One of the good things about onions is that you can eat them raw or cooked and either way you’ll reap the benefits. For example, when you cook onions in soup, the nutrients get transferred into the liquid, so you’re not losing anything. These are just a couple reasons why you should start adding onions to your everyday meals:
- Lowers bad cholesterol and raises HDL cholesterol
- Can thin the blood and ward off blood clots
- Fight asthma and chronic bronchitis
- Fights against the flu and cold, as well as infections
- May lower your risk of several cancers (prostate, breast, ovarian, gastric)
- Helps control blood sugar levels because it increases the action of insulin
- Reduces symptoms associated with osteoporosis and improves bone health
- Detoxify your body from heavy metals, such as lead, arsenic and cadmium
There are various types of onions, from red, yellow, white and even shallots, so which is the best? Overall, all types of onions are good for you, but red onions have a higher amount of antioxidant compounds. They also have a higher amount of flavonoids, than yellow and white, as well as offer a stronger protection against cancer. Don’t be discouraged if you’ve never tried red onions because you still benefit from eating any type of onion. On average, it’s recommended that you eat 3 onions every week to get the most out of them.