Onion is a bulbous perennial growing to 3 ft (1 m), having hollow stems and leaves, and white or purple flowers, native to the northern hemisphere. A popular bulb and allium vegetable of the onion plant and a member of botanical family Liliaceae revered for their flavour-enhancing culinary characteristics.
Plant Description
History
Types & Varieties
Mechanism of Action
Additional Information
Key Actions
Onion exhibit:
• Powerful anti-oxidants,
• Anti-Inflammatory,
• Anti-Biotic,
• Anti-viral,
• Anti-platelet,
• Anti-hyperhomocysteinemic effects,
• Anti-Microbial,
• Aggregatory,
• Hypocholesterolemic,
• Hypolipidemic,
• Anti-hypertensive,
• Anti-diabetic,
• Anti-carcinogenic,
• Anti-mutagenic,
• Anti-Asthmatic,
• Immunomodulatory,
• Prebiotic effects,
Usable Parts
bulb
Directions of Preparation
Recommended Dosage
Its Active Constituents:
• Onion contain:
• Volatile oil with Sulphur-containing compounds such as allicin (an Anti-Biotic),
• Alliin,
• Flavonoids,
• Sterols.
• Its almost calorie free and a source of mineral Sulfur.
• Its very good in Dietary Fiber.
• Trace of Potassium, Vitamin C, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B6.
• They are almost calorie free, yet revered for their flavour-enhancing culinary characteristics.
• Anthocyanins (that imparts a red or purple color to certain varieties),
• flavonols such as Quercetin (which is responsible for the yellow and brown Skins of many other varieties).
• Inulin Fiber in abundance (feeds the good bacteria in our guts).
• It has a highly volatile essential and very complex oil composition (formed from a mixture of more than 100 different substances where ally disulfide and thiosulfinate stands out) that evaporates easily and is responsible for its typical odour.
• Red variety is one of the richest food sources of Quercitin (one of the most active Flavonoids, with well know anti-oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory power).
Note:
* The Health Benefits of Red Onions are optimized when eaten raw or lightly Steamed.
Health Benefits of Onion
Bones
• It has Anti-Inflammatory properties beneficial to Bone Health and helps to fight the pain and swelling associated with Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
• It contain a naturally occurring chemical which has been found to promote Bone Health and reduce the risk of Osteoporosis.
• Help build strong Bones as it contain peptide (may help prevent Bone loss by inhibiting the loss of Calcium and other Bone Minerals) that inhibits the activity of osteoclasts (the cells that break down Bones).
Foods & Bones
Cancer & Tumor Prevention
• They stand out as veggies for cancer-protection (particularly for colorectal, throat, and Ovarian Cancer).
• Diallyl sulfide (a compound in Onion) is found to increases the body’s production of glutathione-S-transferase (an important cancer-Fighting enzyme).
• Members of the allium Vegetable family (like Onion, Garlic, Scallions, Chives, and Leeks) contain diallyl sulfide, which increases the body’s production of glutathione-S-transferase (an important cancer-Fighting enzyme)
• It help lower the risk of Prostate, esophageal and Stomach Cancers (American Journal of the National Cancer Institute).
• Ethyl acetate extracts (EEOs) found in Shallots and other members of the allium Vegetable family have potent inhibitory effects on animal fatty acid synthase that help slow down the growth of Cancerous cells (Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2012).
Note:
* Allyl derivatives inhibited carcinogenesis in The Stomach, esophagus, colon, mammary gland, and lung of experimental animals and improved immune function, reduced blood glucose, and conferred radioprotection and protection against microbial Infection.
Foods & Cancer
Cardiovascular System
• Its used to treat and reduce mortality from coronary heart disease.
• Its sulfides, sulfoxides, and other smelly Sulfur compounds help lower blood pressure, blood Lipids and Cholesterol).
Foods & Cardiovascular System
Circulatory System
• They prevent Arteriosclerosis and Thrombosis (formation of clots within The Arteries and veins) by improving Fluidity of the blood and help cleanse The Arteries.
