Onions have long been known for adding zesty flavor to our cuisine and prompting even the toughest chefs to shed tears of pleasure in cooking, but did you know they also contain important nutrition for our overall wellbeing? Yes, onions contain many essential minerals that contribute to overall wellbeing. Although they might not appear visually appealing like other vegetables that grab our attention more readily, mushrooms still contain plenty of essential nutrition. There are so many different ways onions can add zest to your diet–whether that means including them as an ingredient in salad, soup or pan-searing them with sauce – and further research regarding onion nutrition shows why these tasty delights are beneficial to us all.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition facts Here is the USDA-provided nutrition facts on onions. Most of us don’t consume an entire onion at once, but instead add them into dishes from time to time. Onions have extremely few calories but do contain a trace amount of carbohydrates and natural sugars–hence why cooking brings out their sweetness–making one medium onion an extremely low calorie food option.
Sorts Of Onions
Calories per Serving = 44 | Total Calories per Serving = 10| Complete Fat = 0g Soaked Fat = 0g Trans Fat = 0g
Cholesterol Levels (In milligrams per day) = 0. Sodium Levels for this Sample were 4mg at 18 hours after Incorporating All Carbohydrates = 10 (Dietary Fiber 2g and Sugars 5g each, protein being one) with Calcium at 25mg and Potassium being 160mg per serving = Total Calories of 44 for this Sample!
There are various varieties of onion that can be utilized in various cuisines. Yellow, red and white bulbs are the three most widely-used bulb onions; yellow onions make up 87% of US commercial onion crops while red comprise 8% and white only 5% of total crop volumes.
Yellow onions are packed with flavor and are often the go-to choice when cooking, typically being transformed into a rich caramel hue when sauteed, producing both a sweet and tart sweet taste when sauteed. Red onions stand out with their vibrant purple skin – popular choices for barbecuing or broiling when they’re fresh! White onions often find use as sauce ingredients and will usually reveal bright brilliant hues with an irresistibly sweet taste when sauteed.
Onions belong to the Allium Class which also encompasses garlic, shallots, leeks and chives. Allium vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals that have been shown to promote overall health benefits in various ways. In ancient times onions were often utilized as emergency food sources as well as therapeutic tools in treating migraines, colds or coronary illness.
Health advantages of onions
Heart Health
Onions have soothing properties that may help mitigate hypertension. One antioxidant responsible is quercetin; this flavonoid cell reinforcement has been linked with reduced risk of coronary illness.
Animal studies have also demonstrated that onions can act as natural blood thinners and keep platelets from coagulating, thus helping reduce and lower risk of coronary failure or stroke (see our list of best and worst foods to eat for your heart.).
Antibacterial Properties
Antibacterial Properties Onions have long been used to fight off harmful microorganisms, including Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Quercetin, a cancer prevention agent found in onions, is responsible for this antimicrobial benefit; recent research indicates this against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and Methicillin-safe Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
Old timer fantasies pushed this notion even further and suggested that placing onions in your socks might help protect against diseases like colds and influenza. They even encouraged placing cut onions around their homes to capture poisons. While these fantasies might not result in any direct harm if attempted, beyond possibly leaving with some unpleasant-smelling feet, further examination will need to take place to ascertain any possible correlations.
Regulating Blood Sugar
Are You Struggling with Blood Sugar Looking to regulate your blood sugar? Try eating an onion! Of course, not in one sitting but definitely try including them into one of your next recipes. Studies show that onions could help individuals with diabetes to bring down their blood sugar due to S-methylcysteine and quercetin compounds present in onions which have been linked with decreased levels of blood glucose, serum lipids, oxidative feelings of anxiety as well as expanding cancer prevention agent chemical actions as well as insulin release (for more details read Blood Sugar Basics when diagnosed).
Step By Step Instructions To Stop The Tears
Have you ever found yourself questioning why tears start flowing when cutting an onion? This could be caused by sulfur-based gas produced by it that reacts with the moisture in your eyes to produce something known as sulfuric corrosive, irritating your vision and leading to tears being shed. To alleviate the irritation further away from an onion can help break up this sulfur-based gas before reaching your eyes and cause further problems. To relieve irritation consider moving your face further from it so it dissipates before reaching your eyes.
Cool your onions for 30 minutes before cutting the top off and leaving only their root end intact – this should prevent the release of sulfur-based gasses from your onions.
Bottom Line
Onions offer many health advantages. As deliciously nutritious vegetables, onions boast properties that may help increase heart health, improve antibacterial defenses and regulate blood sugar. By including onions in your diet more often, onions may provide great overall benefits to overall wellness. If tears form while cutting onions, try moving away from it more gradually so the gas spreads instead of reaching your eyes directly or try chilling the onions for 30 minutes prior to use – two solutions that may work.
