Red onion is one of the oldest vegetables and medicinal herbs. An ancient saying, engraved in cuneiform in stone, reads: "Whoever eats red onions in autumn will not have a stomach ache in winter!" There is evidence that red onions were grown in Mesopotamia and Egypt as far back as 6,000 years ago. No other plant is as common a motif on the frescoes of Egyptian tombs as red onions. In many parts of the world, red onion was a sacred plant and was not allowed to be eaten. According to some authors, the homeland of red onions is Central Asia, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. It was transferred to Europe in the Middle Ages - via Italy. Very early it was adored by the English in the famous combination - bread, cheese and red onion. The sweetest variety of red onion is grown in Spain and Macedonia.