1. Onions contain flavonoids, unique compounds found in plants that also have health benefits. “They contain mainly the bioactive compound quercetin, which has been implemented as an antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory compound,” said Dr. Ruth McDonald, Chair and Professor of the Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Iowa State University.
2. Besides flavor, onions do not contribute much to the diet. “Onions are not very nutrient dense,” Dr. McDonald explained. One cup of chopped onion contains 234 mg of potassium, compared to about 537 mg in a banana. (One cup is a lot of onions!)
3. Onions contain sulfur compounds. That’s why your eyes water when you chop them and why the odor lingers on your breath.
4. These sulfur compounds led to onions being used for medical purposes in many cultures, such as treating wounds. However, the effect was minimal. “There is folklore that onions are antibacterial because of the presence of sulfur-containing compounds. But they are unlikely to have sufficient potency to treat infections,” Dr. McDonald said.
5. This belief in the antibacterial effect led to the practice of placing a cut onion by the bedside to prevent illness, with the idea that the onion would soak up germs. “Absorbing bacteria from the air is total fiction,” Dr. McDonald said. While science has not found evidence that onions prevent illness, some still follow this folklore remedy and you can follow the discussion.
6. It’s okay to eat leftover onions. A social media report has circulated stating that onions become toxic after you cut them. “I suppose that comes from the concept that when you cut onions there is release of the sulfur-compounds, but I don’t know of any health risks from those compounds,” Dr. McDonald said.
7. Onions can prevent hair loss. You just have to rub onion juice directly on your scalp.

Onions can pack a powerful punch when added to foods. Although they cannot prevent illness, onions do have some health benefits and there are many reasons they are so appealing.

The post Food Facts: Seven Things You Might Not Know About Onions appeared first on Best Food Facts.

Rita Pichardo-Geisinger, MD:

For centuries, people have investigated medical properties in natural products. The truth is: many actual medications are derived from herbs and plants.

There are many articles, videos and opinions posted on the internet with personal experiences related to the excellent properties of onions. But do they really work? I have found articles in magazines, internet, and books summarizing the multiple and apparently wonderful good health properties of onions.

Onions are rich in sulfur which is one of the essential nutrients in promoting hair growth. High amounts of sulfur in onions make them particularly effective in regenerating hair follicles and stimulating hair regrowth. Onions contain many important and essential minerals and vitamins, such as vitamins C and B6, calcium, magnesium, and potassium. They appear to be particularly useful in skin conditions because of their abilities to promote circulation and decrease inflammation.

The fascinating world of the natural products in medicine has motivated me to investigate this more. There are not many medicine-based evidence articles which demonstrate in a scientific way the benefit of applying onion extract to scalp may help to improved hair loss.

A review of 10 years in the literature only identified one article that was published in 2002 in the Journal of Dermatology; this investigation was designed to test the effectiveness of topical crude onion juice in the treatment of patchy alopecia areata, a non-scarring hair loss condition, in comparison with tap water. In this study, one group of subjects applied the onion treatment twice daily for two months. Re-growth of terminal coarse hairs started after two weeks of treatment with crude onion juice. At four weeks, hair re-growth was seen in 17 patients (73.9%), and, at six weeks, the hair re-growth was observed in 20 patients (86.9%) ; it was significantly higher among males (93.7%) compared to females (71.4%) P<0.0001. This was definitely a great report to evaluate.

A hair loss remedy with onion

So how exactly does this work? Here’s what Dr. Pichardo-Geisinger recommends:

Apply freshly-squeezed, raw onion juice directly onto the scalp, massage deep into the scalp and hair roots. Leave on the scalp for about half-an-hour before shampooing. Do these treatments at least 3 times per week. In most cases, regular onion treatments are alleged to result in dramatic improvement of hair thickness within just several months. Since onion juice restores hair follicles and improves scalp circulation, it will help to promote the strong-hair growth. I found experiences with alopecia areata, female pattern hair loss and traction alopecia. The smell may be neutralized using a mixture of water and vinegar after the use of onion juice.

It’s an interesting and cheap alternative, but my recommendation is to visit your dermatologist if you do not see any improvement with this home remedy.

_{“invasion of the red onions” by Robert Couse-Bakermizo is licensed under CC BY.}

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