Onions are very versatile because they can be used to cook different kinds of meals and they are even useful for natural medicine. The nutrients contained in onions make them not only flavorful, but also helpful. So if you are still struggling with its strong odor, you actually don’t need to worry about this because the odor really worth its benefits.

Onions Nutritional Values

• Flavonoids. As a kind of antioxidant, flavonoid can boost your immune system resulting in a better protection for your health. Moreover, this antioxidant is also containing antitumor effect.
• Quercitin. While flavonoids are a form of antioxidant, it comes with many different forms; one of them is the Quercitin. This is a great nutrient found in onions because it is excellent in fighting cholesterol, asthma, bronchitis, diabetes and some other diseases. Onions are the best source of quercitin, which means you don’t have a better option than them when it comes to get more quercitin in your body. The anti-inflammatory and antibiotic effect can help improving your health. This kind of flavonoid can be found on the skin or near the skin of onions, so be careful when peeling since you don’t want to lose this precious nutrient.
• Sulfur. Containing sulfur, onions combined with amino acids are good for supporting the brain’s health. The amount of sulfur is high enough and it can be consumed along with protein foods to promote the benefits. The types of amino acids in onions are helpful to detox the body by eliminating the heavy metals. Cadmium and mercury can be removed from the body resulting with a better health.
• Vitamin C. The amino acids and antioxidant combined with the vitamin C in onions make this ingredient more powerful for strengthening the immune system. This compound can help the amino acids releasing heavy metals so that you can more of them removed from the body.
• Polyphenols. Not only rich in flavonoids, onions also contain a great amount of polyphenols, which are amazing for supporting your health. The polyphenols are even higher than carrots and tomatoes.

Benefits of Onions for Health

1. Healthy Blood Flow

Onions contain diallyl disulfide, which is said to be effective in preventing blood clotting making the blood flow smoothly. This smooth and healthy blood flow leads to lower cholesterol risk. The sulfur in onions can also support the blood flow since it can reduce the level of triglycerides.

2. Healthy Stomach

Onions can help supporting bowel movement while getting rid of the toxins in the body so that your stomach can be healthier. Just include it in your diet, and your bowel health can be maintained.

3. Cold and Cough Reliever

If you are suffering from cold and cough or even asthma, allergies and sore throat, you can simply consume onion juice combined with honey about one tablespoon. This simple mixture can help relieving the pain and discomfort.

4. Blood Sugar Regulator

Eating onions lower the amount of blood sugar in your body thanks to the sulfur. When the blood sugar is properly regulated by keeping it normal, diabetes can be also prevented. Moreover, the more onions you eat, the higher the insulin production in your body.

5. Nose Bleeding Stopped

A very simple and easy way to stop nose bleeding is by inhaling an onion. If it doesn’t stop completely, at least the bleeding can be slowed down to make the condition better.

6. Stroke and Heart Attack Prevention

Stroke and heart attack are mostly caused by the existing plaque buildup in the arteries, making the blood can’t flow smoothly to the brain. This is because quercetin can help eliminating the buildup, according to some studies; further research should be conducted to see the effects in human, considering that it has only been tested to animals.

7. Healthy Heart

If your heart is healthy, you can protect your body from many chronic diseases. Some studies show that sulfur can reduce hypertension and this can be found both in onions and garlics. Also, sulfur is good in thinning blood naturally to prevent the platelets from clustering, which is one of the causes of increasing heart attack and stroke risk. More studies need to be conducted to see the results in humans, not just in animals.

8. Immune Booster

The antioxidants in onions, which are the polyphenols, can be used to boost the immune system. They work by regulating free radicals and strengthening the immune. Moreover, another antioxidant type, the quercetin is also helpful in fighting some reactions of allergic such as crying or sneezing because the production of histamines during the condition can be stopped.

9. Cancer Prevention

Still talking about quercetin, this compound is also great in inhibiting cancerous cells that can lead to some cancer types like ovarian, breast, prostate, colon and endometrial. This is because the quercetin has a strong anti-cancer property to provide this incredible benefit.

