The onion, whose scientific name is Allium Cepat is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family of amaryllidaceae. Onions are used not only to make gastronomic preparations but also for medicinal and skin care goals.
This plant has many health benefits since It has a low caloric value and high fiber content is also a source of some vitamins such as C, B1, B6, and E and minerals such as potassium, and calcium, among others.
For this reason, in the following article, we share the most outstanding health benefits of onions well as their nutritional properties and ideal ways to consume them to take advantage of their benefits.
What are the health benefits of onion?
There are various benefits of onion for our health, In fact, Ángeles Carbajal Azcona, professor at the Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Pharmacy of the Complutense University of Madrid (1)through some studies, revealed several findings regarding the benefits of onion, which we present below:
1. Strengthens the immune system
The onion helps fight fungi, infections, and viruses in large quantities. Therefore, it also acts as a barrier against immunosuppression, has a great antiviral component, and contains bactericides.
2. Promotes circulation
A good source that improves blood circulation is onion, since helps arteries and veins widen causing blood flow to increase, in turn increasing the blood’s ability to dissolve internal clots.
3. Reduces blood sugar level
Due to its high level of flavonoid, also called quercetin, onion helps reduce blood sugar levels and cardiovascular diseases.
To highlight: Quercetin is a plant pigment whose content in onions is 300 mg per 100 g of consumption, which is easily absorbed by the body and fulfills a cardioprotective function.
4. Lowers cholesterol
Thanks to the large volume of antioxidants that onion contains, eating it reduces bad cholesterol also called Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL).
Note: Cholesterol is a fat-like substance that is found in all cells of the body. The cholesterol bad is the one that accumulates in the arteries and clogs them, causing various health problems.
5. Reduces blood pressure
Quercetin is a flavonoid present primarily in onion, it helps the reduction of high blood pressure in people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases.
6. Improves the digestive system
According to a study carried out by the Spanish Nutrition Foundation (2), eating raw onion greatly helps digestion, since it contains nutrients such as essential oil, fiber, vitamins, and E and C among others to improve digestion.
7. Fights respiratory conditions
This vegetable thanks to its amount of alliin, sulfur, and flavonoids is a natural antibiotic to attack bacteria and infectious processes that trigger respiratory diseases like cough.
You should know: Alliin is a sulfoxide derived from the amino acid cysteine, which upon contact with the enzyme allin is transformed into allicin, responsible for the characteristic smell of both garlic and onion, which greatly promotes the health of the respiratory tract. (3)
8. Eliminates fluid retention
On the other hand, onion is highly recommended if you suffer from fluid retention. It’s an excellent diuretic that greatly helps the elimination of fluids from the body.
To highlight: The purple onion (variety of onion) has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and purifying properties as well as high levels of water in its composition, which contributes to the expulsion of toxic substances from the body through urine.
9. Strengthens bones
His high calcium content contributes to the strengthening of bones. In this sense, sulfur and calcium combined also help bone density enhancement avoiding degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis.
10. Prevents cancer
Some studies carried out revealed that onion (like other fruits and vegetables) produces great benefits against cancer thanks to its antioxidant capacity (4).
In this sense, frequently eating this vegetable inhibits tumor growth thanks to the high source of nutrients it contains such as quercetin, vitamin C, and fiber.
What properties does an onion have?
At this point we will talk about the nutritional properties of onion, highlighting its diuretic, expectorant, bactericidal, fungicide action antithrombotic, and cardioprotective. Below are the main nutritional components of onion:
1. Vitamins
Not only can we use onion when seasoning our meals, but helps purify the body in multiple ways as well as eliminate nasal decongestion and other respiratory conditions.
The above is thanks to the large number of vitamins containing such as vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, and carotene the latter two with high antioxidant function.
2. Minerals
Among the minerals that this vegetable has are potassium, phosphorus, selenium, calcium, and magnesium without forgetting that it contains 90% water and offers us a great source of fiber.
3. Other components
The onion contains various components and for every 100 g of consumption, you can obtain 1.7 g dietary fiber, 1.1 g protein, 40 calories9 g of carbohydrates, and 4.2 g of sugars.
You should know: The onion has a very low percentage of fat (0.1 g), is rich in water (90%), and does not contain cholesterol, which gives it its purifying and detoxifying properties. (5)
How to consume onion?
Whether it’s raw or cooked, Consuming onion brings numerous nutritional advantages apart from the beneficial effects on your health.
Note: The production processes of this vegetable, whether frying or cooking, do not produce a great loss of the flavonoid content its properties are preserved to improve the functioning of the liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
Below, we share some ideal ways to consume onion To take advantage of all its benefits:
1. Onion tea
Take advantage of the benefits of onion, since this tea results in a stronger flavor but at the same time positive for your body:
Ingredients:
- 2 onions
- 2 glasses of water
Preparation:
- Peel the onion and cut it into large pieces, then crush it and boil it with two glasses of water for 10 minutes.
- Afterwards, the water is strained, served and the tea is consumed. Its strong flavor will not be pleasant but it will be effective and beneficial.
2. Onion infusion with garlic and lemon
When mixing the garlic, lemon, and onion, you will have a great concentration of its vitamins and minerals. This whole mixture will keep you in good health, especially in the respiratory system, relieving cough:
Ingredients:
- 2 onions
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 2 lemons
- Water
- 7 tablespoons of honey
Preparation:
- Wash, peel, and cut the onion and garlic, then place them in a pot with a liter of water and add the lemon peel.
- Boil for 15 minutes over medium heat.
- Once the time has elapsed, strain the infusion with a fine strainer.
- Later, add the honey and lemon juice. Serve hot and enjoy.
Key Conclusions
- The onion is a herbaceous plant belonging to the family of Amaryllidaceae.
- The onion offers us multiple benefits to our health among them strengthening the immune system, reducing blood sugar levels, and lowering cholesterol.
- The onion reduces blood pressure, especially in people who suffer from cardiovascular diseases. It also strengthens bones and helps prevent cancer.
- In the properties of onion, we find that it has a diuretic action, it is an expectorant, bactericidal, and fungicide,
- The onion can be consumed either raw or cooked. It is important to highlight that the production processes of this vegetable, whether frying or cooking, do not alter a great loss of the content of its properties.
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