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Shallots vs. Onions — Nutritional and Usage Differences

Article author photo Jack Yacoubian by Jack Yacoubian | Last updated on December 23, 2023
Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian Article author photo Elen Khachatrian
Onion
vs
Shallot

Summary

Shallots are richer in fiber, copper, manganese, phosphorus, iron, potassium, vitamin C, B6, and folate. Overall, shallots are more nutritious than onions (yellow onions). Shallots are sweeter and have a milder taste. Shallots are richer in phytochemicals. 

Table of contents

  1. Introduction
    1. Nutritional content comparison
      1. Calories
        1. Carbs and fiber
          1. Fat and protein
            1. Oxalates
              1. Minerals
                1. Vitamins 
                2. Health Impacts
                  1. General Differences
                    1. Usage
                      1. Taste and flavor
                        1. Substitutions 
                        2. References

                          Introduction

                          This article is a comparison between shallots and onions. You might ask, "What's the difference between them?" They have several differences, primarily based on culinary usage, taste, and flavor. In addition to these, there are nutritional differences that we will be tackling in this article. 

                          Nutritional content comparison

                          This article compares 100g of yellow onions to 100g of shallots. 

                          Calories

                          Shallots are higher in calories compared to onions. 

                          Shallots contain 72 calories, whereas onions contain 40 calories. 

                          Carbs and fiber

                          Shallots are higher in overall carbs. However, they contain nearly twice the amount of fiber of onions. 

                          Fat and protein

                          Their fat and protein content is negligible. 

                          Oxalates

                          Onions contain 5mg of oxalates, whereas shallots do not contain oxalates. They have negligible amounts of oxalates. 

                          Minerals

                          Shallots have a richer mineral profile. It is richer in all minerals compared to onions. Shallots are significantly richer in copper, manganese, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and potassium. 

                          Mineral Comparison

                          Mineral comparison score is based on the number of minerals by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                          Onion
                          Onion
                          1
                          Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 7.1% 6.9% 13% 7.9% 13% 4.6% 12% 0.52% 17% 2.7%
                          Magnesium Magnesium Calcium Calcium Potassium Potassium Iron Iron Copper Copper Zinc Zinc Phosphorus Phosphorus Sodium Sodium Manganese Manganese Selenium Selenium 15% 11% 29% 45% 29% 11% 26% 1.6% 38% 6.5%
                          Contains less SodiumSodium -66.7%
                          Contains more MagnesiumMagnesium +110%
                          Contains more CalciumCalcium +60.9%
                          Contains more PotassiumPotassium +128.8%
                          Contains more IronIron +471.4%
                          Contains more CopperCopper +125.6%
                          Contains more ZincZinc +135.3%
                          Contains more PhosphorusPhosphorus +106.9%
                          Contains more ManganeseManganese +126.4%
                          Contains more SeleniumSelenium +140%

                          Vitamins 

                          Shallots are richer in vitamins B1, C, B6, and folate. 

                          Overall, shallots contain more nutrients regarding their macros, vitamins, and minerals. 

                          Health Impacts

                          Onions are associated with anticarcinogenic, antibacterial, antithrombotic, and antiallergic properties.
                          Overall, you can expect to treat cancer with onions. However, lifelong proper nutrition reduces the risk of developing cancer (1). 

                          In comparison, shallots have been shown to have antioxidative and antiallergic activities. In addition, the consumption of shallots has been shown to have positive effects on the cardiovascular system and in the control of blood glucose levels in diabetes (2)(3)(4).

                          Raw shallots and raw onions are excellent vegetables to eat. 

                          The health benefits of both onions and shallots are derived from phytochemicals such as quercetin, flavonoids, phenolic compounds, and organosulfur. 

                          Shallots have a richer phytochemical profile than onions (5). From these are flavonoids, quercetin, phenolic compounds, and organosulfur.

                          General Differences

                          Usage

                          Onions are often used in stir-fry dishes and stews and overall in cooking. Shallots have a different flavor profile that can be used in garnishing, salad dressing, and sauces (vinaigrette).

                          In a recipe where you must caramelize onions, it's best to use shallots. This is mainly because shallots contain more carbs and sugars. 

                          For French onion soups, yellow onions are mainly used.

                          You can read about onion vs. garlic in this article. 