• It has a lot of the organosulfur Phytochemicals (unique to this group) that provide potent Anti-Cancer properties and valuable blood-thinning effects useful for maintaining healthy heart and arteries.
• They improve the circulation (blood flow) of the blood in/through the coronary arteries.
• It offsets tendencies to angina, Arteriosclerosis, and heart attack.
Foods & Circulatory System
Detoxification
• Its recommended for Liver disorders (Hepatic failure caused by Chronic Hepatitis or Cirrhosis) and kidney disorders (Kidney Stones, urinary Infections, renal failure)
• It help clear waste Materials from all of the body cells by increasing urine volumes.
• It has alkalizing effects, detoxifying functions of The Liver and improves the activity of other Digestive juice producing glands
Foods & Detoxification
Diabetes
• It contains glycoquine (a vegetable Hormone that reduces the blood glucose level, reduce triglycerides in the blood and Liver, and also helps to lower blood sugar levels, thus excellent for diabetics and people who consume a diet high in Protein, fat, sugar, or imbalanced diet:
Foods & Diabetes
Digestive System
• Its good for the Digestive System as they are rich in enzymatic substances (such as oxidase and diastase) which invigorates the Digestive System.
• They have a remarkable alkalizing effect (facilitate the elimination of waste products from the body which are all acidic) on blood due to the fact that mineral salts (Sulfur is the most abundant) in Onions are converted to carbonates.
• Quercitin (one of the most active Flavonoids, with well know anti-oxidant and Anti-Inflammatory power) in Red Onions is well absorbed in The Intestine even when the Onion is raw or cooked.
• They contain an abundance of Inulin Fiber (feeds the good bacteria in our guts).
Foods & Digestive System
Immune System
• Onions looks like the body cells in structure.
• It boasts a long list of medicinal actions—Diuretic, Anti-Biotic, Anti-Inflammatory, analgesic, Expectorant, and Anti-Rheumatic. It is also beneficial to the circulation.
• They have an exceptionally high total Polyphenol (a family of potent plant anti-oxidants that offer broad-spectrum disease protection) content.
• Quercetin in Red Onions is a disease-Fighting compounds found in nature apothecary and an anti-oxidant that lessens free-radical damage.
• They are uniquely high in Quercetin (one of the most potent Anti-Inflammatory) and thus disease-Fighting compounds found in nature apothecary.
• They impede the growth of viruses, Yeasts, and other disease-causing agents.
• Extremely rich in Sulfur and they have Anti-Biotic and anti-viral properties.
Foods & Immune System
Infections
• Quercitin (one of the most active Flavonoids, with well know antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory power) in Red Onions has anti-allergic properties and can help relieve Asthma by blocking some of the inflammatory responses in the airways.
• Quercitin is a natural anti-histamine that reduces airway inflammation and helps relieve symptoms of Allergies and Hay Fever.
• Eating it raw can stop or relieve an Asthma crisis because of its anti-allergic and bronchodilator properties. These effects last up to 12 hrs.
• Thiosulfate (one of the components of the Onion Essential Oil) is capable of stopping bronchial allergic reaction in Asthma cases.
• Onions are anti-biotic on gram-positive germs.
• Inhaling the Onions Essential Oil (raw Onion) is beneficial and appropriate for children for its anti-allergic and bronchodilator effects.
Foods & Infections
Respiratory System
• Its good for Respiratory disorders and improves all Respiratory Infections (from Sinusitis to pneumonia). Its Expectorant (facilitates the expectoration of bronchial mucus) and are mucolytic (they soften and promote the expulsion of mucus.
• Thiosulfate from Onions acts on the brain stem’s Respiratory center and also produces dilation of the bronchial passages.
• Its taken for Colds, Colds (Flu), and Coughs as it’s high levels of Vitamin C, which, along with the Quercetin, battles cold and Colds (Flu) symptoms.
Note:
* Onions are breath cleansing as Sulfur compounds (part of the Onion Essential Oil) pass rapidly in the blood stream from The Stomach and are First released in the lungs.
This explains Onions characteristic odoured breath a few minutes after eating them.
Foods & Respiratory System
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Onion
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
(per 100g) of
Onion