Onions are an ancient food with many nutritional and medicinal properties. Eating purpose onions with honey and a little turmeric and applying it to your chest overnight can work wonders for covid -19.

What Exactly Are Onions?

Onions are vegetables that are also known as common onions or bulb onions. Onion is a member of the same genus as garlic, shallots, leeks, and chives, which is allium. And all of these vegetables contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and powerful plant chemicals that are beneficial to health in a variety of ways. Onion benefits for men, in particular, are receiving more attention.

 It’s typically served cooked. They can also be eaten raw and used to make pickles and chutneys. The onion has a strong flavor that is sharp and pungent. Though it is a temperate crop, it can be grown in a variety of climates (temperate, tropical, and subtropical).

As previously stated, a bulb onion is nothing more than a short stem with fleshy leaves. It serves as a food reserve for the plant, allowing it to survive in harsh weather conditions.

The most negative aspect of the onion is definitely that it makes us cry, but otherwise, it is a true nutritional treasure and an integral part of our gastronomy. It hides many nutrients and medicinal properties under its layers, minerals, and trace elements (calcium, magnesium, chlorine, cobalt, copper, iron, phosphorus, iodine, nickel, potassium, silicon, zinc, sulfur, and bromine). it is also found in vitamins (A, B, C, and E).

Onions contain a volatile sulfur essence that gives them their unique spicy flavor. One of these ingredients dissolves quickly in water to produce sulfuric acid, which causes tears when cut.

In addition, onions contain a volatile substance called allyl, which has a bactericidal and sterilizing effect. It is also called “vegetable insulin” due to its interesting content of glucokinase, a substance that lowers blood sugar levels. For all these reasons, the Spanish Nutrition Foundation recommends its consumption, emphasizing its diuretic and antiseptic properties.

It is very versatile in the kitchen and the best way to reap the benefits of onions is to eat them raw. You won’t lose much.

When buying onions, you need to choose ones with firm bulbs, no sprouts, and intact skins. To store them, they should be kept in a dry, well-ventilated place and prevented from accumulating.

fiber:

 Onions are a source of dietary fiber that contributes to the intake of soluble dietary fiber. The type of fiber found in onions may reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, and heart attack. In addition, according to the Spanish Heart Federation, it helps lower cholesterol levels.

vitamin:

100 grams of onions provide 11.5% of your daily recommended amount of vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 helps the body produce serotonin and myelin, so onions are good for cognitive and neurological function. Additionally, one serving of onion provides 5.9% of the recommended daily allowance of folic acid and 3.9% of the vitamin C your body needs.

 mineral:

 100 grams of onions provides 8.5% of the daily calcium needed for strong bones and teeth. Additionally, onions also provide manganese.

Properties and Benefits of Onions

 

Good for the circulatory system

 It helps prevent blood clots from forming, promotes blood circulation, and fights diseases caused by circulatory disorders.

 diuretic

 It is highly recommended for patients with renal failure, gout, kidney stones, and edema as it promotes fluid drainage. Sterilization, expectorant

 Along with garlic, it is one of the best natural remedies for combating respiratory infectious processes due to the high sulfur compounds it contains. Leave a finely chopped onion by your bed at night.

 digestion and detoxification

 It aids digestion by stimulating the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas, but should be avoided if you have heartburn. Onions can remove toxins and ferments produced in the stomach after digestion.

Onion Information

Slicing onions make you cry because the onion emits a sulfur-based gas when cut. Sulfuric acid is formed when the gas reacts with the water in your eyes. Your tear ducts work overtime to clear your eyes of this fiery irritant. If you want no more (or fewer) tears, move your face away from the onion so the gas dissipates before it reaches your eyes.

Another tip for reducing tears is to chill the onions for 30 minutes first. Then, cut off the top and peel the outer layers away from the root end, leaving the root end intact.

Bulb onions are available in yellow, red, or white. Yellow onions account for approximately 87 percent of the commercial onion crop in the United States; red onions account for 8 percent, and white onions account for 5%.

Scallions, also known as green onions, are immature yellow, red, or white onions harvested before the bulb forms. Immature onions are also known as “spring onions” and “salad onions.”

A scallion is not the same as a shallot. This is most likely because “échalion” is another name for shallot, derived from the French échalote. Shallots have a distinct flavor, but it is more similar to that of mature onions than to that of scallions.

 

What Are the Various Onion Varieties?

Onion is so widely used that it can be found in almost any culinary dish from around the world. There are many different types of onions, but we’ll focus on the most common ones here.

Green onions – They are immature onions that haven’t yet formed a bulb.

Leeks – They are shaped like overgrown scallions (the long-necked onion with a small bulb) and are usually used in sauces and soups.

Red onions – Sweet to be eaten raw. The exterior skin and flesh are deep magenta.

