Master Gardener: The wonderful world of onions
How many times have you heard people order their hamburger “everything except onions” in a restaurant? Probably too many to count. But did you know that onions are considered one of the world's healthiest foods? There are many varieties of onions, how you use them could be different each time.
They are grown all over the world. The first recorded use for health and healing was in the 17th century. Onions are therapeutic. Each American eats more than 20 pounds of onions each year.
Onions will improve your immunity: Onions contain powerful antioxidants which are flavonoid compounds for delay or help repair oxidative damage to different cells and tissues in the body. Eating onions regularly will help regenerate vitamin E, which the body needs as a fat-soluble nutrient. Onions contain allicin, a plant-derived nutrient which is a killer of various viruses and bacteria. So, if you feel the flu or cold coming on, eat some raw onion.
Onions will reduce inflammation. When the naturally anti-inflammatory is compromised, quercetin (found in onion) has proven to inhibit inflammation-causing leukotrienes, prostaglandins, and histamines that are in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Onions can help inflamed joints and chronic inflammation pain. This would encourage me to run out and buy a large bag of onions.
Onions can regulate blood sugar
There has been extensive research as to how onions regulate blood sugar. Millions of people who have diabetes are happy to hear this because after eating onions they have a lower blood sugar level (glucose reading) and it remained low for up to four hours. The sulfur compounds in onions work to increase insulin production and will lower glucose levels.
Onions are proven to be a cancer preventer because they contain the richest natural sources of quercetin. This is a powerful antioxidant flavonoid (as mentioned above) linked to inhibiting certain kinds of cancers. Eating onions will give you many benefits considered to combat cancer. Clinical trials and research have been undertaken to learn more about the effect of the quercetin found in onions has on cancer.
The antioxidants in onions work to thin the blood and ward off blood clots, particularly if you eat the onion raw. It lowers the risk of bad cholesterol (LDL) which keeps your heart healthy. Eating onions regularly can lower your risk of heart attack and heart disease and lower heart risk such as arterial hardening and gallstones.
Did you know that onions are considered one of the world's healthiest foods? This is because they contain multiple vitamins and minerals. There is a good amount of vitamin C (very good for you), vitamin B6 (great for red blood cell formation), potassium (important for low blood pressure and general heart health), and Folate B (vitamin bodies needed for metabolism and cell growth). Also, onions are a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron, low sodium, and there is no fat.
Onions contain free radical destroyers. Free radicals are molecules that attack healthy cells in the body. The free radicals want to steal all the good stuff from healthy cells, like electrons and rebalance, which causes damage to the good cells and this in turn affects the body’s aging and deterioration. Oxidative stress will happen if your body is overrun with free radicals. Onions will eliminate the free radicals by searching and killing them. This will reduce the aging process and your risk of developing other related diseases.
Onion cough syrup can be made at home
Onion cough syrup — ugh. This cough syrup tastes better than it sounds, and you can make it at home. Use the red or yellow onion, slice it evenly and place at the bottom of a jar. Pour a layer of honey over it, repeat procedure till you run out of onion. You can substitute raw or brown sugar instead of honey, it will be much sweeter. Cover the jar tightly and let it sit overnight. After about 12 hours the liquid in the jar becomes cough syrup. Take one spoonful three times an hour. Your mucus will break up and the antibiotic properties will start to work almost immediately.
A fresh slice of onion applied directly onto a wasp or bee sting will immediately take effect by breaking down the compounds found in the venom of a bee or wasp sting. It was thought to be an old wives’ tale but today it is correct and actually works.
The healthiest onions are the western yellow and shallots because of their phenolic and flavonoid content. These two onions are from the allium family, and they can be interchanged in recipes. The taste is slightly different regarding pronounced sweet flavor (shallot) and bite (yellow). That does not make them unusable. Actually, it makes them more desirable to the palate, and to the health system.
Susan La Fountaine is a Master Gardener with the Ohio State Extension offices in Sandusky and Ottawa Counties
This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Master Gardener: The wonderful world of onions
