Health Benefits Of Onions

8 Great Benefits of Onions

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As early as the sixth century B. A Sumerian text dated to about B. In Egypt, onions were planted as far back as B.

They were considered to be objects of worship, and symbolized eternity because of the circle-within-a-circle structure. Paintings of onions appear on the inner walls of pyramids and other tombs. Onions were buried with mummies. Onions are mentioned in the Bible. The Greeks used onions to fortify athletes for the Olympic games.

Before competition, athletes would consume pounds of onions, drink onion juice and rub onions on their bodies. The Romans ate onions regularly. Pedanius Dioscorides, a Roman physician of Greek origin in first century A. Pliny the Elder catalogued Roman beliefs that onions could cure poor vision, induce sleep, and heal mouth sores, dog bites, toothaches, dysentery and lumbago.

Pliny wrote of Pompeii's onions and cabbages, and excavators of the doomed city found gardens where, just as Pliny had said, onions had grown.

The bulbs had left behind cavities in the ground. By the Middle Ages, the three main vegetables of European cuisine were beans, cabbage and onions. Onions were prescribed to alleviate headaches, snakebites and hair loss. They were also used as rent payments and wedding gifts. The Pilgrims brought onions with them on the Mayflower. However, they found that Native Americans were already using wild onions in a variety of ways: Onions were also used in syrups, as poultices, as an ingredient in dyes, and even as toys.

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Slicing onions makes you cry because when you cut into it, the onion produces a sulfur-based gas. The gas reacts with the water in your eyes and forms sulfuric acid. To rid your eyes of this fiery irritant, your tear ducts work overtime.

For no more or fewer tears, try moving your face farther away from the onion so the gas disperses before reaching your eyes. Another suggestion for reducing tears is to first chill the onions for 30 minutes. Then, cut off the top and peel the outer layers leaving the root end intact.

Bulb onions are yellow, red or white. In the United States, yellow onions make up about 87 percent of the commercial onion crop; red onions are 8 percent; white onions, 5 percent. Onions range in size from less than 1 inch to more than 4. The most common sizes sold in U. Scallions, or green onions, are actually immature yellow, red or white onions, harvested before the bulb begins to form.

A scallion is not a shallot. Shallots have a distinctive taste, but the flavor is closer to that of mature onions than to that of scallions. The largest onion ever grown weighed 10 lbs.

The top onion-producing areas are Washington, Idaho, eastern Oregon and California. To avoid "onion breath," eat a sprig of parsley, or rinse your mouth with equal parts lemon juice and water, or chew a citrus peel. Onion skins very tough, Coming winter very rough. I shall weep anon. Jessie Szalay is a contributing writer for Live Science.

She covers animals, health and other general science topics. Jessie is finishing her master's degree in nonfiction writing at George Mason University and holds a bachelor of arts degree from Kenyon College. She lives in Washington, D. Live Science Health Reference: Nutrition facts Serving size: Immune system "The polyphenols in onions act as antioxidants, protecting the body against free radicals," said Anne Mauney, a dietitian based in Washington, D. Cancer A meta-analysis found that intake of allium vegetables, including onions, were associated with reduced gastric cancer risk.

Health benefits and risks of onions

Digestion The fiber in onions promotes good digestion and helps keep you regular. Regulating blood sugar The chromium in onions assists in regulating blood sugar. Never mind the tears they bring on—onions are an ace ally in your fight against disease. A prized member of the lily family, onions lavish you with health benefits while adding oodles of taste to your food.

Not to mention you can buy a bundle from the grocery store for mere pennies.

Not sure what to cook?

Which type of onions are the healthiest? My favorite way to enjoy onions is to slice them really thin, squeeze some lemon juice on top and add a little salt. Sprinkling a few freshly washed cilantro leaves adds fragrance and flavor to this simple, quick salad, without which no dinner of mine is complete. Rustic Caramelized Onion Tart. Onion and Sweet Potato Foccacia Image and recipe credit: Crispy Baked Onion Rings.

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Pizza with caramelized onion and blue cheese Image and recipe credit: Garlic, Potato and Onion Soup. Potato and Onion Soup Image and recipe credit: Caramelized Onion, Lentil and Rice Stew. Onion and Lentil Stew Image and recipe credit: Onions contain chromium , which assists in regulating blood sugar. For centuries, onions have been used to reduce inflammation and heal infections. Do you enjoy sliced onions with your food? A powerful compound called quercetin in onions is known to play a significant role in preventing cancer.

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