Hard guy, hard girl, but onions dey make you cry.
Oh, don’t feel bad. You’re not the only one; no matter how tough you think you are, onions will always humble you. If you like, claim to be Buhari or Machiavelli, cutting onions will most likely leave you like…
Despite its reputation, onion is the elite vegetable. Or is it a fruit? Come along and let’s cry and find out together.
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Onions: What to know
Onion (Allium cepa) are bulb-shaped vegetables that grow underground. It is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium, which includes plants like garlic, shallots, and chives.
This vegetable is a biennial or a perennial plant. As a food item, it can be eaten raw or cooked in a meal.
Onions are extremely pungent. This is the reason why our eyes get teary whenever we chop them or eat them. People have been cultivating onions for over 7,000 years.
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Uses of Onions
What do you use onion for? Normally, when you ask that question, people would be like, “to eat”.
Nowadays, though, food items can also double to fix either skin problems or household problems.
Onions are commonly chopped and used as an ingredient in various warm delicious dishes. They are also very versatile; they can be baked, boiled, grilled, or roasted.
Because they have particularly large cells that are readily observed under low magnification, the bulb epidermis is used for experimental purposes. They are commonly used in science education to teach the use of a microscope for observing cell structure.
You can also boil them to make orange dye.
Benefits of onions
Helps with eye-sight
This is probably the top benefit. If you have an eye defect, most times, people would ask you if you eat vegetables like onions or carrots.
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Lower risk of cancer
We’ve heard that many vegetables help to fight cancer, and onion is one of them. It contains a nutrient called quercetin, which restricts the activity or creation of cancer-causing elements.
Loaded with antioxidants
They are an excellent source of antioxidants, containing at least 17 different varieties of flavonoids. Red onions, in particular, contain anthocyanins, which are plant pigments in the flavonoid family that give red onions their deep color.
Help control blood sugar
Eating onions may help control blood sugar, which is especially significant for people with diabetes or prediabetes.
A study with type 2 diabetes demonstrated that eating 3.5 ounces (oz), or 100 grams, of raw red onion, significantly reduced fasting blood sugar levels after 4 hours.
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May boost digestive health
Onions are a rich source of fiber and prebiotics, which are necessary for optimal gut health.
Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke
They also contain organic sulfur compounds, hence the strong smell and taste. Organic sulfur compounds help reduce the level of cholesterol in your body, which may lower the risk of heart disease and strokes.
However, you have to eat them raw to get the most sulfur compounds from them.
Diabetes control
Both the Quercetin and organic sulfur compounds are also known to promote insulin production, making them a helpful vegetable choice for those with diabetes.
Lower risk of Alzheimer’s Disease
One study has found that those who consume a long-term diet high in flavonoids decrease their risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease.
Dangers of onions
You may not know, but asides from making you cry, onions also have other side effects.
Did you know that onions are toxic to dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and many other animals?
Some people may be allergic to onions. As you know, food allergies occur when your immune system has an adverse reaction to proteins from certain foods. The immune response generally affects your skin, heart, and respiratory systems.
Other dangers include:
Irritation of the eyes
When chopping, you’ve likely experienced a stinging sensation in your eyes that makes you tear up. This is a result of a sulfur named lachrymatory factor (LF) which is generally used as a chemical defense mechanism for animals and microbes.
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Heartburn
Heartburn can be a symptom of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a condition in which the contents of your stomach travel back up into your esophagus. This can cause a burning sensation in your chest.
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Drug interaction
It may prevent the formation of blood clots. While this might sound like a benefit, it can be an issue, especially if you’re taking certain medications.
Conclusion
There, you have it! Everything about onions that you need to know. Onions have antibacterial properties and promote digestive health, which may improve immune function.
What’s more, they’re versatile and can be used to heighten the flavor of any savory dish.
Adding more onions to your diet is a great way to benefit your overall health.
