Onions are one of those things that you either love or hate. Those that love onions will tell you that anything that onions tastes better–while this may or may not be true, onions are packed with a lot of things that will make it worth the cry from chopping onions.
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Onions have been on the world’s healthiest foods list because they are packed with vitamins, such as:
- Manganese
- Vitamin B6
- Copper
- Vitamin C
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Folate
- Vitamin B1
Onions have polyphenols, which are plant compounds recognized for preventing disease. They are high on antioxidants and even have anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and anti-histaminic properties. Onions contain flavonoids called quercetin, which are plant metabolites that give these antioxidant effects.
These flavonoids are most concentrated on the outer layers of the onion, so when you peel an onion, make sure you only peel off the paper skin, otherwise you are throwing away the good stuff.
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.