Have you ever felt personally victimized when reading a menu at a nice restaurant and read something along the lines of, “Creamy Potato Leek Soup, topped with crispy shallots”? WHAT IS A SHALLOT?! Do you dare even ask? Does everyone know what a shallot is?

 

Here’s the 411 – shallots are small, elongated species of onions, that take on a different flavor and are often used differently from your typical white or yellow onion. Some say that unique added flavor that sets shallots apart in their category is that taste of garlic that so naturally infuses in their flavor. In the allium family, you typically see commodities such as scallions, leeks, and chives in addition to onions and shallots. Shallots are mild – but they are not weak. They provide essential flavor to just the right dish. In other words, shallots don’t take on the “bite” of an onion –

they stand alone in their under powering flavor. However, we should warn you that even these mild little cloves can irritate the eye, as they are part of the onion family!

 

To give you a better idea of what they look like, it takes about two or three shallots to be the size of a small onion. They are about as big as their flavor! Which is not a bad thing. Shallots have a very special place for each palate. Shallots are often a shade of deep red, or golden brown and are made up more so of cloves rather than the typical “rings” you find when you cut open an onion. They are bigger cloves than garlic, but you can see why they would be in the same family.

 

The most significant take home when it comes to shallots resides in undeniable nutrition. Similar to garlic, there are many compelling benefits for the human body inside such a small commodity. Topping the list is the value of the antioxidants that shallots bring to the table. These complex antioxidants are released and reform in other ways going as far as to reduce cancer cells. There have indeed been specific links to the benefits of shallots directly to various types of cancer.

 

The list goes on to shallots providing high mineral content that contributes to improving circulation throughout the body. This leads to the benefits of heart health, lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure.

Something about shallots that may take you by surprise is their ability to soothe nerves! Rooted from the minerals and vitamins in shallots, there can be a release of GABA from the brain which in turn releases stress and regulates hormone control.

If reading up on shallots tells us anything – it goes to show you that virtually no fresh produce commodity should ever be underestimated or undervalued. As we have reviewed each commodity on our website over time, we have found that each and every commodity contains a substantial nutritional value that is often not portrayed in everyday society. This is why we love what we do here at Western Veg Produce, Inc. – knowing we are aiding in getting this vital knowledge to the consumer as well as the commodities that speak for themselves is a great feeling to take home at the end of each day.