0.04 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 15:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 17:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| SFA 24:0 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 20:2 n-6 c,c | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| MUFA 17:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| PUFA 20:3 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| MUFA 15:1 | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Total dietary fiber (AOAC 2011.25) | 2.71 g | 2.3 g | 7.13 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| Iodine | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 2 µg | 1.7 µg | 5.26 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Lactose | 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 0 g | 0 g | 0 g | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 4 µg | 3.4 µg | 10.53 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| Manganese | 0.144 mg | 0.12 mg | 0.38 mg | listed used | US food database (USDA Foundation Foods) #790646 | C |
| 0.1 mg | 0.09 mg | 0.26 mg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Niacin (B3, preformed) | 0.116 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.31 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0.3 mg | 0.26 mg | 0.79 mg | second database · not used · 2.6× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) | 0.123 mg | 0.1 mg | 0.32 mg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0.04 mg | 0.03 mg | 0.11 mg | second database · not used · 3.1× | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C | |
| Retinol | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | from SR Legacy used | US food database (USDA SR Legacy) #170000 | C |
| 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | second database · not used | UK food tables (CoFID 2021) #13-499 | C |
Change the amount to rescale the first column. Nutrients a database doesn't list are missing, not zero.
Hazard rows as the dataset rates them
- Cadmium · Nothing to watch: under the limit · A daily serving adds 5.3% to an average adult's cadmium intake (EFSA 2012 adult median, 1.77 µg/kg body weight/week; Canadian adults in 2007: 1.2-1.75), far from doubling it, so no cap. · Health Canada Total Diet Study, trace elements · A
- Lead · Nothing to watch: doesn’t double average intake · No safe threshold is set for lead. A serving (0.085 kg x 2.743 µg/kg = 0.23 µg) adds about 0.7% to the average adult lead intake (35 µg/day), far from doubling it, so no cap. Without the 1999 composite the mean is 2.79 (n = 16); the three most recent (2016-2018) 0.83 (+0.2%). FDA Total Diet Study: 1 of 27 detected, mean 0.27, max 7.4, reporting limit 4 µg/kg (at the limit, 0.34 µg, +1.0%). · Health Canada Total Diet Study, trace elements · A
- Nitrate · Context · Shown as context, not scored (acceptable daily intake 3.7 mg/kg body weight/day = 259 mg for 70 kg). At the EFSA mean 164 mg/kg an 85 g serving carries 13.9 mg (5.4%); at the median 60 mg/kg, 5.1 mg (2.0%); at the Hong Kong total diet study mean 14 mg/kg, 1.2 mg (0.5%). EFSA: bulb vegetables 'were generally low in nitrate'. · EFSA 2008 · B
- Salmonella · Context · Shown as context. The Public Health Agency of Canada closed its 2020 outbreak investigation on 2020-10-01 (onions from one US supplier, Thomson International Inc.). This is one outbreak, not an occurrence rate. Raw onion has no cooking step; cooking (the sautéed row) is the control. · PHAC 2020 · A
Oxalate, phytate and gut-tolerance measurements
- fodmap excess fructose: zero (derived): fructose is BELOW glucose in every listing (Foundation 790646 fructose 1.91 vs glucose 2.31, n = 6 each; SR 170000 fructose 1.29 vs glucose 1.97, n = 16); Varney Table 2 prints '--' g/100 g · fresh weight · raw · grade B · US food database (USDA Foundation Foods)
- fodmap fructan: 1.97 +/- 0.05 g/100 g FW (16.41 +/- 0.40 g/100 g DW; water 88%; 1.38 g in the paper's 70 g OPEN-platform portion) g/100 g · fresh weight · not stated; the table labels cooked rice, cooked pasta and cooked potato but gives the onion row no label · grade B · Ferjancic 2024
- fodmap fructan: 0.65 g total fructan in a 36 g uncooked serve = 1.81 g/100 g (Foodtopsy's arithmetic: 0.65 / 0.36) g/100 g · fresh weight, derived from the 36 g uncooked serve in the source table · uncooked (the table's word) · grade B · Varney 2017
- fodmap fructan: TISSUE-LEVEL, NOT A WHOLE-BULB VALUE: 29 mg/g FW (= 2.9 g/100 g FW) in the inner scales of 'Pole Star' at harvest (0 weeks); one cultivar; kept as context, do not load as the onion's fructan g/100 g · fresh weight (inner scales only) · raw bulb tissue, freshly harvested (0 weeks of storage) · grade B · Ueno 2025
- fodmap fructan: fructan range across 'vegetables with the highest quantity of fructans' incl. onions: 1.2-17.4 g/100 g FW (onion's own value not in the abstract) g/100 g · fresh weight · not stated · grade C · PubMed 17625872
- fodmap fructan: Sigma FOS (kestose-calibrated RI-HPLC; fructo-oligosaccharides only, NOT total fructan) in RAW yellow onion, 12 cultivars: 0.15 to 2.43 g/100 g FW (mean of the 12 cultivar means 1.25, Foodtopsy's arithmetic). Use as a cultivar-spread context row, not as the onion's fructan (added by checker, 2026-10-16) g/100 g · fresh weight · raw (condition 'R' in the paper's Table 3: fresh onion before fermentation) · grade C · Grzelak 2025
- fodmap gos: 0.07 g GOS (raffinose + stachyose) in a 36 g uncooked serve = 0.19 g/100 g (Foodtopsy's arithmetic: 0.07 / 0.36) g/100 g · fresh weight, derived from the 36 g uncooked serve in the source table · uncooked · grade B · Varney 2017
