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Who doesn’t love a fresh, bright salad, filled with colourful green cucumbers, red tomatoes and purple onions that add flavour and zest to our plate? But have you ever wondered what happens to the body if you eat raw onions everyday as an accompaniment to your regular meals? Is there such a thing as going too overboard? Indianexpress.com spoke to a health expert and found out.
“Onions are rich in sulfur compounds and quercetin, rich antioxidants that help combat oxidative stress in the body to protect our cells and reduce inflammation. The sulfur compounds in onion have heart protective properties, regulate blood pressure and help in preventing clotting,” shared Vriti Srivastav, holistic dietitian.
The sulfur compounds, quercetin and the mineral chromium found in onions improve insulin sensitivity and prevent or manage insulin resistance, she said.
“I stayed in a hostel during my Masters and we were served one consistent item in the mess – cut onions with lemon. Eating onions with lemon juice and black pepper was a daily routine for me and I noticed my immune system getting so much better. Gone were the days when I caught cold easily. Even while my room mates had heavy cold and flu, to my surprise, I didn’t catch it,” said Srivastav.
Onions make a great food for the anybody who can digest it well, she said.
According to her, onions are also food for the good gut bacteria due to its fibre content. This improves overall gut health and needless to say a healthy gut is a non-negotiable need for a healthy body.
“While onions have several health benefits, they also come with some digestive discomforts for those who can’t digest it well. It may cause some bloating, gas or heartburn in people with gut issues such as low acid levels, acid reflux or IBS. Raw onions should be avoided in such cases,” said Srivastav.
She also shared that onions possess blood thinning properties and that’s how they are beneficial in preventing blood clots. However, for anybody already on blood thinning medications should talk to their dietitian and doctor for any medicine interactions, she added.
“On a daily basis, a person may consume half to 1 raw onion with their meals. Decide the quantity as per what suits your body as each body is different,” said Srivastav.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
