Onion Health Benefits: Food = Medicine

Let food by thy medicine
and medicine be thy food…

—Hippocrates

basket of onions on a table, good for health benefits — photo GraceMarcellaNorman, creative commons

Family: allium \\ onions, garlic, rakkyo (a type of Asian onion), scallions, chives, leeks, and shallots.

The humble onion, it turns out, has a host of health benefits you may not have heard of, such as…

1. Cancer Prevention in general, as well as specifically found to reduce the risk of colorectal cancer by 79%

2. Good for Skin and Hair. Why? They have vitamin C.

3. Low in calories but full of vitamins and minerals including B-6 and manganese, as well as antioxidants and iron

Shallots specifically have the highest concentration of antioxidants of any onion, with Western Yellow onions also having many flavanoids.

Flavanoids are a group of antioxidants found in many vegetables with powerful anti-inflammatory and immune system benefits. They are also associated with skin protection, brain function, blood sugar and blood pressure regulation.

Antioxidants are a group of substances found in plants that help fight cell damage by catching the free radicals in your body. They fight and prevent oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress is when the natural balance of free radicals and antioxidants in your body gets disrupted. Like all stress, though in the short term it can be neutral or even helpful (from exercise, for example), in the long term it’s linked to cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, numerous cardiovascular conditions, inflammatory disorders, chronic fatigue syndrome, asthma, and male infertility.

Basically, onion health benefits are: helpful minerals; helpful vitamins; and helpful antioxidants that fight the oxidative stress caused by free radicals — which is why they help your immune system. Shallots and Western Yellow Onions are your best bet as the healthiest onions to eat—the smaller the better, because those are the most nutritious!