Onion: Health Benefits, Risks & Nutrition Facts

Onions are the underground and comestible bulb that grows on the plant with the same name.

It is a vegetable of Asian origin cultivated since 6000 B.C.
From Asia is spread over Europe, and from Europe to the entire America. There is a wide range of varieties, which can be classified according to bulb color, shape, size, uses, origin and precocity.

The most common types are red, yellow and white onion. The flavors can range from sweet to spicy and juicy, often depending on the season in which it is grown and consumed. It is estimated that about 50 million kilograms of onions are harvested each year worldwide.

One of the essential food in the kitchen is the onion, and cooked practically can take all possible ways and serves to spice up any dish. Its culinary properties, nutritional and even medicinal properties of onion make it a highly recommended food.

The main component of the onion by far is water, it accounts for 90% of its composition. Therefore, it is surprising that in the remaining 10% we can find so many nutrients and beneficial properties:

Onions can help improve the lifestyle of men in very many ways. Below we are going to present their properties and health benefits:

Protects the heart

Contains enzyme, alliinase, and sulfides that help thin the blood, thereby reducing levels of LDL or bad cholesterol. It also maintains the elasticity of arteries and clean fat.

Help reduce blood sugar levels or blood sugar because it contains Glu coqui NINA

Eating fresh onion helps lower blood sugar, and it also stimulates the release of pancreatic juice.

It is one of the most effective remedies against respiratory problems especially in preventing colds and flu

Even though it has a strong odor, onion is well-known for its immediately effects against flu, improving our health.

This thing is possible due to its high level of phytochemicals, a biologically active substance which helps in the absorption of Vitamin C, and also strengthens our immune system, thus preventing body infections.

We all know that nobody likes to have a repellent breath, but have you ever thought that you can consume how much onion you want without thinking about its smell ? How can you do that ? The answer is simple: After consuming it the only thing you have to do is drinking a glass of cold milk.

The result will be immediately and you will easily notice how the strong smell has been reduced.

Breathing problems can also be treated by consuming onion both due to its strong smell, and its properties.

A simple remedy for breathing problems is boiling for five minutes two raw onions without peeling them. After that, allow infusing for approximately 10 minutes.

The obtained liquid should be consumed before eating and as hot as possible.

More than that, onion juice can be used with confidence in cases of stress, depression or physical and mental fatigue.

Consumed regularly onion helps in losing weight

Do you want to know how onion can help you lose weight ?
First of all, it purifies the digestive system having an antioxidant effect.
Containing a special carbohydrate named fructooligosaccharide, onion facilities digestion and helps bowel movements, improving the digestive functions.

It contains vitamins C, A, E and B, magnesium, phosphorus, and besides strengthening the immune system, helps in losing weight.

Onion soup represents a devoted ally for those who are looking for a fast way to get rid of their extra pounds.

It is highly effective against cancer

Onion is one food that has focused more attention on studies concerning cancer, with a special focus on the stomach and colorectal cancer. Its benefits and preventive effects are due in part to its rich components oregano sulfides.

Although the precise mechanism by which these components prevent the occurrence of cancer is not known, the likely scenario would lead to inhibition of tumor growth and prevent the formation of free radicals.
Onion is also an important source of vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps fight the formation of free radicals, which are considered the cause of episodes of cancer.

Benefits of external use of onion

a) Helps against insect bites wetting the affected area with liquid from a fresh onion crushed.

Its antibacterial properties make it a good disinfectant against bites and stings of animals, especially insects.

b) Onion helps to eliminate itching of the chilblains by rubbing a raw onion on the affected area.

To eliminate itching, very common in the presence of chilblains, as well as for its wealth of alliin, the use of raw onion can be very appropriate, being considered one of the best natural antibiotics.

c) It’s one of the best friends of your hair.

If you want your hair to grow quickly and you also want it to look shiny and healthy, we have the perfect remedy for you. All you have to do is to chop an onion into several portions and to put in the bottle of shampoo that you use normally. Let stand for about 2 weeks and after that apply it with each washing. Do not worry if when you have wet the hair smells like an onion because the smell disappears when it dries.

In addition to stimulating the hair follicle, sulfur, it also eliminates dandruff and helps preserve hair.

d) Helps eliminate warts.

Warts can be removed if daily applied two or three times a poultice with the juice of a crushed pickled onion

In our days, people use the power of the Internet to find answers to their questions.

When we talk about onions, there are questions that arouse the interest of those people. What they try to find ?
Well, the most common questions are:

Does onion loses its benefits when it’s cooked ?

Well, it is true that cooked onion becomes dull and loses many of its properties due to the elimination of its essential oil; but, at the same time, you get painkillers, lenitive and pectoral properties and it acquires an even more pleasant taste.

Raw, onion is hardly digestible by weak stomach, and can cause unpleasant burping. It also gives a bad odor to the breath; but this problem is much smaller than the benefits of consumption, as discussed above.

So onions can be eaten raw, cooked, fried, grilled, stews, in salads, and it still an important ally of your health.

Do Onions Help Lower Blood Sugar Levels in Diabetics ?

And the answer is yes. Onions not only help reduce blood sugar but also prevent the formation of ferments in the stomach, urine, and blood, thus helping diabetics to reduce dizziness usually suffer.

Is it bad to eat a lot of raw onion ?

Not at all, raw onion has many benefits as we have said. And if your stomach can digest it easily, then there’s no problem at all.

Moreover, inhaling for a few moments the odorous substance of onion, will help to calm even the most nervous person, relaxing the nerves to produce sleep. So if you suffer from insomnia, it is a natural remedy easy to use and not hard to find.

The onion is a nutrient-packed food. While it is low in calories, it gives us high amounts of nutrients beneficial to our health such as vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Specifically, a portion equivalent to a cup of chopped onion contains approximately: 64 calories, 15 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams of sugar, 3 grams of fiber, 2 grams of protein and 10% of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and manganese. In addition contains no fat or cholesterol.

Onion also contains a slight amount of calcium, iron, folate, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and quercetin and sulfur antioxidants.

The health benefits of consuming onion include reducing the risk of many cancers, improve the mood and maintain the health of our skin and hair.

Thanks to all its properties and the immense number of benefits it brings to the health of human beings, onion is known as the healthiest food in the world.2