8 Little-known Health Benefits of Onions
Onions have been a part of the human diet for more than 7,000 years. People have known they make food taste good for a very long time. But did you know they’re also really good for your health? Onions have a wide variety of benefits for your body, let’s lake a look at some of them.
To start, they’re a great source of vitamins, including C, B6, B1, K, and H. They also contain high amounts of folic acid, fiber, sulfur, and flavonoids, as well as important minerals such as:
- Chromium
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Phosphorus
- Calcium
Check out these 8 health benefits of onions. You’ll be surprised!
The most important benefits of onions for your body
1. Blood clotting
Along with flavonoids, onions also contain quercetin, an excellent anticoagulant. This element:
- Balances your cholesterol
- Is anti-inflammatory
- Is an antioxidant
- Helps fight allergies
- Strengthens your heart
- Helps protect your digestive system
- Keeps the platelets in your blood from forming clots when your blood gets thick
2. Bad and good cholesterol
As we’ve already mentioned, quercetin not only helps prevent blood clotting but also balances your cholesterol.
It has been shown that it can reduce “bad” cholesterol while helping your body produce “good” cholesterol.
In addition, its antioxidants make it a big help when it comes to taking care of your heart.
3. Tumor growth
The antioxidants in onions are known for being a way to help fight tumors. Many of the antioxidants that this great vegetable contains may prevent the growth of cancerous tumors.
There are even studies that say they may help lower your risk of some types of cancer, including colon, stomach, prostate, and stomach cancers.
4. Mood and sleep
Onions are rich in folic acid, an incredible component that helps increase blood flow to your brain, thus bringing more oxygen and important nutrients.
They also help in the production of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These are the “feel good” hormones. This contributes to putting you in a better mood, also improving your sleep quality and appetite.
5. Good skin and hair health
All of the vitamin C in onions helps your body produce more collagen. This a crucial component in keeping it strong.
Collagen also helps cell regeneration, as well as elasticity and hydration, making your skin smooth and radiant.
As if that weren’t enough, collagen is also good for your hair, leaving it strong, thick and shiny.
6. Elimination of toxins
The amino acid content of onions helps your body get rid of toxins.
They help expel heavy metals like lead, cadmium and arsenic through the liver.
When your liver accumulates these toxins, it could lead to illnesses that could be avoided by incorporating detoxifying foods into your diet.
Onions are one of the best to keep in mind.
7. Healthy colon
Besides helping prevent colon cancer, another benefit of onions is that they’re responsible for the overall health of this organ.
The fiber in onions encourages the growth of good bacteria in your intestines and helps prevent diarrhea.
Even more impressive is the fact that the fiber helps prevent serious ulcers from forming in your intestines, which can be very painful.
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8. Lower blood sugar
This is very good news if you have diabetes or know someone who does.
Chromium, one of the many minerals found in onions, is in charge of helping your body regulate blood sugar or glucose.
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Sulfur also helps by encouraging insulin production. This is one of the reasons onions are so good for people who have diabetes as well as those who don’t.
Onions have almost infinite benefits. However, it’s important to know that the benefits are easier to obtain if you eat them raw, since they lose some nutrients if you cook them, like many other vegetables.
People who have a sensitive stomach shouldn’t eat them in excess, as it could increase your likelihood of heartburn and flatulence.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
Nicastro, H. L., Ross, S. A., & Milner, J. A. (2015). Garlic and onions: Their cancer prevention properties. Cancer Prevention Research. https://doi.org/10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-14-0172
Rabovsky, A., Lyon, T., Jalili, T., Edwards, R. L., Litwin, S. E., & Symons, J. D. (2018). Quercetin Reduces Blood Pressure in Hypertensive Subjects. The Journal of Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/137.11.2405
Via, M., Scurlock, C., Raikhelkar, J., Di Luozzo, G., & Mechanick, J. I. (2008). Chromium infusion reverses extreme insulin resistance in a cardiothoracic ICU patient. Nutrition in Clinical Practice. https://doi.org/10.1177/0884533608318676
