8 Remarkable Health Benefits Of Onions

Onions may make you cry, but they are extremely good for your health. Along with garlic, leeks and chives, onions belong to the allium (lily) family, which contain sulphur compounds. While these compounds have a strong pungent odour that can be irritating to some, they contain very useful antimicrobial elements which fight a lot of harmful bacteria like salmonella and E. coli. This sulphur content also helps to prevent platelet clumping; in fact you will probably be surprised at the numerous health benefits of onions.

1. An onion left in an open jar beside your bed will help with relaxation, clear breathing and aid restful sleep which will in turn reduce snoring, as well as coughs and wheezes. This aid to insomnia has the added benefit of repelling insects while you sleep.

2. The health benefits of onions are most helpful to those suffering with asthma or other breathing problems, including colds and coughs. Eating raw onion will help open the airways even more so than breathing in the onion aromas, and the high vitamin C content will help in the fight against colds and sneezes.

3. The stronger the onion, the higher the nutrient content, with shallots proving to be the most beneficial to health. They carry as much as six times more healthy components than other types. The smoother tasting, sweeter onions may be more to your taste, but will not do as much health wise, although they still have health benefits.

4. Tests have shown onions to be particularly helpful in reducing risk of tumors and cancer in both the colon and stomach, due to the bifid bacteria produced by onions’ oligomers, which put up a powerful fight against the most harmful bacteria.

5. Other health benefits of onions are the rich amount of flavenoids they contain, which offer great protection against cardiovascular disease and help to lower the risk of blood clots.

6. Diabetic patients are helped by onions too, as the chromium content helps to lower blood sugar levels and aids response to insulin.

7. One of the lesser-known health benefits of onions is that they help increase bone density, which makes them especially helpful to women, particularly during menopause, as a prevention of osteoporosis.

8. During World War II, medics used a paste made from onions to ease pain and help to close wounds, as onions are a strong antiseptic.

These are just a few of the very many health benefits of onions, which while most apparent in a raw state, are still present when the onion has been lightly cooked. If you have trouble digesting onion; add it to soups or stews, where the goodness remains in the stock. However you choose to eat them, be sure to eat plenty.