Onions - Health Benefits

Onions - Health Benefits

Allium cepa
Family: Alliaceae
Edible Parts: Flowers, Leaves, Root, Seed. 
BULB
Onions belong to the genus Allium along with garlic, chives, shallots, and leeks. The common onion (Allium cepa) is widely grown in Iowa gardens. Onions are grown chiefly as green onions or dry bulbs. A perfectly developed onion will have 13 leaves and 13 rings of scales around the bulb. Each leaf corresponds with a ring in the bulb. Therefore, the larger the leaf above the soil, the larger the ring in the bulb.

Tell me you’re crying because of the onions, not because you’re sad. After you discover the health benefits of onions you can turn those tears into tears of joy.
Onions contain many nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin B6, dietary fiber, folate, potassium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, phosphors and tryophan. Onions are potent in sulphur compounds such as allyl
propyl disulphide, which can help bring high blood pressure down and deter tumor growth. Onions also contain the flavonoid Quercitin that has a high antioxidant activity. Onions have many healing benefits. Among the best is their ability to lower blood sugar levels. This is a great benefit to people with diabetes because it can help regulate blood sugar more efficiently.

They also lower the risk of heart attacks by lowering homocysteine levels and may protect against colon cancer. These pungent veggies are also known to promote bone health and act as a natural antibiotic keeping infections and viruses away.Onions come in a variety of shapes and colors and can be labelled as Spanish, yellow, white and red. There are not any nutritional differences among these types.Onions can be tasty in so many ways! Try French onion soup, sautéed as a topping on a lean steak, chopped in a tossed salad or sprinkled into a chicken fajita. They’re also good to eat on almost any sandwich. While onions may cause you to tear up at first sight, they are certainly a power food loaded
with many great nutrients you don’t want to miss.

Green Onion as Alternative Medicine 
1. It is mainly used as a traditional medicine for common cold.
2. It stimulates the respiratory tract and helps in expelling sputum (phlegm).
3/. It contains essential oils that stimulates the sweat glands and promote sweating.
4. It normalizes blood pressure.
5. It increases appetite.
6. It helps prevent diarrhea.
7. It is rich in sulfur, an essential element that kills or inhibits fungus infections.
8. It inhibits cancer cell growth especially colon cancer. Green onion's anti-colon cancer properties are well 9. known among traditional healers around the world.
10. It contains vitamin A and C. The white part of it has calcium, too.
11. It is a good appetizer.
12. Anemia :- Onions are noted for their easily assimilate iron content. They are, therefore, beneficial in the treatment of anemia.
13. The onion are very valuable in heart diseases as they correct thrombosis and also reduce blood cholesterol.
14. Onion is one of the most important aphrodisiac  foods. As an aphrodisiac, onion stands second only to garlic. It increases libido and strengthens the reproductory organs.
15. Onion is irritating to the skin and stimulates  the circulation of blood in the mucous membrane. Warts also sometimes disappear if  rubbed with cut onions.
16. Onion juice dipped on cotton wool and put into  the ear is a popular Russian remedy for ringing sound in the ears. Dropped hot in the ear, it relieves earache.

Other Benefits

• A multi-faceted heart-blood medicine 
• Taking 12 gms of onion juice mixed with the same quantity of honey for 21 days increases virility. 
• Boosts beneficial HDL cholesterol 
• Thins the blood 
• Eating onion helps to clear phlegm from the throat  and mouth. Teeth becomes white, it 
• sharpens the memory and strengthens the nerves. 
• Lowers total blood cholesterol 
• Retards blood clotting 
• Regulates blood sugar 
• Kills bacteria 
• Drinking the mixed juice of onion and memordica charantia (karela) cures severe indigestion. 
• Eating white onion with raw sugar and some turmeric powder daily in the morning and 
• evening time cures jaundice. 
• Giving onion with raw sugar to children help them to gain height. 
• The onion after being crushed and boiled clears phlegm. 
• One spoonfull of onion juice eliminates the worms in the stomach of children. 
• Applying onion juice on the hair eliminates lice.