For thousands of years by various cultures, the onion has been used as an ingredient in many dishes.
World onion production is constantly increasing. After tomatoes in the first place, onion is now the second most important horticultural crop in the world.
This vegetable is very nutritious and good for health and can relieve a number of diseases, so, people should always include this vegetable in their diet. These are all the main things that you should know about onions:
Onion is packed with nutrients
Onion boosts your immune system because of the phytochemicals in the vegetable which improves the working of Vitamin C in the body. The vitamin C helps to combat the formation of free radicals that causes deadly diseases like cancer.
Because this vegetable contains the high amounts of flavonoids and phenolics, it provides the greatest antiproliferative and antioxidant activity. Onion also contains rich content of sulfur compounds which are responsible for the eye-irritating and also create onion flavor.
How to consume it properly
We can eat onions cooked, roasted, fried and raw. They are commonly used to soups, dips, salads, spreads and other meals. Eat an onion every day. One medium sized onion is the same as one cup of onion when sliced and chopped. And while raw onion contains a whopping load of protective compounds, even when cooking onions still weigh in very heavily on the protective side. If you eat just one onion every day it can make a great difference!
Health benefits of eating onion
Onions are used to treat colds, coughs, asthma and many other health problems. In natural medicine, onions serve to help with bacterial infections, breathing problems, angina, coughs and other health issues. An onion extract helps in decreasing bronchial constriction in patients dealing with asthma.
And more, they can reduce the risk of colon cancer. Similar to garlic, onions contain a large number of sulfides which can help lower the blood pressure and blood lipids. Containing also rich amounts of antioxidants, vitamins C, E, and A, this vegetable also helps our skin, so people should include onion in their daily diet to make their skin healthy.
Onion is effective against many bacteria including Bacillus subtilis, Salmonella and E. coli. People are always worrying about getting on extra pounds. Onions are a must-have during any healthy diet as they are low in calories and fat. You can add onions to your salads and sandwiches to beat your hunger in a healthy way!
Eat it with caution
They are safely consumed by most people but consuming large quantities of onions can cause gastrointestinal irritation and stomach distress and that may lead to diarrhea and nausea. Except that they can potentiate the action of anticoagulants, there are no known interactions with drugs.
Due to excessive consumption of onions, some people can suffer from breathing problems and an allergic reaction. In extreme conditions, people can also suffer from an anaphylactic shock. So use it with caution and if you notice any symptoms, ask your doctor for an opinion.