General Health

Many plants in the genus Allium are known by the common name onion, but used without qualifiers, it usually refers to Allium cepa. Allium cepa is also known as the ‘garden onion’.

Onions, like garlic, are members of the Allium family, and both are rich in powerful ulfur-containing compounds. sIn many parts of the world, onions are used to heal blisters and boils. In homeopathic medicine, Allium cepa is used for rhinnorhea and hay fever. Evidence suggests that onions may be effective against the common cold, heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and other diseases, since they contain anti-inflammatory, anticholesterol, anticancer, and antioxidant components such as quercetin.

In addition, onions are very rich in chromium, a trace mineral that helps cells respond to insulin, plus vitamin C, and numerous flavonoids, most notably, quercitin. Onions are also a very good source of chromium, the mineral component in glucose tolerance factor, a molecule that helps cells respond appropriately to insulin. Clinical studies of diabetics have shown that chromium can decrease fasting blood glucose levels, improve glucose tolerance, lower insulin levels, and decrease total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, while increasing good HDL-cholesterol levels. One cup of raw onion contains over 20% of the Daily Value for this important trace mineral. The regular consumption of onions has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, both of which help prevent atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease, and reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke. These beneficial effects are likely due to onions’ sulfur compounds, its chromium and its vitamin B6, which helps prevent heart disease by lowering high homocysteine levels, another significant risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Onions have been singled out as one of the small number of vegetables and fruits that contributed to the significant reduction in heart disease risk seen in a meta-analysis of seven prospective studies. Of the more than 100,000 individuals who participated in these studies, those who diets most frequently included onions, tea, apples and broccoli-the richest sources of flavonoids-gained a 20% reduction in their risk of heart disease.

Quercitin, an antioxidant in onions, reduce both the size and number of precancerous lesions in the human intestinal tract. Onions may also be especially beneficial for women, who are at increased risk for osteoporosis as they go through menopause. Several anti-inflammatory agents in onions render them helpful in reducing the severity of symptoms associated with inflammatory conditions such as the pain and swelling of osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, the allergic inflammatory response of asthma, and the respiratory congestion associated with the common cold.

Since you have been on this paragraph, then you have known what scientific research says about Onion. It has a very good medicinal properties that gives us health benefits. The higher the intake of onion, the more benefits we get. Are you agree with me? ;-)

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