I like both raw and cooked onions or even have it fried, dried or roasted. I just hate when it burns my eyes when I cut them up.What would life be like without onions? The onion has been used as an ingredient in various dishes for thousands of years by many cultures around the world. There are many different varieties of onion, red, yellow, white, and green, each with their own unique flavor, from very strong to mildly sweet. My wife loves to use onions to flavor dips, salads, soups, spreads, stir-fry and other dishes. Based on the article that I read recently, it is the cysteine sulfoxides responsible for the onion flavor and produce the eye-irritating compounds that induce lacrimation.
The article that I read reveals that onions have a variety of medicinal effects.Fantastic! Early American settlers used wild onions to treat colds, coughs, and asthma, and to repel insects. In Chinese medicine, onions have been used to treat angina, coughs, bacterial infections, and breathing problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) supports the use of onions for the treatment of poor appetite and to prevent atherosclerosis. In addition, onion extracts are recognized by WHO for providing relief in the treatment of coughs and colds, asthma and bronchitis.
Onions too contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure. Onion extracts, rich in a variety of sulfides, provide some protection against tumor growth.
However, consuming large quantities of onions can lead to stomach distress and gastrointestinal irritation that may result in nausea and diarrhea. Onion may be a useful herb for the prevention of cardiovascular disease, especially since they diminish the risk of blood clots. Onion also protects against stomach and other cancers, as well as protecting against certain infections. Onion can improve lung function, especially in asthmatics. Hence, start consume more onions now.
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