Though all veggies are beneficial to health, many types provide additional advantages.
Onions are members of the flowering plant genus Allium, which also contains garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives. These veggies contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and powerful plant chemicals that have been proven to benefit health in a variety of ways.
Onions’ therapeutic benefits have been known since ancient times when they were used to treat maladies such as headaches, heart disease, and mouth sores.
The following are 9 astonishing onion health advantages.
1. May Improve Your Heart’s Condition.
Allicin, which is found in onions, has anti-inflammatory properties, reduces triglycerides, and lowers cholesterol levels. Blood clot prevention and lowering blood pressure are two additional benefits that may be provided by their substantial anti-inflammatory capabilities.
Onions are a rich source of the flavonoid antioxidant quercetin. To reduce heart disease risk factors including high blood pressure, anti-inflammatory properties may be beneficial.
Quercetin-rich onion extract significantly decreased systolic blood pressure in 70 overweight adults with high blood pressure by 3–6 mmHg compared to a placebo.
In addition, onions have been demonstrated to lower cholesterol.
If you’re overweight or obese, consuming substantial amounts of raw red onions (40–50 grams/day if overweight, and 50–60 grams/day if obese) for eight weeks can lower your total and “bad” LDL cholesterol.
Oven eating appears to lower heart disease risk factors such as inflammation, elevated lipid levels, and the production of dangerous blood clots in animal tests.
Conclusion
Eating onion a day may help lower blood pressure, lipid levels, and inflammation, which are all risk factors for heart disease.
2. Stored With Nutrients
As a result of their nutrient density, onions have few calories but a lot of important micronutrients.
Although only 44 calories are contained in one medium onion, it contains a significant amount of nutrients, including vitamin C and potassium. Especially high in vitamin C, a nutrient that affects immunological health, collagen synthesis, tissue repair, and iron absorption, this vegetable is a great source of vitamin C.
Your cells are protected from damage produced by unstable molecules known as free radicals when you take Vitamin C.
Several B vitamins, such as folate (B9) and pyridoxine (B6), are abundant in onions. These vitamins play important roles in metabolism, the production of red blood cells, and nerve function.
It’s also an excellent source of potassium, which many people need.
Americans consume less than half of the recommended daily amount of potassium (DV) of 4,700 my. Potassium is essential for normal cell function, fluid balance, neuronal transmission, renal function, and muscular contraction.
Summary
When it comes to minerals like vitamin C, B vitamins, and potassium, onions are a low-calorie powerhouse.
3. Antioxidants Are Found In Abundance
Oxidation, a process that causes cell damage and is implicated in diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease, can be inhibited by antioxidants. Antioxidants can be found in onions. Flavonoid antioxidants come in a variety of forms (12Trusted Source).
As a member of the flavonoid family, anthocyanins – plant pigments that give red onions their color — are found in red onions. Anthocyanin-rich meals have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease in multiple population studies.
As an example, a 43,880-man study found that men who consumed 613 mg of anthocyanins per day were 14 percent less likely to suffer a nonfatal heart attack. Another research study of more than 93,000 women discovered that those who ate the most anthocyanin-rich foods were 32 percent less likely to have a heart attack than those who ate the least.
The antioxidant properties of anthocyanins have also been linked to a reduced risk of cancer and diabetes.
Bottom line
Anthocyanins, potent plant pigments found in red onions, may help prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.
4. Contains Compounds That Can Fight Cancer
Garlic and onions, which are members of the Allium genus, have been related to a lower incidence of stomach and colorectal malignancies. Research has shown that persons who eat the most allium veggies are 22% less likely to develop stomach cancer than those who eat the least of these foods.
According to an analysis of 16 research in 13,333 adults, those who ate the most onion had a 15% lower chance of developing colorectal cancer than those who ate the least. Sulfur compounds and flavonoid antioxidants in allium vegetables have been related to these cancer-fighting effects.
Sulfur-containing compounds found in onions, such as onion in A, have been proven in test-tube tests to reduce tumor development and limit the spread of ovarian and lung cancer.
Fisetin and quercetin, two flavonoid antioxidants found in onions, have been shown to have anti-tumor properties.
Conclusion
Onions, which are high in allium vegetables, may protect against several cancers.
5. Assist in the Management of Blood Sugar
People with diabetes or prediabetes may benefit notably from the blood sugar-lowering effects of onions. People with type 2 diabetes who ate 100 grams of fresh red onion for four hours saw a 40 mg/dl drop in their fasting blood sugar levels, according to a new study.
Onion eating has been linked to improved blood sugar control in several animal studies. A study found that diabetic rats fed a diet containing 5% onion extract for 28 days had lower fasting blood sugar and body fat than the control group.
A number of the anti-diabetic substances identified in onions include quercetin and sulfur compounds. It has been found that quercetin can interact with cells in the small intestine, pancreas, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and liver to regulate whole-body blood sugar levels.
Conclusion
Onions may help lower blood sugar levels because of the numerous health-promoting chemicals they contain.
6. Bone Density May Be Enhanced
Many foods, including onions, have been linked to bone health, but dairy has been given the most attention.
For eight weeks, a study of 24 middle-aged and postmenopausal women found that those who ingested 100 ml of onion juice daily had increased bone mineral density and antioxidant activity compared to those who did not.
Those who eat onions at least once a day has 5% more bone density than those who eat them once a month or less, according to another research of 507 postmenopausal and premenopausal women.
Older women who ate onions the most regularly had a 20% lower risk of hip fracture than those who never ate them, the study found. Onions may help prevent osteoporosis and increase bone density by reducing oxidative stress, increasing antioxidant levels, and decreasing bone loss.
Summary
Onion eating has been linked to an increase in bone mineral density, according to several studies.
7. Have Antibacterial Properties
Bacteria such as E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa can be fought off by onions, as well as Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)
The bacteria Vibrio cholera, which is a serious public health concern in developing countries, was shown to be inhibited by onion extract. It appears that Quercetin, a compound isolated from onions, is particularly effective in the battle against bacteria.
Helicobacter pylori and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were successfully suppressed in test tubes by quercetin, an extract from yellow onion skin. An antibiotic-resistant bacteria, MRSA, causes infections in various parts of the body, while H. pylori are linked to stomach ulcers and certain digestive cancers.
Quercetin was found to damage the cell walls and membranes of E. coli and S. aureus in another test-tube study.
8. Improve digestive system
For a healthy digestive system, onions are an excellent source of fiber and prebiotics.
Beneficial bacteria in the intestines break down prebiotics, which are fibers that aren’t digested by humans. Short-chain fatty acids, such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, are produced by gut bacteria as a result of their consumption of prebiotics.
Short-chain fatty acids have been demonstrated to improve gut health, boost immunity, reduce inflammation, and improve digestion, according to studies.
Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria strains of probiotics can be increased by eating prebiotic-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Prebiotics may aid in the absorption of essential minerals, such as calcium, which could promote bone health. Prebiotics inulin and fructooligosaccharides are found in high concentrations in onions. Improve your immune system by boosting the number of good bacteria in your gut.
To Sum It Up
Onions have a plethora of health benefits.
Compounds in these nutrient-dense vegetables may lower your risk of heart disease and several malignancies. A stronger immune system may be aided by the antibacterial and digestive health benefits of onions.
More than that, they’re adaptable and can be utilized to enhance the flavor of virtually any salty food. A simple method to improve your general health is to eat more onions.
