Here we take a look about health benefits of onions that include our daily meal.
Onions are root vegetables that in the same group member of garlic, leek and chives. Health benefits of
onions are recognized since ancient time. The medical document of Charaka Samhita mentioned onion
as medicinal plant. A Greek physician from 1 st century AD documented the vegetables’ medicinal use
including onion. They used to treat headache, sore throat and heart disease.
There are many types of onions around the world. White onion, sweet onion, yellow onion, green onion,
shallots and red onion.
The main nutrients of 100 gm of raw onion are:
- Calorie 40
- Water 89%
- Fiber 1.7%
- Protein 1 gm
- Carbohydrate 7 gm
- Sugar 3 gm
- Fat 0
It also contains Vitamins and minerals like Vit C, Vit B6, Biotin, Manganese, Potassium and copper.
Quercetin is flavonoid antioxidant that contain in onion abundantly. It fights against inflammation,
reduce triglycerides and cholesterol and all of which may lower your heart disease risk.
Fisetin together with Quercetin, Flavanoid antioxidants, may also inhibit tumor growth. There are also
sulfides and polysulfides in onion which may protect against cancer.
Quercetin and sulfur compound in onion possess antidiabetic effect. Onions can fight against
dangerous bacterial growth like E. coli and S. aureus.
The main fiber of onion is Fructan which is so- called prebiotic. It produces beneficial digestive health,
balance bacteria in your gut and improve immune function.
There are many other health benefits of onions like reduce blood glucose, good for sleep, increase bone
health, oral health, ease menopause.
Onions can eat whether raw or cooked. However raw onion has higher level of organic sulfides
compound that produces many health benefits. We usually eat raw onion in many salads. Cooked onion
like Se-Kyit is essential for salad also.
Onions have many health benefits for us although we don’t like to peel because of eye irritation and
tear production. Very rare sometime it can cause indigestion.
There is one precaution of onion for your pets. Onions are good for human but bad effects for some
animals like dog, cat, horse and monkeys. The main compound of sulfides can induce Heinz body anemia
to your pets. So please make sure not to feed onions to your lovely pets.