10. Good Digestive System

Onions also come with fiber that can promote the digestive system. The type of fiber can be found in onions is oligofructose, which is a kind of soluble fiber that can support the growth of good bacteria. This type of fiber is also good in treating diarrhea, according to a study.

11. Stomach Cancer Prevention

According to some surveys, alliums are helpful in lowering the risk of stomach cancer. They can protect the stomach health while inhibiting tumor. However, the benefits of alliums for tumor have been done only in animals.

12. Healthy Oral

If you are experiencing from oral infections, try chewing onions for around 3 minutes will help. Ensure to chew the raw ones for killing the germs in the mouth, lips and throat and preventing tooth decay from happening.

13. Anemia Treatment

Simply mixing onions with water and jaggery can help treating anemia. Anemia is a condition when the body is lacking of iron and onions can help improving the iron level. When the iron is well supplied, the red blood cells can be produced and it surely leads to a better condition.

14. Body Pain Treatment

One of the best things about onion is its ability in dealing with many kinds of body pain. You can vet the benefit by frying onions in castor or sesame oil and the pains in your body can be relieved.

15. Urinary Disorder Treatment

A urinary disorder with the burning sensation happens during urination can be relieved by boiling 6 grams of onions and drink the water.

16. Menstrual Disorders Cure

Menstrual disorders are really annoying, but they mostly happen. So before they happen, eat some raw onions before the menstruation cycle would help.

17. Earache Reliever

If you are experiencing a ringing sound, simply take a piece of cotton wool and dab it to onion juice to apply the onion in the ear.

18. Sex Drive Booster

Consuming a mixture of onion and ginger juice, one tablespoon and one spoonful of each is great in boosting sex drive and libido, maintaining a healthy sex life. Do these three times a day for the best result.

Benefits of Onions for Skin

1. Skin Lightener

The combination of flavonoids and vitamin C in onions are excellent for the skin since flavonoids can help vitamin C to maximally provide its functions. When applied to skin, onions can remove the dead cells making your skin complexion lighter. Just mix onion juice with gram flour about 2 tablespoons, a little nutmeg and half teaspoon of milk to create a paste and use it as a mask. If you don’t like the strong smell of onions, add lavender essential oil. Leave this mask for around 20 minutes and massage the skin with a cotton ball dabbed into milk for removing the mask and the dead skin cells.

2. Acne Treatment

Onions provide antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that are good in treating acne when applied to your skin. Not only acne, other infections can be also prevented. Just mix onion juice with olive oil, one tablespoon of each and apply on the face. Let it sit for around 20 minutes before washing and you can improve its function more by consuming onions as well.  If you want it to be easier, just use only fresh onion juice on the face on the pimples.

3. Younger Skin

There are some types of antioxidants can be found in onions including vitamin E, C and A, which can protect the skin from UV damage and free radicals. Also, the rich amount of quercetin and sulfur can prevent the early aging signs, resulting with suppler and softer skin. Treating your skin with onion is very easy. Just massage it with onion juice and your skin can look younger and more radiant.

4. Bites Treatment

Bites and stings can make your skin feel itchy, burning or even lead to swelling. Put a slice of onion on the bites or stings can help reducing these effects, thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties.

5. Dark Spots Management

Still about its antioxidants content, onions are good in dealing with dark spots. Antioxidants can remove all the impurities from your skin, leaving it more nourished. Make mixture of fresh onion juice and yogurt in the equal amounts, and then add a few drops of lavender essential oil or any other essential oils that you love just to give it a pleasant smell. This mixture can be used to massage your face for around 15 minutes to get the result. Do it regularly or even daily for removing the dark spots effectively. Another recipe is by mixing onion juice with turmeric powder.

Benefits of Onions for Hair

1. Healthy Scalp

Combining coconut oil with fresh onion juice is great in supporting your scalp health. Use this mixture to massage the scalp for 10 minutes, let it stay for half an hour and rinse it with lukewarm water.

