Know2eat

Onion powder

Allium cepa

What onion powder has been studied for

2 associations assessed — 1 with at least some human evidence behind it. Strongest first.

  • 1 Limited
  • 1 Insufficient
3 things to know first — allergies, interactions and intake limits

About onion powder

Dehydrated, milled onion. As with all dried products the USDA figures per 100 g describe an unrealistic quantity — a teaspoon is around two grams and stands in for a slice or two of fresh onion, with the sulphur compounds that survive drying and none of the moisture.

Also known as onion powder, granulated onion, dried onion

Heart Health

The evidence in depth

Best supported: Limited

What each association actually rests on, and the papers behind it. A rating describes the state of the research, not how impressive the food is. How we rate evidence.

Healthy blood pressure

Heart Health
Limited evidence

The blood pressure evidence attached to onion is really evidence about quercetin, and the trials use isolated quercetin at around 500 mg a day — an amount a seasoning shaker cannot approach. Pooled results show small reductions, mostly in people with raised readings, and say little about onion powder as food.

Limited evidence. Early human work, or mostly lab and animal research.

3 sources

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Blood lipid profile

Heart Health
Insufficient evidence

Onion preparations have been tested for cholesterol in a small number of short trials with inconsistent results, and reviews describe the evidence as too weak and too varied to support a conclusion.

Insufficient evidence. Not enough human research to say anything useful yet.

1 source

Deep research mode adds each paper’s own conclusion and stated limitations.

Ask about Onion powder

Ask about Onion powder

Answers are written only from the entries on this page — the same nutrients, compounds, claims and citations you can read above. Nothing is added from outside the database, and every answer lists what it was built from.

AI explanations are not switched on for this site, so there is nothing to ask here. Everything above is read straight from the database and does not need them.

Key nutrients

Nutrient content per 100 grams
NutrientAmount% DV
Macronutrients
Calories341 kcal17%
Protein10.4 g21%
Total fat1.04 g1%
Carbohydrate79.1 g29%
Fibre15.2 g54%
Total sugars6.63 g—
Water5.39 g—
Fats
Saturated fat0.219 g1%
Monounsaturated fat0.202 g—
Polyunsaturated fat0.31 g—
Cholesterol0 mg0%
ALA (omega-3)0.015 g—
EPA (omega-3)0 g—
DHA (omega-3)0 g—
DPA (omega-3)0 g—
Linoleic acid (omega-6)0.254 g—
Vitamins
Vitamin A0 µg0%
Vitamin C23.4 mg26%
Vitamin D0 µg0%
Vitamin E0.27 mg2%
Vitamin K4.1 µg3%
Thiamin (B1)0.457 mg38%
Riboflavin (B2)0.08 mg6%
Niacin (B3)0.321 mg2%
Pantothenic acid (B5)0.732 mg15%
Vitamin B60.718 mg42%
Folate64 µg16%
Vitamin B120 µg0%
Choline39 mg7%
Minerals
Calcium384 mg30%
Iron3.9 mg22%
Magnesium113 mg27%
Phosphorus322 mg26%
Potassium985 mg21%
Sodium73 mg3%
Zinc4.05 mg37%
Copper0.59 mg66%
Manganese1.3 mg57%
Selenium14.3 µg26%
Other measured compounds
Beta-carotene0 µg—
Alpha-carotene0 µg—
Lycopene0 µg—
Lutein + zeaxanthin0 µg—
Caffeine0 mg—
Ash4.04 g—

Nutrient values are per 100 g of the USDA reference entry named on this page and vary with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

Source record: Spices, onion powder (USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 171327).

% DV uses the FDA Daily Values for adults and children aged 4 and over. A dash means no Daily Value has been established for that nutrient.

Bioactive compounds

Compounds present in meaningful amounts. Presence is banded rather than quantified, because whole-food levels vary enormously with variety, growing conditions, storage and preparation.

How preparation changes things

Only effects with real support are listed. If a preparation method is missing, it is because nothing dependable is documented — not because it makes no difference.

Nothing dependable is recorded about how preparation changes this food’s nutritional properties. Rather than guess, this section stays empty.

Things to know

Allergies, interactions and intake concerns. Every food gets this section — a reference where everything is uniformly good is not a reference.

  • Worth knowing

    Concentrated fructans and IBS

    Onion is a leading dietary source of fructans and drying concentrates them by weight. Onion powder is excluded on a low-FODMAP diet and is one of the most common hidden triggers in stock cubes, crisps and seasoning blends.

  • Worth knowing

    Often blended with salt and anticaking agents

    Onion salt is a different product from onion powder, and some powders include silicon dioxide or starch as flow agents. Labels are worth reading if sodium matters.

  • Worth knowing

    Toxic to dogs and cats

    Dried onion and garlic powders are more concentrated than the fresh vegetable and cause oxidative damage to red blood cells in dogs and cats. Seasoned leftovers and gravy are a common route of accidental poisoning.