Health Benefits of Eating Raw Onions
Onions are a vegetable that often gets a bad rap. They make your eyes water and can leave you with bad breath. But what if I told you that onions are good for you? That’s right. Onions have many health benefits that make them worth eating, even if they do make your eyes water. Onions are known to have an illustrious profile of sulfur-containing compounds like thiosulfinates and thiosulfonates. These healthy compounds are thought to be responsible for many of the health benefits of onions.
This is why you need to start eating raw onions.
Onions are rich in vitamins A, C, E, and B6, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and potassium. They also contain small amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folate. Moreover, onions are a good source of fiber and have high water content. All of these nutrients work together to give onions their powerful health benefits.
Here are the health benefits of eating raw onion
Eating raw onions can help keep your heart healthy by reducing bad cholesterol and increasing good cholesterol.
Dr. Mayor Boss, PhD
1. Boosts immunity
Onions have many nutrients that help to boost your immune system. These include vitamin C, sulfur compounds, and zinc. They also contain quercetin, a flavonoid that is a powerful antioxidant. Research shows that this nutrient can help to fight inflammation and strengthen your immune system.
2. Improves oral health
Eating raw onions can improve oral health by killing harmful bacteria in your mouth and preventing tooth decay. The sulfur compounds in onions act as an antibacterial agent, fighting off infection and keeping your teeth and gums healthy.
3. Lower your risk of heart disease
Onions are high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels. This, in turn, lowers your risk of heart disease.
4. Maintains bone health
Onions contain sulfur, which helps to keep bones healthy and strong. Sulfur also helps to prevent arthritis and joint pain. Besides sulfur, onions also contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and selenium, which are all essential for bone health. According to a study published in Menopause Journal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women who ate onions every day had 5% more bone mass than those who ate them less than once a month.
5. Aids in Digestion
Onions can aid in digestion. Because they contain prebiotics that helps promote the growth of healthy bacteria in the gut. When consumed regularly, onions can help relieve constipation and other digestive problems.
6. Ease menopause symptoms
Menopause comes with a host of uncomfortable symptoms, like hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings. Onions can help to ease these symptoms by regulating hormones and reducing inflammation.
7. Prevents blood clots
Onions have a natural antithrombotic effect, which means they can prevent blood clots from forming. Eating onions can help keep your blood flowing smoothly and prevent serious health problems like heart attacks and strokes.
8. Help control blood sugar
Raw onions can help to regulate blood sugar levels thanks to their high chromium content. Chromium is an essential trace mineral that helps insulin to function correctly and prevents spikes in blood sugar levels after meals. A study of 42 people with type 2 diabetes concluded that those who ate 100 grams of fresh red onion experienced a reduction in fasting blood sugar levels by approximately 40 mg/dl after four hours.
Also read: 5 Benefits of Drinking Onion Water
9. Fights cancer
Onions contain sulfur compounds and quercetin, which have been shown to fight cancer. These nutrients help to protect cells from damage and kill off cancerous cells. Studies have shown that onions can help to prevent colon, breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.
10. Promotes healthy skin
Onion contains vitamin C, which is essential for the production of collagen. Collagen is a protein that gives your skin its elasticity and helps to prevent wrinkles. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps to protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals.
ALSO READ: What Happens to Your Body When You Eat Onions Every Day