                          Taste and flavor

                          Shallots are smaller and have a sweeter, milder taste with a hint of garlicky (alliums) flavor. Onions are more pungent. 

                          They are both members of the allium family. 

                          Substitutions 

                          Well, you can substitute onions and shallots. However, the flavor profile of the dish might change. 

                          For example, swapping onions with shallots will add sweetness to salads. 

                          You can read about chives vs. scallions in this article. 

                          To prepare vegetable broths, you can use onions, shallots, white onions, red onions, leeks, and onion peel. 

                          References

                          1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12410539/ 
                          2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36009266/ 
                          3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35983491/ 
                          4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31421664/ 
                          5. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315764308  
                          Article author photo Jack Yacoubian
                          Education: Haigazian Medical University
                          Last updated: December 23, 2023
                          Medically reviewed by Elen Khachatrian

                          Infographic

                          Onion vs Shallot infographic
                          Infographic link

                          Vitamin Comparison

                          Vitamin comparison score is based on the number of vitamins by which one or the other food is richer. The "coverage" charts below show how much of the daily needs can be covered by 300 grams of the food.
                          Onion
                          Onion
                          1
                          Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 25% 0.12% 0.4% 0% 12% 6.2% 2.2% 7.4% 28% 0% 1% 14% 3.3%
                          Vitamin C Vit. C Vitamin A Vit. A Vitamin E Vit. E Vitamin D Vit. D Vitamin B1 Vit. B1 Vitamin B2 Vit. B2 Vitamin B3 Vit. B3 Vitamin B5 Vit. B5 Vitamin B6 Vit. B6 Vitamin B12 Vit. B12 Vitamin K Vit. K Folate Folate Choline Choline 27% 0.24% 0.8% 0% 15% 4.6% 3.8% 17% 80% 0% 2% 26% 6.2%
                          Contains more Vitamin B2Vitamin B2 +35%
                          Contains more Vitamin AVitamin A +100%
                          Contains more Vitamin EVitamin E +100%
                          Contains more Vitamin B1Vitamin B1 +30.4%
                          Contains more Vitamin B3Vitamin B3 +72.4%
                          Contains more Vitamin B5Vitamin B5 +135.8%
                          Contains more Vitamin B6Vitamin B6 +187.5%
                          Contains more Vitamin KVitamin K +100%
                          Contains more FolateFolate +78.9%
                          Contains more CholineCholine +85.2%
                          ~equal in Vitamin C ~8mg
                          ~equal in Vitamin D ~0µg
                          ~equal in Vitamin B12 ~0µg

                          Macronutrient Comparison

                          Macronutrient breakdown side-by-side comparison
                          Onion
                          Onion
                          1
                          9% 89%
                          Protein: 1.1 g
                          Fats: 0.1 g
                          Carbs: 9.34 g
                          Water: 89.11 g
                          Other: 0.35 g
                          3% 17% 80%
                          Protein: 2.5 g
                          Fats: 0.1 g
                          Carbs: 16.8 g
                          Water: 79.8 g
                          Other: 0.8 g
                          Contains more WaterWater +11.7%
                          Contains more ProteinProtein +127.3%
                          Contains more CarbsCarbs +79.9%
                          Contains more OtherOther +128.6%
                          ~equal in Fats ~0.1g

                          Fat Type Comparison

                          Fat type breakdown side-by-side comparison
                          Onion
                          Onion
                          0
                          58% 18% 24%
                          Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.042 g
                          Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.013 g
                          Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.017 g
                          24% 20% 56%
                          Saturated Fat: Sat. Fat 0.017 g
                          Monounsaturated Fat: Mono. Fat 0.014 g
                          Polyunsaturated fat: Poly. Fat 0.039 g
                          Contains less Sat. FatSaturated Fat -59.5%
                          Contains more Poly. FatPolyunsaturated fat +129.4%
                          ~equal in Monounsaturated Fat ~0.014g

                          Comparison summary table

                          Pay attention to the rightmost column. It displays the amounts side by side, giving a clearer understanding of the difference.
                          Onion Shallot
                          Rich in minerals ok
                          Lower in Saturated Fat ok
                          Rich in vitamins ok
                          Lower in Sugar ok
                          Lower in Sodium ok
                          Lower in Glycemic Index ok
                          Lower in price ok
                          Lower in Cholesterol Equal