- fodmap mannitol: not detected (nd) in the 36 g uncooked serve g/100 g · fresh weight (source table is per 36 g serve) · uncooked · grade B · Varney 2017
- histamine: not detected (nd), n = 4 mg/kg · fresh weight · raw (vegetables in the table are fresh) · grade B · Sanchezperez 2018
- lactose: 0 (Foundation n = 6); nd in Varney Table 2 g/100 g · fresh weight · raw · grade B · US food database (USDA Foundation Foods)
- oxalate soluble: n = 2 (insoluble 0.1) mg/100 g · fresh weight · raw · grade B · Salgado 2023
- oxalate soluble: not detected (ND); n = 6; total oxalate not reported mg/100 g · fresh weight · raw · grade B · Salgado 2023
- oxalate total: n = 2 mg/100 g · fresh weight · raw · grade B · Salgado 2023
- oxalate total: not detected (ND); n not reported mg/100 g · fresh weight · raw · grade B · Salgado 2023
- tyramine: not detected (nd), n = 4 (own database); another study in the same table, reference [34], prints 3 mg/kg (n not reported) mg/kg · fresh weight · raw · grade B · Sanchezperez 2018
Sources
- Health Canada, Canadian Nutrient File 2026 (14th edition)
cnf-2026· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - Public Health England, Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset (CoFID) 2021
cofid-2021· dataset · Open Government Licence v3.0 - EFSA CONTAM Panel (2008) Nitrate in vegetables. EFSA Journal 689 · doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2008.689
efsa-2008-nitrate· full text read · EFSA Journal: CC BY-ND 4.0 - USDA FoodData Central, Foundation Foods, release 2026-04-30
fdc-foundation-2026-04-30· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy, 2018-04
fdc-sr-legacy-2018-04· dataset · CC0 1.0 (public domain) - Ferjancic B et al. 2024, Fructan content in most commonly consumed Slovenian foods, Front Nutr (PMC11327153)
ferjancic2024· full text read · CC BY 4.0 - Grzelak-Blaszczyk K, et al. Varietal susceptibility of yellow onions to blanching and its impact on probiotic fermentation. Molecules 2025;30(14):3002 · doi:10.3390/molecules30143002 · PMID 40733267
grzelak2025· full text read · open access (MDPI; licence text not re-read) - Health Canada, Canadian Total Diet Study – Trace Elements (2005–2018 composites)
hc-tds-trace-elements· dataset · Open Government Licence – Canada 2.0 - Public Health Agency of Canada. Public Health Notice: Outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to red onions imported from the United States (final update 2020-10-01)
phac-onion-salmonella-2020· page · Government of Canada terms (Crown copyright) - Muir JG, Shepherd SJ, Rosella O, Rose R, Barrett JS, Gibson PR. Fructan and free fructose content of common Australian vegetables and fruit. J Agric Food Chem 2007;55(16):6619-6627 · doi:10.1021/jf070623x · PMID 17625872
pmid:17625872· abstract only · Publisher copyright (journal article) - Salgado N, Silva MA, Figueira ME, Costa HS, Albuquerque TG. Oxalate in Foods: Extraction Conditions, Analytical Methods, Occurrence, and Health Implications. Foods 2023;12:3201 (PMC10486698) · doi:10.3390/foods12173201 · PMID 37685134
salgado2023· full text read · CC BY 4.0 - Sánchez-Pérez S et al. 2018, Foods 7:205, Table 1 (histamine in plant foods; PMC6306728)
sanchezperez2018· full text read · CC BY 4.0 - Ueno K, Oku S, Shimura H, Yoshihira T, Onodera S. Variation of fructan and its metabolizing enzymes in onions with different storage characteristics. J Appl Glycosci 2025;72(2):7202103 · doi:10.5458/jag.7202103 · PMID 40502375
ueno2025· full text read · CC BY-NC 4.0 - Varney J, Barrett J, Scarlata K, Catsos P, Gibson PR, Muir JG. FODMAPs: food composition, defining cutoff values and international application. J Gastroenterol Hepatol 2017;32 Suppl 1:53-61 · doi:10.1111/jgh.13698 · PMID 28244665
varney2017· secondary source · Publisher copyright
Body map 2026-10-25.1: each nutrient’s job comes from an agency fact sheet, linked beside it under Good for.
The plain words: “a lot” means one serving (100 g when the food has no serving size) gives at least 20% of the daily amount (the reference intake), “some” at least 10%, “a little” at least 2% (the cut-offs are ours, one set for every page: 20% and 10% are borrowed from the US labelling terms “high” and “good source” and applied to Health Canada’s daily amount, whereas Health Canada’s own shopper rule says 15%; provisional: they may change in a later method version). The daily amount is Health Canada’s Dietary Reference Intake for adults 19–30; where men and women need different amounts we use the higher one (protein: 56 g for men, 46 g for women). The percentage printed under each nutrient is the printed amount as a share of that daily amount, rounded to the nearest whole number, and the word is read from that percentage, so the amount, the percentage and the word always agree. Calcium with a measured absorption is scaled by how well it gets in compared with milk.
The scale: “Nothing to watch” means a serving a day stays under the limit at ordinary amounts; “Go easy” means a serving a day can push past the limit for adults who already take in the most, or fewer than 2 servings reach it; “Limit it” means once a week or less. The dataset’s own rating is under “How we got this”. Provisional: the scale may change in a later method version.
Measured absorption under Good for: grade-A studies in adults that tested this preparation of this food, as a share of the listed amount (the share digested, for protein), quoted once each source has passed our evidence check; animal studies and other variants stay in the table above. Provisional: this screen may change in a later method version.