Onions are our food staple. We consume onions almost every day in some form or the other. Eating them in salads, vegetables, sauces, onions are almost in everything we eat. But did you know this basic vegetable can do wonders in our body? Onion benefits are truly a gift of nature and are considered to be the safest food in the world that has rich nutrition.
Due to its overuse, onions’ nutritional value is often looked upon. We are here to equip you with the knowledge about onions benefits and why it is wonder vegetable for your body.
Nutritional Value of Onions
Onions are a rich source of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds. They are the complete package of many nutrients like calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, selenium, phosphorus, and Vitamin C and B6. Let’s get into onion benefits:
1. Fights Cancer
A research says that red onions are highly effective in the colon and intestinal cancer cells. They are known to activate the pathway that stimulates cancer cells to kill themselves. They thrive to make the environment of cancer cells unsuitable for growing.
2. Heart Health
Red onions contain Flavonoids that make the heart healthy. Onions are also successful in fighting cardiovascular diseases. An individual who consumes raw onion every day has a lower risk of heart attack and stroke.
3. Blood Sugar Levels
It has been proved that onion extracts help to lower down blood sugar levels. S-methyl present in onions that have beneficial effects on blood glucose. Hence, onions can be highly beneficial for diabetic patients.
4. Healthy Digestion
Onions accommodate healthy digestion. Consuming onions maintains a good amount of healthy bacteria in the body. Onions contain a special soluble fiber called oligofructose which helps into efficient functioning of the intestine. It also reduces the risk of stomach ulcers. Onions are very healthy to maintain a good digestive system.
5. Bone Health
Bones tend to weaken by age and are called osteoporosis. White onions can cater to this loss of bone health due to age. People who consume onions are said to have 5 percent bone mass than those who ate less. Not just bones but onions also help in reducing joint pain.
6. Healthy Immune System
Onions are great immunity boosters. It contains selenium that stimulates immune function. It is advisable to consume onions for healthy immunity.
Onion Benefits for Skin
Not only for the body, but onions can also make your skin great. It is helpful with many of the skin problems. Here is how:
1. Treat Acne
Onion is an amazing antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It is also an amazing antiseptic that can cure the acne problem. Applying a spoonful of onion juice with a spoon of olive oil for acne and blemishes can prove to be really effective. Also, rubbing onion skin on the face can be helpful too.
2. Dark Spots and Pigmentation
Many of us have dark spots and pigments on the face. A number of nutrients and antioxidants help in removing all the impurities of the skin. You can make an onion face mask by mixing yogurt and onion juice and apply it on the face for 10-15 minutes twice a week and witness visible results.
3. Moles
Onion juice is helpful to get rid of moles. The acidic property of onion and the chemicals present in it are beneficial for treating mol. All you have to do is put a small skin of onion on your mole for some time and let it absorb the water. Doing so every day will remove the mole in a month.
Onions Benefits for Hair
Right from the old Ayurveda books, onion juice has been known to provide immense health to the hair and caters all the hair related problems. Onions are rich in antibacterial and antifungal properties. The richness of sulfur and antioxidants reduces hair breakage.
It reduces the problem of dandruff and hair lice too. All you have to do is mix some onion juice with any oil that you like and apply it from roots till length and wash it after an hour.
Your hair will get all the nutrition and doing so once in a week will also cater to most of the hair related issues. It increases hair growth, reduces dandruff, reduces hair breakage and dryness too. Onion is the perfect food for your hair.
Other Benefits of Onions
Here we have listed some of the points that elaborates the benefits you can gain from onion
1. Improves Sleep
Onions are said to have probiotics that treat insomnia. Onions are a natural stress release and hence improves sleep. By influencing brain function onions help to induce sleep.
2. Pain Relief
Ancient people used onion skins as pain relief. They used to tie onion skin on the affected area and after a few hours, pain used to vanish away. Onions can relieve pain. If not onion skin, one can put a cotton pad soaked in onion juice on the area that is hurting.
3. Improves Sexual Health
In western Uganda, onion juice is used in the medicines to cure impotency and erectile dysfunction. Consuming onions are great to improve men’s sexual health. One can simply drink a spoon of onion juice with honey for such a problem.
Now you know about the wonders that the onions in your kitchen can do. Onions are great so never skip to include them in your diet. After all, the nutrients that they have, they do deserve a place on your plate.
Also Read: Onion For Babies