Purpose onions – They are smaller and brown-skinned and have purpose flesh.

Yellow onions – They have a strong and sulfur-like aroma. It is ivory white flesh that is surrounded by heavy brown skin.

Sweet onions – They have a lighter, less-opaque skin that surrounds the larger and slightly fatter body of the vegetable.

White onions – They have papery white skin, and they are milder and sweeter than their yellow counterparts.

 

SOME OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ONIONS

 

Onions Are Good for Your Health?

Eat raw onions or cooked onions, they are loaded with benefits. And you can eat them whenever you want – day or night. Vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins C and B6, folate, iron, and potassium. Onions are also rich in manganese which offers protection against cold and flu.

Onions also contain quercetin, another antioxidant that fights inflammation. More interestingly, cooking onions in soup doesn’t diminish their quercetin value but simply transfers the antioxidant from the vegetable to the soup broth.

And not just the vegetable, even the essential oil from onions has benefits. The oil has antiseptic and antibacterial properties.

When combined with garlic, could have greater benefits. The two, together, are known to be effective antidepressants, painkillers, anticoagulants, and anti-inflammatories.

It may not induce weight loss directly but substituting them for high-calorie foods can make some contribution.

 

Is It Better to Eat Onions Raw or Cooked?

Whether raw or cooked – onions are super healthy. However, raw onions have higher levels of organic sulfur compounds that offer numerous benefits.

Boiled onions have benefits. They serve as a good source of fiber and copper. Fiber helps keep digestive issues at bay while copper aids brain communication. Even pickled onions have most of the benefits onions provide. One point to be noted about pickled onions is – most brands contain additives that could be harmful.

All of what we spoke about, all of these benefits, are because of the nutrients present in onions. Which is what we will look at now.

 

What Is the Nutrition Profile of Onions?

Onions are rich in sulfur, fibers, potassium, calcium, vitamin B, and vitamin C and they are low in fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Here is a piece of detailed information about onion nutrition facts:

One small onion contains about 28 calories and 7 grams of carbs. Onions are also rich in vitamins A, B6, B-complex, and C, as well as iron, folate, and potassium. They are excellent sources of sulfuric compounds, flavonoids, phytochemicals, and polyphenols.

 

IMPRESSIVE HEALTH BENEFITS OF ONIONS

 Fight Cancer

It Contains Cancer-Fighting Compounds. As per a study conducted by the University of Guelph, red onions are the most effective in destroying breast and colon cancer cells. These onions have high levels of quercetin and anthocyanin – two compounds that contribute to this characteristic. Onions activate the pathways that provoke the cancer cells to kill themselves. They make the environment unfavorable for cancer cells to communicate, and this inhibits their growth.

Improve Heart Health

The flavonoids in red onions can contribute to heart health. Onions are also rich in organosulfur, which can help prevent heart disease. According to one Argentine study, intake of the organosulfur compounds found in onions can cut the risk of cardiovascular disease. Onions contain thiosulfates that act as natural blood thinners and reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Lower Blood Sugar Levels

Onion helps us to control lower blood sugar levels. The study was conducted on diabetic rats, and the results were encouraging. One of the sulfur compounds in onions and quercetin can have beneficial effects on blood sugar. However, it was found that onions exhibited a positive effect only when taken along with metformin, the antidiabetic drug.

 Promote Healthy Digestion

The digestive benefits of onions can be attributed to inulin, a fiber present in the vegetable. Inulin acts as a food source for the beneficial bacteria in the intestines. Consuming this fiber helps your body maintain good levels of healthy bacteria. However, the thiosulfates in onions can cause harm to these beneficial bacteria (as they have antibacterial properties). Hence, if you are sensitive to the antibacterial properties of onions, do consult your doctor.

It maintains Bone

Onions can prevent age-related osteoporosis. Eating onions can regulate 5 percent more bone mass than those who ate less onion. Onion consumption was also found to have a beneficial effect on the bone density of women older than 50 years.

Prevent Inflammation and Other Allergies

We have already seen quercetin (and other flavonoids) in onions can help prevent inflammation. Onions also treat allergies by preventing the cells from releasing histamine.

Cooking with onions can help open and drain your sinuses. And the antihistamine properties of quercetin can also aid in reducing nasal congestion. Even eating raw onion at night can help relieve congestion – the sulfur compounds in the onion can break down the mucous.

Improve Immune System

Onions contain selenium that stimulates immune function. The mineral also prevents excessive immune response, which can have adverse effects. Immune cells deficient in selenium develop and reproduce inefficiently, and here’s where onions come into the picture. Such cells also have difficulty producing important proteins and transporting calcium.

Sleeping with onions underneath your feet, placing them in your socks. Does this have benefits? Certain sources say that it eradicates infection and hydrates your body; the reason behind this could be that the feet contain the nerve endings of all the organs of the body. Placing onions beneath the feet transfers their beneficial properties to your interiors. However, there is no research on this – and we don’t know how far the information is true.

