Many people have had the experience of tearing up when cutting onions, and the fact that eating onions affects fresh breath means many people don't particularly like them. However, did you know that onions are very nutritious? They not only contain nutrients like potassium, zinc, folic acid, and vitamins, but also two lesser-known special substances: quercetin and prostaglandin A.
Onions have at least the following eight major benefits:
1. Bone Health. Onions are rich in calcium, comparable to calcium-rich vegetables like bok choy and napa cabbage. They also contain magnesium and potassium, and the calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is appropriate, making the calcium easily absorbed.
2. Improve Gut Health. Like vegetables such as burdock and asparagus, onions contain oligosaccharides, which are not digested by the stomach and small intestine but are broken down in the large intestine as food for beneficial bacteria like Bifidobacterium.
3. Promote Weight Loss and Relieve Constipation. Onions are rich in dietary fiber, which increases satiety and promotes bowel movements. Additionally, the bifidogenic factors produced by onions also help keep the bowels clear.
4. Cut Greasiness. When pairing with high-fat dishes like steak, braised pork, or grilled fish, onions can remove the gamey smell and cut through the greasiness, reducing the body's absorption of fat.
5. Sterilization. Onions contain volatile allyl sulfide, which has antibacterial properties and can repel pests. Therefore, onions are vegetables with zero pesticide residues.
6. Cancer Prevention. Onions are rich in quercetin and selenium. The former inhibits cancer cell activity and stops their growth, while the latter is a powerful antioxidant that reduces oxidative damage in the body.
7. Prevent Colds. Onions are slightly pungent and warm in nature, helping to dispel wind and cold. They can prevent colds and relieve symptoms like nasal congestion and a runny nose caused by colds.
8. Reduce Body Inflammation. The prostaglandin A in onions is a potent vasodilator that helps reduce body inflammation, regulate blood pressure, and lower blood viscosity.
Here are two onion-based dietary remedies to recommend:
Vinegar-Soaked Lettuce and Onion
Wash and slice the onion, add a few lettuce leaves, then pour in apple vinegar until it just covers the onion slices. Regular consumption can treat constipation, stabilize blood pressure, and effectively improve sleep.
Onion Skin Decoction
Drinking a decoction made from onion skins, or eating more stir-fried onions, can help reduce vitreous opacity in the eyes and improve vision.
Finally, a reminder: the smell of onions can affect other foods, so try to store them separately. Do not store them in the refrigerator. In autumn and winter, a cool, dry place is sufficient. Also, note that onions are not suitable to be eaten with honey, kelp, fish, shrimp, and other similar foods.