Guide : Benefits of Eating Onions

Onions are loaded with benefits that can boost your health in many ways. Thanks to their nutritional contents like vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese, potassium, folate, and iron. All of these nutrients and more can support the immune system, detoxify the body, prevent cancer, support hair growth, slow down the aging process, and lots more.

“All these benefits are great, but I hate that it stings my eyes and makes me cry;” says everyone that has every sliced onion.

Well, it’ll be worth it in the long run if you don’t give up on onions just because of that. And FYI, there are some tips you can apply to reduce, or even remove, the pungency of onions that makes you cry when cutting them. Some of them are

• Wash the onions in water, preferably cold one, before cutting.
• Chill your onions in your fridge or freezer to minimize the pungency.
• Use a food processor, food chopper, or blender to prepare your onions instead of slicing them.
• Use kitchen google to protect your eyes.

Here are some of the top benefits of onions, some of which are going to surprise you.

There are a lot of health risks surrounding us every time. We cannot live all our lives inside a test tube, so the best we can do is to find solutions to these risks.

For instance, free radicals are developed in your body seamlessly. These free radicals, if not dealt with, can cause abnormal cell growth, also known as cancer. Onions can help to deal with these free radicals if you eat them on a regular basis.

Onions contain phytonutrients and flavonoids which are very effective in fighting these free radicals and reducing the risk of abnormal cell growth.

2. Onions Have Detoxifying Abilities

So long as we wake up every day, breath, and eat, there is practically nothing we can do to cut off contact with germs and toxins. We might as well say that contacting germs/toxins is one of the characteristics of living things!

Seeing as this is the case, the best we humans were able to come up with is to find ways to neutralize the germs and toxins we come in contact with on a daily. Cleanliness and disinfection can help up to an extent, and so can onions.

Onions contain sulfur compounds and amino acids that help to clear out your internal organs and expel the harmful toxins from within.

3. Onion is Beneficial to The Heart

Heart disease is a complicated matter. It can be developed as a result of the strangest causes. For instance, who would ever think that loneliness, being short, traffic noise, and even a troubled childhood can cause heart disease? Quite strange!

Of course, there are less strange causes like stress, constant headaches, high blood pressure, etc.

Looking at all these causes, it’s almost like every single person is at risk of developing heart disease if care is not taken.

One of the best ways to take care of and reduce the risk of having a heart disease is by eating healthy. Foods that are rich in antioxidants, like onions, can help to reduce the risk of a heart-related issue. Onions also fight inflammation, decrease triglycerides, and reduce cholesterol level, all of which may increase the risk of heart disease.

4. Onions Control Blood Sugar Level

Onion is one of the few natural treatments for blood sugar level regulation. If you are diabetic, you should take onion extract (or just onions) on a regular basis, and your health will love you for that.

A study proved that taking fresh red onions can reduce fasting blood sugar level notably in a matter of 4 hours or less in human beings with type 2 diabetes.

Another study was carried out on diabetic rats. In this case, the rats were fed with 5% onion extract for 28 days, and results proved that onions are indeed potent in controlling blood sugar level.

5. Onion Is Good for the Teeth And Bones

You know there’s a saying that “Little drops of water make the mighty ocean”. Well, it’s so true about onions and their effects on your bones and teeth. You see, onions do not get as much credit for boosting your bone health compared to dairy products, but they’ll definitely come through for you if you’re consistent with them.

According to a study, consuming 100 ml of onions juice daily for 8 weeks improved the bone mineral density of the participants. Note; these participants were middle-aged postmenopausal women.

Another study was conducted on a different group of people and it was discovered that taking onions can decrease the risk of fracture by more than 20% in older women and men.

6. Onions Promote Healthy Digestion

Onions are so rich in probiotics which are very good for proper digestion and a healthy gut. These probiotics are non-digestible forms of fiber which serve as food to the gut bacteria. When gut bacteria feed on the probiotics, it creates short-chain fatty acids.

There is so much to be said about short chain fatty acid, but that’s going to bore you. All you have to know at this level is that these short-chain fatty acids strengthen the guts, reduce inflammation, boost immunity, and enhance digestion.

Onions are particularly rich in two specific probiotics known as fructooligosaccharides and inulin.

7. Onions Boost The Immune System

Taking onions on a regular basis will help your body’s defense mechanism to stay optimally functional at all time. A healthy and functional immune system will ensure you do not contract diseases.

Basically, the immune system tends to break down when the free radicals in your body are not eliminated. That is when you don’t have enough antioxidants in your body to counter the oxidation effects in your body.

Consuming onions is one way you can boost your immune system given to its antioxidant properties.

8. Onions Have Antibacterial Properties

There are a bunch of bacteria that cannot stand onions. These bacterias are dangerous to health, but taking onions on a regular basis can inhibit their growth and kill them eventually.

Some of these bacteria include:

• Bacillus cereus
• Escherichia coli (E. coli),
• Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)
• Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
• Vibrio Cholerae, etc.

Do you know that Vibrio Cholerae is increasingly becoming a problem in developing countries? It causes Cholera, which is commonly transmitted through contaminated water.

Water contamination does not sound like an issue for developed countries, but every now and then, such cases arise. You must take care at all time to avoid it.

The scary part of this matter is that cholera, if left untreated, can be fatal in a matter of hours, even in previously healthy people. They get into your system, hide in there without causing much drama, and then strike when you least expect them to.

The bottom line here is that onions can offer antibacterial properties to help you live a healthy life.

9. Onions Help In The Management Of Anemia

When you don’t have enough iron in your system, you may develop anemia. Anemia is a health condition characterized by insufficient red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. Some symptoms of anemia are

• Unusual tiredness
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Heart palpitation
• Unhealthy hair and finger

If you ever notice any of these symptoms in your health, then it’s time to up your iron intake.

You can take conventional medicines and supplements to help increase the level of iron in your body, or you can go the natural way and eat iron-rich foods like onions. Going the natural way prevents you from the side effects of taking medicines.

10. Onions Enhance The Production Of Antioxidants

When you don’t do anything to inhibit and control the oxidation process that goes on in your body, then your cells will be damaged and you’ll be exposed to the risk of developing diseases like cancer, heart diseases, and stroke. Antioxidants are the solution to oxidation.

Onions are loaded with compounds that enhance the production of antioxidants in the body. There are about 25 different oxidants found in onions, one of which is anthocyanin.

The thing about anthocyanin that makes it stand out from the rest is that it is more potent than other antioxidants. It is very effective in reducing the risk of heart diseases as well as managing it.

These benefits are great, don’t you think? Living a healthy and happy life is not such hard work if you eat onions and stay closer to nature.

Exercise regularly, have healthy fun with interesting people, drink a lot of water, and eat some onions!