After the researchers controlled for other factors, they found the women who ate onions daily had greater bone density. In one study, researchers surveyed women near or past menopause about their onion intake. Both animal and human studies have supported this idea. Onions may play a role in preventing osteoporosis. Diseases ranging from diabetes to colon cancer and depression have been tied to a lack of healthy gut bacteria. In the large intestine, they feed the healthy bacteria.
They pass through the small intestine without digesting. Onions contain fructooligosaccharides, substances that act as prebiotics. Researchers believe that antioxidants are responsible for the cancer-fighting properties of onions. In another study, researchers found that men who ate the most vegetables of the allium family were the least likely to have prostate cancer. Italian researchers found that those who ate the most onions were the least likely to have cancer of the colon, throat, and ovaries. More research with human subjects is needed to show how onion affects bacteria in the body.Įating onions and garlic may reduce your risk of cancer. Garlic extract also reduced bacteria in the mouths of human volunteers. In one experiment, onion and garlic extracts inhibited the growth of several microbes. Research mainly conducted in labs has shown that onions may kill a wide range of bacteria. Onions have other health benefits such as: One study shows that quercetin fights inflammation and boosts the immune system. Research shows that one particular antioxidant, called quercetin, protects health in several ways.
Most of the benefits come from antioxidants. Scientists have linked onions with many health benefits. Sometimes called purple onions, they add color and flavor to many dishes. Red onions were originally cultivated in three different places: Turda, Romania Tropea, Italy and Wethersfield, Connecticut, in the United States. Onions belong to the allium family, along with garlic, leeks, shallots, and scallions. Today onions appear in cuisines all around the world. The Pilgrims even brought onions with them to America. The Greeks prepared for the Olympics by feasting on onions. The Egyptians buried onions with their pharaohs.