Vegetables are crucial to our health, however, onions, a staple in most kitchens, have offered phenomenal health benefits for many generations. Onions come in many varieties, red, green, brown, and white. The health benefit of the onion is dependent on the type.

Red onions are rich in flavonoid, present in most vegetables and grains. This substance is also found in beverages like tea and wine. Flavonoids have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-carcinogenic properties. They also regulate cellular enzyme function. Other onion varieties such as green, brown, and white have their own set of health benefits.

Green onions, known as scallions, are used to treat colds, flu, abdominal pain, headache, and heart disease. Lets look at other impressive benefits of onions.

Antioxidants found in onions support heart health. Healthy cholesterol levels and management of blood pressure from those antioxidants lower the risk of heart disease. A study done involving 70 overweight individuals with high blood pressure, found that quercetin, an extract found in onions, pushed down systolic blood pressure by 3-6 mmHg. A dose of 162 mg per day of quercetin, produced those results.

Another study conducted with 54 patients with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), found that eating 40 to 50 grams per day of raw red onions (if overweight), or 50 to 60 grams per day (if obese), for eight weeks lowered total and LDL cholesterol.

There are more than 25 different varieties of flavonoid antioxidants found in onions. One of them anthocyanins is a special plant pigment that give red onions their color. Women with the highest intake of anthocyanin filled foods, such as black currants, blueberries, and black berries, had a lower likelihood of heart attacks. Eat those berries! Additionally anthocyanins offer protective effects against certain kinds of cancers. Anthocyanins are also found in the skin of red cabbage, cranberries, and cherries.

Oxidative stress an imbalance between production and accumulation of oxygen in the heart was reduced in patients eating the onion peel. The flavonoid quercetin is abundant in the peel of onions. This may also benefit obese individuals by helping to prevent the onset of chronic diseases. Common causes of oxidative stress include processed foods that contain a lot of sugar and other chemicals, and eating large and infrequent meals.

Applying onion juice to your hair may assist in hair regrowth and potentially improve alopecia. Onion extract gel may be useful for wound healing. It improved the appearance of post surgical scars significantly. Scar softness, redness, texture and appearance, at the excision site were evaluated in a study. At weeks four, six, and ten, dramatic improvement was shown.

Allium vegetables which include garlic, onions, chives, shallots and leeks, contain the flavonoid antioxidant quercetin Onions and garlic in a 2006 study showed a decrease in tumor growth and lowered the risk of certain common cancers.

If you are a type 2 diabetic, consuming 3.5 ounces of fresh red onion may lower your fasting blood sugar levels by 40 mg/dl after four hours. Quercetin and hesperidin( another flavonoid) may play a part in the regulation of insulin metabolism in diabetes. Garlic, white and purple onion have antidiabetes and antihypertensive properties.

Just by adding all the varieties of onions and other anthocyanin rich foods to your diet you could make a real difference in your health! You have nothing to lose and a healthier body to gain!

Until next time,

Peace, Love, and Blessings