                          All nutrients comparison - raw data values

                          Nutrient Onion Shallot Opinion
                          Calories 40kcal 72kcal Shallot
                          Protein 1.1g 2.5g Shallot
                          Fats 0.1g 0.1g
                          Vitamin C 7.4mg 8mg Shallot
                          Net carbs 7.64g 13.6g Shallot
                          Carbs 9.34g 16.8g Shallot
                          Magnesium 10mg 21mg Shallot
                          Calcium 23mg 37mg Shallot
                          Potassium 146mg 334mg Shallot
                          Iron 0.21mg 1.2mg Shallot
                          Sugar 4.24g 7.87g Onion
                          Fiber 1.7g 3.2g Shallot
                          Copper 0.039mg 0.088mg Shallot
                          Zinc 0.17mg 0.4mg Shallot
                          Phosphorus 29mg 60mg Shallot
                          Sodium 4mg 12mg Onion
                          Vitamin A 2IU 4IU Shallot
                          Vitamin E 0.02mg 0.04mg Shallot
                          Manganese 0.129mg 0.292mg Shallot
                          Selenium 0.5µg 1.2µg Shallot
                          Vitamin B1 0.046mg 0.06mg Shallot
                          Vitamin B2 0.027mg 0.02mg Onion
                          Vitamin B3 0.116mg 0.2mg Shallot
                          Vitamin B5 0.123mg 0.29mg Shallot
                          Vitamin B6 0.12mg 0.345mg Shallot
                          Vitamin K 0.4µg 0.8µg Shallot
                          Folate 19µg 34µg Shallot
                          Choline 6.1mg 11.3mg Shallot
                          Saturated Fat 0.042g 0.017g Shallot
                          Monounsaturated Fat 0.013g 0.014g Shallot
                          Polyunsaturated fat 0.017g 0.039g Shallot
                          Tryptophan 0.014mg 0.028mg Shallot
                          Threonine 0.021mg 0.098mg Shallot
                          Isoleucine 0.014mg 0.106mg Shallot
                          Leucine 0.025mg 0.149mg Shallot
                          Lysine 0.039mg 0.125mg Shallot
                          Methionine 0.002mg 0.027mg Shallot
                          Phenylalanine 0.025mg 0.081mg Shallot
                          Valine 0.021mg 0.11mg Shallot
                          Histidine 0.014mg 0.043mg Shallot
                          Fructose 1.29g Onion

                          Which food is preferable for your diet?

                          ok
                          ok
                          is better in case of low diet
                          Onion Shallot
                          Low Calories diet ok
                          Low Fats diet Equal
                          Low Carbs diet ok
                          Low Glycemic Index diet ok

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                          Vitamins & Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score

                          The summary scores indicate the extent to which this food can fulfill your daily vitamin and mineral requirements if you consume 3 servings, consisting of 100 grams of each (an approximation of 3 serving sizes).
                          Vitamins Daily Need Coverage Score
                          8%
                          Onion
                          14%
                          Shallot
                          Minerals Daily Need Coverage Score
                          8%
                          Onion
                          21%
                          Shallot

                          Comparison summary

                          Which food is richer in minerals?
                          Shallot
                          Shallot is relatively richer in minerals
                          Which food is lower in Saturated Fat?
                          Shallot
                          Shallot is lower in Saturated Fat (difference - 0.025g)
                          Which food is richer in vitamins?
                          Shallot
                          Shallot is relatively richer in vitamins
                          Which food is lower in Sugar?
                          Onion
                          Onion is lower in Sugar (difference - 3.63g)
                          Which food contains less Sodium?
                          Onion
                          Onion contains less Sodium (difference - 8mg)
                          Which food is lower in glycemic index?
                          Onion
                          Onion is lower in glycemic index (difference - 15)
                          Which food is cheaper?
                          Onion
                          Onion is cheaper (difference - $0.1)
                          Which food contains less Cholesterol?
                          ?
                          The foods are relatively equal in Cholesterol (0 mg)

                          References

                          All the values for which the sources are not specified explicitly are taken from FDA’s Food Central. The exact link to the food presented on this page can be found below.

                          1. Onion - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170000/nutrients
                          2. Shallot - https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/170499/nutrients

                          All the Daily Values are presented for males aged 31-50, for 2000-calorie diets.

                          Data provided by FoodStruct.com should be considered and used as information only. Please consult your physician before beginning any diet.