Green Salad is the most common dish in any lunch or dinner. Making the salad healthy is considered a worthwhile add on during any mealtime.
Salads are the best appetizers too, it enhances the taste buds to eat the main course. There are varieties of vegetables being used in salads, however, there are widely used vegetables which not only add flavour to the dish but also healthy.
One such ingredient is in the family of onions. The scallions and Green onions are used as a garnishing aid or a salad ingredient too. Both the scallions and green onions look the same and have most of the characteristics similar. It has a good amount of fibre content in it when consumed one cup of scallions or green onions, it suffices for the entire day.
Scallions vs Green Onions
The main difference between Scallions and Green Onions is the nature of the crop. The scallions are a variety called Allium Fistulosum which cannot produce bulb while Green onions are Allium Cepa which can produce the bulb. Incidentally, both the scallions and green onions are harvested at a very young age.
The family of onions play a vital role in protecting the body from infections. It is scientifically proven that the consumption of green onions or scallions’ fights cancer cells. Scallions and Green Onions can be cooked and used; it is highly recommended to have ti raw for its health benefits. Most of the recipes need raw and uncooked scallions and green onions.
It is also widely observed that green onions and scallions are interchangeably used in dishes. There are no ideal differences between the two, however, there are technical differences that can be cited to know the difference.
Comparison Table Between Scallions and Green Onions (in Tabular Form)
| Parameter of Comparison | Scallions | Green Onions |
|---|---|---|
| Crop Property | Scallions cannot produce a bulb. | Green Onions will produce a bulb. |
| Botanical Family | Scallions belong to Allium family, specifically belongs to Allium Fistulosum. | Green Onions also belong to Allium family, specifically belongs to Allium Cepa. |
| Flavour | Scallions are milder in taste. | Green Onions are slightly stronger in taste when compared to the scallions |
| Colour | The base of the scallions is white. | The base of the green onions can be purple too. |
| Appearance | The scallions will look similar to green onions but the base is seen as roots. | The green onions look similar to scallions but the base is seen a bulb. |
What is Scallions?
Scallions are a type of vegetables belonging to the Allium family which does not produce a bulb. Allium family consists of onions, garlic and shallots.
Scallions are a category of young onions which ideally has a white base that did not develop into a bulb. The scallions have green stems or stalks which is connected to the white base.
The white base, as well as the green stems of scallions, are used for cooking. It is used either cooked or raw in many recipes. Scallions are indeed younger ones of the onions. It has relatively mild taste than the well-grown onions.
The white base of the scallions is widely used for its flavour, as such the green stalks do not have any particular flavour at this stage. Scallions are normally sold in a bunch, and it has no season of growth as such. However, the peak period for scallion growth is the summer and spring.
The sizes of scallions are varied, it may be found in small as well as large sizes. The best tip to buy scallions is to confirm if the white base is firm. Though the green stalks do not have good flavour as compared to the scallions, it is better to purchase the ones which have brightly coloured stems. It is advised not to buy scallions which has yellowish stalks.
What is Green Onions?
Green Onions are a type of vegetables belonging to the Allium family. These are a variety which produces the bulbs. It is indeed observed that green onions and scallions are the same in most instances. The typical fact that green onions can produce a bulb which is why it is called Allium Cepa.
Green Onions also have the same structure as the scallions, with green stem but here, it is connected to the base which forms the bulb. When it is harvested makes a difference in the formation of green onion or spring onion.
It is to be noted that, green onions are harvested before the bulb is formed. Most of the times, green onions and scallions are interchangeably used for garnishing and it does not make any difference in the appearance.
However, it is observed that Allium Cepa has a relatively stronger taste than scallions. Here again, avoid purchasing slim stemmed green onions. Green Onions can also be cooked; however, it is widely preferred uncooked for salads. It is a fine ingredient for a quick topper for any dish.
Care to be taken while storing the green onions. Please wash the green onions in running cold water, pat them dry and cover it with a damp towel. Also, place it in a container or a plastic bag to stay fresh for a long time. Watch out for its freshness while taking it from the refrigerator too, and not advised to store it for a long time as well.
Main Differences Between Scallions and Green Onions
- The main difference between Scallions and Green Onions is, scallions are a type of a vegetable which does not produce bulb while green onions are a variety which produces a bulb.
- There are botanical differences between the two, scallion because of non-bearing bulb property makes it Allium Fistulosum while Green onion is called Allium Cepa.
- The taste between the two is similar however Scallions has a mild aroma than the green onions.
- The colour of the stem remains the same for both, however, scallions have a white base which is seen as roots while green onions have a whitish or purple base which is seen as ‘just sprouted bulb’
- Both Scallions have similar fibre properties which are healthy, however, the sulphur content of Scallions is less than Green Onion which is a strong agent in fighting cancer.
Conclusion
The salad or for garnish, the widely preferred ingredient is scallions or the green onions. It is for the lush green colour and the flavour that it does not miss its place in any of these items prepared for a meal.
More than the onions, these two has major health benefits for people. It is good to know the difference between them, however, when the benefits are the same, it is prudent to see how it can be used in the meal. It contains various nutrients that the body requires. It is a must needed daily diet ingredient for people of all age groups.
References
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/jf00013a021
- https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa050855
- https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/183/8/1273/907946
- https://jfoodprotection.org/doi/pdf/10.4315/0362-028X-70.12.2864