2. Hair Conditioner

Give your hair a more natural conditioner by mixing onion juice with fenugreek seeds paste is a healthier option. Apply the mixture just like you usually condition your hair and leave it for 30 minutes before rinsing and shampooing.

3. Hair Loss Treatment

Still using a mixture of coconut oil and onion juice, you can treat your hair loss and increase the hair’s length. Use an equal amount of each and apply the mixture to the scalp. Let it sit four 2 hours by covering the hair with a shower cap and shampoo it. Your hair would be sticky so you need to wash it properly. At the end your hair would be shining and regrowing. To get the best result you need to use it twice a month. Not only for hair loss, itchy scalp and hair loss can be also addressed using this mixture. If you don’t have coconut oil, go with olive oil instead. A simpler mixture can be also made only using fresh onion juice and apply to the scalp.

4. Lice Elimination

Lice can be really distracting and itchy, so getting rid of it from your hair would be helpful. Just apply and massage the hair to eliminate the lice while nourishing the scalp.

5. Thin Hair Treatment

Thin hair can be treated using a mixture of onion juice and half teaspoon of honey. Use this to the thin hair area and let it sit overnight to shampoo in the morning. Remember to not cover the head during the night and do this regularly for up to twice a week.

6. Natural Color Maintenance

The best color of hair is surely the natural one. Maintain its beauty by using a mixture of mustard oil and onion juice in an adequate amount. The use of mustard oil in this mixture is to help onion providing its benefits in lighting color.

How to Eat Onions

While you have learned how to use it for curing the outside of your body such as the skin and the hair, you can explore more to learn how it is used when consumed. Since onions are versatile, there are many options to go with.

1. Sauces and Soups. Using onions for soups or sauces is very easy. Just chop and fry it before adding the other ingredients of the sauces. You can use margarine, butter or oil for frying onions to turn them golden brown. It might take only 3 minutes and done. After frying, place a paper towel on your plate before putting them.
2. Salads. Add sliced onions to your Italian salad would make it healthier. Put it together with olive oil, mozzarella and tomatoes for a classic recipe.
3. Sauteed Onions. If you want the onions to work better in improving the taste of your dishes or soups, consider sautéing than frying. You just need to make the onions turn brown to release its rich flavor, giving your dishes a better taste.
4. Sweating Onions. While some people love the strong flavor of onions, some others want them to be milder. If you are one of them, you can cook onions gently to soften them. When they are softened, the rich content of sulphur can be reduced so that the taste is milder. Add it to your risottos for adding sweetness without the strong flavor of onions.
5. Chopped Onions. This can be very simple method to eat onions since you just need to chop and enjoy. Sprinkle the chopped onions on top of plain rice or mix it with avocadoes, tomatoes and jalapenos to improve your guacamole dip’s taste.

Onions Side Effects

Although onions are flavorful and beneficial for the body, skin and hair, there are some side effects to pay attention as well.

1. Allergic Reactions

Some people might have allergy to onions so they would find redness and rash on their skin or even feel itchy. It happens when you use onions on your skin for treatment. If it just happens after applying the onions to your skin or eating without any other signs, the condition might not be serious. However when it happens after eating the onions and is followed with other symptoms such as difficulty breathing, tingling, dropping blood pressure and oral swelling, then you need to find medical treatment as soon as possible since it might be an anaphylactic reaction.

2. Abdominal Bloat

Eating too much onion will make the stomach hard to digest the sugar considering that onions contain fructose. When too much sugar happens in the stomach, it will go to the intestines and turned into gas to be broken down. The excessive gas leads to bloating and discomfort in the stomach. The worse condition is when you have onion intolerance, a condition where the gastrointestinal tract is unable to digest it, resulting in vomiting, nausea or even diarrhea.

Keep in mind that you must understand your condition including your allergic reactions and food intolerance before consuming onions. Also, eat it in the right amount your body can handle for reaping the benefits. You can apply it to your skin, eat it directly or mix it with your favorite dishes; all of them are great as long as your body can deal with it.