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Benefits You Get From Eating Onions
Onions may give you bad breath and tears but they are also a powerhouse of nutrients. Aside from eating an apple everyday to keep the doctor away (as they say), consider adding onions into your meals on a regular basis to keep your body healthy. If you’re someone who doesn’t like onions, you better start reading this blog and we guarantee you’ll love onions in no time!
This small vegetable belongs to the family of Allium genus and is closely related to other superfoods such as garlic, leeks and chives. Onions have been used in cooking for thousands of years, but only recently that scientists made thorough research and looked into the healthy properties of this vegetable. Scientists were right, this humble vegetable has numerous active compounds that are proven healthy and beneficial to a person’s health.
Onions are usually added in most types of cuisine to give it a tasty flavour and add to that the aromatic smell. The distinct odour of an onion is mainly because of its sulfur compounds, and the large amount of sulfur it contains is also good in protecting the liver. This vegetable does not only taste good, it is also therapeutic and rich in antibacterial properties that can help cleanse and eliminate toxins out from the body.
Onions are an excellent source of biotin, chromium, calcium, fibre, vitamin C, B1, B6 and K, iron, folate and potassium. They have shown an abundance in terms of the following properties:
- Anti-histaminic
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
100 gram onion serving provides 44 calories as complex carbohydrates with 1.4 grams of fibre. Onions also contain flavonoids, this is a polyphenolic compound synthesized by plants to give vegetables their colours.
We have mentioned a lot of health benefits already but here are 4 things we would like to highlight about onions:
1. Detoxify using Onions
Onions contain specific amino acids called methionine and cystine that are very good at detoxifying the body from heavy metals. In fact, they can clasp toxins and escort them out of the body naturally. Vitamin C is another good way to to detox the body and can be an effective way of removing lead, arsenic and cadmium. An increase in the intake of onions daily can definitely remove harmful toxins to cleanse the body.
2. Good for the Heart
Onions are not only staples of many dishes but they also contain the richest dietary sources of flavonoids that is known to reduce heart diseases by 20%. Dr. Victor Gurewich from Harvard advises his patients with coronary heart disease to eat onions everyday if possible to help keep the blood free of clots. The best way to consume onion is to eat it fresh and raw but at the same time you can benefit from it when it is cooked.
Onions can do the following to your overall heart health:
- Delay blood clotting
- Can improve HDL cholesterol levels
- Thin the blood
- Lower the total blood cholesterol levels
- Lower Triglyceride levels
- Maintain healthy blood pressure
3. Prevent Cancer
Onions are rich in antioxidants and can protect the body against cancer by reducing the DNA damage caused by free radicals. Organosulfur is a compound that is effective in preventing cancer and this was proven through an experiment conducted on animals. Onion extracts were used in rats to conduct the study and it has the ability to destroy tumour cells in test tubes and can stop the growth of tumour when the tumour cells were implanted in rats.
4. Protects the Immune System
Polyphenols in onions protects the body against free radicals. The antioxidants in onions can help eliminate free radicals and encourages a strong immune system. The quercetin in onions reduces the allergic reactions a person experiences by stopping the body’s ability to produce histamines.
How to Enjoy Eating Onions
There are many ways one can liberally enjoy eating onions when eating your meals. Onions along with its bulb family such as garlic, leeks and shallots are all beneficial to the health. Here are ways you can quickly serve onions together in your meals:
1. Eat onions either steamed, boiled, roasted and raw.
2. Sautéed chopped onions can be included in any vegetable dish for extra yumminess.
3. Grill onions along with other vegetables and coat lightly with olive oil to enhance flavour.
There you have it, onions at its best! May this blog convince you why onions are worth crying for?
TIP: if you want to add raw onion to a salad, soak the sliced onions in some lemon juice, this really helps and they taste heaps better.
*Disclaimer: the information in this article is intended purely as information and not health advice. It is not intended to treat, diagnose, prevent or cure and one should always seek expert advice from their trusted health practitioner.
