6 Health Benefits of Onion for Your Body

Health benefits of onion is a lot because an onion is low in calorie but rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here are the benefits of an onion for your body.

For the Health of Heart

An onion has many benefits for the health of the heart and blood vessels. From keeping the blood pressure until reducing the risk of a heart attack. It is because of the potassium content of an onion that has an effect to decrease a blood pressure. Quercetin, one of the types of flavonoids contained in an onion helps the potassium to keep the blood pressure and increase the entire health of the heart.

Preventing Cancers

Another benefit of an onion is as cancer prevention. An onion is included in the allium vegetables which has a specialty to prevent cancers, especially stomach cancer and colon cancer because of the high level of organosulfur contained. This substance plays an important role to prevent the formation of free radicals inside the body. An onion is a source of a strong Vitamin C and antioxidants. This condition makes on onion has a big power to prevent the free radical that triggers cancers.

An onion can also help to overcome the side effects of cancer medications. A study in the Integrative Cancer Therapies found that consuming an onion helps to reduce an insulin resistance and hyperglycemia to the patients with breast cancer who undergo the chemotherapy.

Keeping the Mood

Folate contained in an onion can reduce the symptoms of depression. Folate decreases the formation of homocysteine, a substance that can prevent the blood and nutrition to reach the brain optimally. By suppressing the production of homocysteine, it means the production of chemicals in the brain such as serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine can be smoothly produced. The production of these chemicals can make the brain more optimally control the appetite, mood, and sleep cycle.

Strengthen the Immune System

Polyphenols in an onion play a role as an antioxidant, protecting the body from the free radicals. The reduced free radicals accumulation inside the body can help in strengthening the immune system. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the quercetin contained in an onion also helps to reduce the allergic reactions by stopping the body to produce histamine. The substance that makes you sneeze and feel itchy.

Keeping the Functions of Digestive System

The fibers in an onion make the performance of digestion system functions well. An onion contains a particular fiber which is the soluble fiber, called as oligofructose. This kind of fiber triggers the growth of good bacteria in the intestines. Oligofructose is also needed to help in preventing and treating diarrhea.

Keeping the Blood Sugar Level

Chromium contained in an onion plays a role in controlling the blood sugar level. The sulfur content also helps to decrease the blood sugar level and trigger the production of insulin. A study in the Environmental Health Insights journal claimed that an onion is very beneficial for diabetics. This is the last of the health benefits of onion.