When we think of onions, besides seeing Shrek in our heads screaming that “Onions have layers!” or how we are reduced to tears when slicing it, we think of an ingredient in cooking that adds enormous amounts of flavour and aroma to any dish.
Besides onions serving as a base for many dishes, it also has a lot of great health benefits. Take a look at the list below to see just how healthy onions are for you.
Good for Digestion
Onions are rich in inulin, a type of fibre that serves as a prebiotic. Prebiotics are good for your body because they serve as food for probiotics.
This inulin in also makes them good for relieving constipation, improving blood sugar regulation, nutrient absorption, and they improve bone density. There is even some evidence that shows onions could help support weight loss, too.
Good for the heart
Onions have the ability to lower the risk of heart disease by fighting against inflammation, reducing cholesterol levels and decreasing triglycerides as well as having anti cancer properties.
Yes onions are anti inflammatory foods and good as part of an anti inflammatory diet or DASH diet.
Lots of Nutrients
Onions are extremely nutrient-dense, low in calories (with a medium onion amounting to 44-calories), high in vitamin C, and a power antioxidant that protects the cells in the body while also preventing damage from free radicals.
Onions also contain b vitamins including folate and pyridoxine ( b6 and b9) , calcium and potassium.
Control blood sugar
Onions help you control your blood sugar levels. This is because they contain compounds such as sulphur and quercetin, both of which boast anti-inflammatory properties which also help to reduce inflammation associated with Type 2 diabtetes and metabolic syndrome.
Fighting bacteria
Bacteria can be dangerous in some situations, and onions help your body fight against such bacteria, including E. coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus.
Fighting allergies
Whilst the antioxidants in onions are hard at work to remove free radicals in the body, they simultaneously reduce inflammation and improve your immune system. The quercetin in the onions reduce the allergic reaction by preventing your body from producing histamines, which are what make you sneeze, itch and cry.
Onions shouldn’t just make you cry, they can also help you in becoming healthier in the long run.
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