Onions have been around for so long that no one really know their origins. They are one of the most basic of foods , can be used for so many things and who can resist the smell of barbequing onions? they are rich in Vitamin c, minerals and sulphur. If eaten raw they help with digestion and stimulate the kidneys and cleanse the blood. Fresh onion juice is used for insect bites, or between the toes for tinea. As a medicine they are an antiseptic. Onions can be eaten raw in salads, the purple salad onion being milder and preferred this way, they are delicious when roasted, or done on the barbie and served on bread with a sausage. Who amongst us hasnt enjoyed a sausage sizzle, expecially when they are outside every shopping centre as a fund raiser. Shallots and leeks are also related to the onion and have similar properties.