Cure Ear Disorders

As per one report, though research is limited, most parents swear by onions to cure ear ailments. They insist that onion juice can work great to relieve earache. One way to do this is to heat the onion, extract some of the juice, and pour a few drops into the infected ear. All you need to do is place the onion in an oven. Let it be for 15 minutes or until it becomes soft. Take out the onion – once it’s cool, cut it in half and squeeze the juice into a small bowl. You can strain the juice once, and using a medicinal dropper, pour a few drops of the juice into your infected ear.

You can also place onion packs on the infected ear. Though the remedy is not scientifically proven, some people believe it might work.
 

Enhance Eye Health

The sulfur in onions improves the health of the lens of the eye. It stimulates the production of a protein named glutathione, which acts as an antioxidant. Higher levels of glutathione mean a reduced risk of glaucoma, macular degeneration, and cataracts.

The selenium in onions supports vitamin E in the eye (which protects the cells in the eye).

Prevent Blood Clots

Onions contain a compound called rutin, which can help prevent blood from clotting. In numerous mice studies, it was found to be the most potently anti-thrombotic compound.

The rutin in onions helps block an enzyme (protein disulfide isomerase), which is released very quickly when blood clots form.

Onion Boost your Energy

The fiber in onions slows digestion and keeps energy levels stable. The inulin in the vegetable helps maintain your stamina levels.

Improve Sexual Health

Onions are one of the herbal medicines used in western Uganda for managing sexual impotence and erectile dysfunction. Even otherwise, vegetable is known to have benefits for men. Taking onion juice with honey is known to increase fertility in men.

Enhance Brain Health

Onions bind with the harmful toxins in the brain and flush them out of the body. And the sulfur-containing compounds in onions can slow down age-related memory loss. The extracts of onions have been found to maintain the hippocampus. However, a part of these memory-fighting properties might be lost upon cooking. Hence, try your best to eat the fruit raw.

Help Cure Fever

Onion can be included as a food ingredient to cure fever. It can also prevent or treat nose bleeding, given its natural fumes, which can help the blood clot (externally).

Onions for Hair Growth:

• Onions have antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, that’s why onion juice helps reduce dandruff and as a result, enhances hair growth
• They enhance collagen production that’s why beneficial for hair growth.
• Onions are a rich source of many minerals that are essential for hair growth

Eating Raw Onions Daily:

Onions are a good source of multivitamins like Vitamin C and Vitamin B. On the other hand, they are rich in minerals like potassium, selenium, chromium, calcium, and phosphorous.

Red vs White Onion:

If you are thinking about which variety of onions has more health benefits, the answer is so simple, All of them. But red onions are healthier as they have Anthocyanins flavonoids in them.

Cool Facts About Onions?

In the Middle Ages, onions were used as a form of currency.

• Guess why sliced onions cause tears? Because sliced onions release sulfuric acid that reacts with the moisture in our eyes and causes tears.
• The world’s largest onion weighed about 18
• As per folklore, the thickness of an onion’s skin can predict the severity of the following winter. The thinner the skin, the milder the winter.
• New York City was once known as the big onion – as it was the kind of city where one could peel layer after layer and still not reach the core.

 

SIDE EFFECTS OF ONION

 

1.  Skin Irritation

Some people may experience face or skin irritation and rashes on applying onion juice to the skin. So, it is advisable to test it on a small area of your skin before its application.

2.  Drastic Decrease In Blood Sugar Levels

Onion decreases blood sugar levels, so diabetics should check their blood sugar before consuming it because it might lower their blood sugar levels too much.

3.  Gastric Burning

Although onion is used in treating several gastrointestinal disorders, excess consumption may cause gastric irritation, vomiting, nausea, and burning. If you experience any such conditions regularly from onion usage, it is advisable to consult your healthcare provider.

4.  Pregnant And Nursing Women

Pregnant and nursing women should limit the amount of onion consumption as it often causes heartburn during these stages.

5.  Heartburn

Uncontrolled intake of onion can lead to heartburn. It can cause adverse effects on people with heart ailments. Quick medical attention is required in such situations.

6.   Bad Breath

Onion often leaves a bad breath after its consumption due to its strong aroma, which can be attributed to its high content of sulfur.

7.  Blood Pressure

Onion may reduce systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Thus, those taking medications for blood pressure should exercise caution in their consumption.

8.   Increased Sensitivity

People who are allergic to onion should not take aspirin and onion together as aspirin increases onion sensitivity.

9.   Increased Lithium

Onion may decrease the capability of the body to get rid of lithium. So, it is recommended to consult a doctor before taking any lithium medications while consuming onions.

 

Conclusion Tips

The onions are great. You must include them in your daily food. It is daily medicine.