Fight cancer and fungi with this versatile veggie

I always have at least one red onion on the counter at all times. I adore these purple orbs with their richly colored skins. They look so fabulous sliced onto a green salad, and the great thing about red onions is that you can just slice ‘em and eat ‘em raw, which you don’t generally do with other varieties of onions.

But onions are more than just a pretty salad decoration!

There’s also quite a bit of health-promoting goodness inside the deep purple skins of red onions. Red onions contain nutrients that can fight fungi and bacteria, protect against cancer, reduce high blood pressure, and promote good cardiovascular health.

So today, let’s sing the nutritional praises of red onions!

Chromium. Chromium is a trace mineral found in red onions that helps to control glucose levels. It is believed that a severe chromium deficiency could make it more difficult to lose weight! If the scale is stuck, slice some red onions into your next meal!

Quercetin. Onions (specifically red and yellow onions) are very high sources of a bioflavonoid called quercetin which is an antioxidant, and very good at ridding the body of free radicals. Quercetin is being studied for its potential cancer-fighting properties. It’s also an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory agent.

Allicin. Red onions contain allicin which is a compound shown to promote good cardiovascular health while preventing cancer and reducing high blood pressure. Allicin is also rich in anti-fungal properties. Adding more red onions to your diet might even help cure a dandruff problem from the inside out!

In addition to these nutritional properties, red onions also contain vitamin C and Vitamin B6.

If raw red onions are a little sharp for your liking, try this tip. Soak your sliced onions in a bowl of water for ten minutes or so. This helps to tame the bite a little bit!

Many of my favorite recipes call for red onions, both for flavor and color.

I firmly believe that foods like onions are nature’s best preventative medicine.

Preparing food: cutting a red onion

Looking for delicious ways to use red onion in your meals? Check out Dinner Answers today!

3 Responses

    1. Over cooking onions can destroy the health benefits, but you can cook them lightly and still get many health benefits from the onions :).

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