Scallions vs Green vs Spring Onions: What's the Difference?

The difference between scallions, green onions and spring onions is age or the time they grow before being harvested. You can identify them by ... HealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeNutritionHealthyEatingMealPrepVitamins&SupplementsLifestyleDietsWeightManagementConditionsProductsNutritionEvidenceBasedScallionsvsGreenvsSpringOnions:What'stheDifference?WrittenbyHelenWest,RDonAugust21,2018ScallionsvsGreenOnionsSpringOnionsSamePlant?NutritionUsesBottomLineScallions,greenonionsandspringonionsarecommonlyusedinAsian,AmericanandEuropeancuisines.Boththeleavesandbulboftheseonionsareedibleandhaveamild,gentleflavorcomparedtoregularonions.However,theylookverysimilarandcanbedifficulttotellapart.Thisarticleclearsuptheconfusionanddetailsthedifferencesbetweenscallions,greenonionsandspringonions.ShareonPinterestScallionsAreYoungerThanGreenOnionsThedifferencebetweenscallionsandgreenonionsissimplytheirage.Scallionsareyoungerthangreenonions,harvestedatanearlierstageoftheirgrowth.Youcantellthemapartbythewidthofthewhitebulbattheplant’sbase.Asithasspentlesstimeintheground,ascallion’swhitebulbwillbeslimmerthanagreenonion’s.Asageneralruleofthumb,thewhitebulbofascallionwillbeaboutthesamewidthasthestemandleavesoftheplant.Greenonions,whicharealittleolder,haveaslightlywiderwhitebulbatthebottom.Thisbulbisusuallywiderthantheleavesandovularinshape,notround.SummaryScallionsareyounggreenonions.Youcantellaplant’sageandwhetherit’stechnicallyascallionoragreenonionbythewidthofitsbulb.SpringOnionsAreOlderThanBothGreenOnionsandScallionsSpringonionsareusuallyplantedattheendofsummersothattheygrowoverwinter,readyforharvestinginthespring.They’remorematurethanbothscallionsandgreenonionsbutstillatypeofyoungonion,whicharereapedbeforetheyhaveachancetogrowlarger.Youcanidentifyaspringonionbythesmall,round,whitebulbatitsbase.Whileitappearssimilartoscallionsandgreenonions,itsroundedbulbgivesitaway.Springonionsarealsoslightlystrongerinflavorthanscallionsandgreenonionsduetotheirmaturity.However,theystillhaveagentlerflavorthanregularonions,whichhavebeenleftinthegroundmuchlongerandgrowmuchlarger.SummarySpringonionsareolderthanscallionsandgreenonions.Becausetheyhavebeenlefttogrowlonger,theirbulbismoredevelopedandrounded.DoGreenOnionsandScallionsComeFromtheSamePlant?Allimmatureonionshavethesamehollow,longgreenleavesandsmallwhitishbulbs.However,somepeopleconsidertruescallionsandgreenonionstocomefromaparticulartypeofalliumplant,theAlliumfistulosumspecies.Thisspeciesdiffersfromotheronions,asitdoesn’tdeveloparoundbulb.Evenwhenleftinthegroundtomature,theseplantswillhaveastraightwhitebulb.However,“scallion,”“greenonion”and“springonion”aren’tofficialplantnamesandsoaren’tattachedtoaparticularspecies.ThoughonionsoftheAlliumfistulosumspecieswillonlyeverformscallionsandgreenonions,anyyoungonioncanfallintothosecategoriesdependingontheplant’sage.SummaryTheterms“scallion”and“greenonion”refermostlytotheageoftheplant.Thoughsomespeciesofonionwillonlyproduceeitherscallionsorgreenonions,it’spossibletosourcethemfromothertypesofonion.NutritionFactsYoungonionssuchasscallions,greenonionsandspringonionsareverylowincaloriesandcontainonlyaround5caloriespermediumonion,or32caloriesper100grams(1).Byfreshweight,they’re89%waterandpack2.6gramsoffiber,7.3gramsofcarbsandtinyamountsofproteinandfatper100grams.Theyalsocontainmicronutrients,includingfolateandvitaminsKandC.100gramsoftheseonionshave(1):Calories:32Water:89%Carbs:7.3gramsSugars:2.3gramsProtein:1.8gramsFiber:2.6gramsFat:0.2gramsVitaminK:173%oftheReferenceDailyIntake(RDI)VitaminC:21%oftheRDIFolate:16%oftheRDITheseonionsalsoboastbeneficialantioxidantsandsulfur-containingcompounds(2).SummaryYoungonionssuchasscallions,greenonionsandspringonionsarelowincaloriesandcontainsomefiber,carbsandbeneficialplantcompounds.HowtoCookWithScallions,GreenOnionsandSpringOnionsWhilegreenonionsandscallionsareclassifiedpredominantlybyage,thingscangetconfusing,aspeopleoftenusethesetermsinterchangeablytodescribeanyyoungonion.Therefore,itcanbedifficulttodeterminetheageandtypeofonionyou’rebuying.However,asallyoungonionstastesimilar,thetypedoesn’tmakemuchofadifferenceindishes.Ifyou’reunsurewhichtypeyouhaveorworryyouhavethewrongone,it’sunlikelytomaryourrecipe.Popularwaystoprepareyoungonionslikescallions,greenonionsandspringonionsareinasaladorasagarnish.Youcanalsocookwiththembyaddingthemtostir-fries,soupsandstews.Springonions,whichhaveaslightlystrongerflavor,tastegreatpickledorgrilled.SummaryThoughthereareslightdifferencesbetweenscallions,greenonionsandspringonions,theycanbeusedinterchangeablyinrecipes.They’reoftenaddedtostews,stir-friesandsalads.TheBottomLineThedifferencebetweenscallions,greenonionsandspringonionsisageorthetimetheygrowbeforebeingharvested.Youcanidentifythembytheirbulb—scallionshavethethinnest,usuallynowiderthantheonion’sstem,whilegreenonions’bulbsareslightlylargerandspringonions’areround.Thoughsmalldifferencesexistintasteandappearance,theseonionsareverysimilarandcanoftenbeusedinthesamerecipes.FEEDBACK:WrittenbyHelenWest,RDonAugust21,2018ReadthisnextOnions101:NutritionFactsandHealthEffectsWrittenbyAddaBjarnadottir,MS,RDN(Ice)Thisisanincrediblydetailedarticleaboutonionsandtheirnutritioncontent.Thehealtheffectsofonions(bothgoodandbad)areexplained…READMORETheBestWaytoStoreOnionsWrittenbyRyanRaman,MS,RDOnionsareakitchenstaple,andpeopleoftenwonderaboutthebestwaytostorethem.Thisarticletellsyouallyouneedtoknowaboutthebestway…READMORECanOnionsLowerMyCholesterol?MedicallyreviewedbyNatalieButler,R.D.,L.D.Couldaddingsomemoresautéedonionstoyourmarinarasauceoraddingsomedicedonionstoyoursaladhelploweryourcholesterol?Maybe.READMORECanOnionJuiceStopHairLoss?MedicallyreviewedbyCynthiaCobb,DNP,APRN,WHNP-BC,FAANPConsideringusingonionjuiceforyourownhaircare?Readupontheremedytomakesureitwillbenefityourparticularhairhealthandcareroutine.READMORE11ProvenHealthBenefitsofGarlicWrittenbyJoeLeech,MSThisisadetailedarticleaboutgarlicanditshealthbenefits.Hereare11waysthatgarliccanimproveyourhealth,supportedbyscience.READMOREThe10HealthiestWinterVegetablesWrittenbyJillianKubala,MS,RDThisarticletakesalookat10ofthehealthiestwintervegetablesandwhyyoushouldincludetheminyourdiet.READMOREWhyIsFiberGoodforYou?TheCrunchyTruthWrittenbyKrisGunnars,BScFiberisindigestiblematerialfoundinfoods.Studiesshowthatfiberhasvarioushealthbenefits,includingweightlossandimproveddigestive…READMOREThe14MostNutrient-DenseVegetablesWrittenbyRachaelLink,MS,RDEveryoneknowsthatveggiesarehealthy,butsomestandoutfromtherest.Hereare14ofthehealthiestvegetablesaround.READMOREThe21BestLow-CarbVegetablesWrittenbyFranziskaSpritzlerVegetablesareaveryimportantfoodgrouponalow-carbdiet.Hereare21healthyanddeliciousvegetablesthatarelowincarbs.READMORE