ONIONS FOR BETTER HEALTH ?

Does the thought of vegetables make you cry? Don’t worry – if you’re thinking about onions then you’re not alone. The sulphur compounds in onions irritate most people’s eyes and nasal passages when they slice onions. Thankfully, onions are a versatile plant that have a variety of culinary uses, and have properties that can be quite beneficial to our health.

What is it?

The onion is a member of the allium family, which also includes shallots, leeks, garlic, scallions and chives. Onions are the most popular of all the allium plants, and have been eaten and used for other purposes for thousands of years.

Health Benefits

Onions have a number of different health benefits. They are thought to provide protection against osteoporosis to women going through menopause by destroying the substances that can contribute to the destruction of bone tissue. White onions seem to provide the greatest beneficial effect, although additional study is necessary.

There is some evidence to indicate that the sulphur compounds in onions (the same compounds that are responsible for irritating our eyes when we cut them, and giving us bad breath when we eat them) can help to lower the level of bad cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.

Onions are also a source of numerous vitamins and minerals, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, folate, and manganese. Of course, the chances are good that you won’t eat onions in large quantities to add up to a significant source of nutrients (after all, how often will you eat a cup of onions).