All the things I know about onions, the offensive breath part is definitely the one I've had the most experience with. They are a staple in homemade salads, DIY curries, and, of course, make for an amazing pizza topping. As an avid onion lover they go in almost any dish I'm making which of course plagues me and my dinner guests with onion breath for the entire evening.
The bad breath isn't all for nothing though: onions have an amazing amount of health benefits that can fight disease, infection, and boost our immune system. They are known to regulate blood sugar and improve digestive problems, plus incorporating onions in your diet is a sure way to add some important nutrients in your life.
Onions are rich in sulfur, B-complex, vitamins A, C, and E this means they're an amazing addition to your beauty game. Onions can rejuvenate an otherwise dull complexion, improve blood circulation, and protect our bods from UV rays and free radicals that age us, while keeping us wrinkle-free.
One of the biggest reasons that onions are the answer to youthful, glowing skin is the presence of a plant pigment known as quercetin, which is one of the most powerful antioxidants found in nature. Quercetin is part of a group of flavanoids that are constantly on the hunt to neutralize free radicals and protect our body from disease.
Like any natural ingredient worth putting on your face, onions are supreme at fighting acne. They are anti-bacterial, anti-microbial, antiseptic, AND have amazing anti-inflammatory properties. Applying onions topically for healthy skin is going to come at a low, yet smelly cost: I keep my onion skincare habits in the evening because trust me, the scent of this pungent veggie WILL seep out of your pores for a bit.
Here are some great ways to introduce onions into your skincare routine that are totally worth the slightly stinky trade-off.
1. Skin Pack:-
An effective skin pack doesn't have to cost you: you can make your own with raw onion juice, gram flour, and yogurt (or any lactic acid of your choosing) for a rejuvenating skin mask that will restore balance and moisture to dull skin. Start with a tablespoon of raw onion juice and just a half teaspoon of yogurt. Add enough flour to get a nice paste that you can apply directly on your skin for about 10 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
2. Acne Face Mask:-
If topical treatments are just not doing it for your most recent breakout, try using a raw onion juice, neem oil, and tomato juice mixture in the evening. These ingredients are powerful pore cleansers and although it's not going to take your makeup off FOR you, it's definitely going alleviate redness of pimples and lighten acne scars quickly and with little to no skin irritation.
3. Hair Thinning:-
Hair thinning is not just for people worrying about getting older; it happens prematurely from over-processing or over-styling hair. If your hairline is getting pissed by all the pulling and tugging, try adding raw onion juice to olive oil to strengthen hair follicles and stimulate healthy hair growth.
HEALTH BENEFITS:-
1.Anti-inflammatory
Onions’ sulfurs may be effective anti-inflammatory agents, according to a 1990 study in the journal International Archives of Allergy and Applied Immunology. Quercetin has been found to relax the airway muscles and may provide relief of asthma symptoms, according to a 2013 study in the American Journal of Physiology.
2.Immune system
"The polyphenols in onions act as antioxidants, protecting the body against free radicals," said Anne Mauney, a dietitian based in Washington, D.C. Eliminating free radicals can help encourage a strong immune system. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the quercetin in onions also reduces allergic reactions by stopping your body from producing histamines, which are what make you sneeze, cry and itch if you're having an allergic reaction.
3.Cancer
Quercetin may be a powerful anti-cancer agent,The University of Maryland Medical Center said that quercetin may especially inhibit cancer cells in "breast, colon, prostate, ovarian, endometrial, and lung tumors."
The National Onion Association discussed a recent study from the Netherlands that showed that people who ate onions absorbed twice as much quercetin as those who drank tea, and more than three times as much quercetin as those who ate apples, which are other high-quercetin sources. Red onions are especially high in quercetin, according to the association. Shallots and yellow onions are also good options. White onions contain the least amount of quercetin and other antioxidants.
4.Digestion
The fiber in onions promotes good digestion and helps keep you regular. Additionally, onions contain a special type of soluble fiber called oligofructose, which promotes good bacteria growth in your intestines. One 2005 study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology found that oligofructose may help prevent and treat types of diarrhea. The phytochemicals in onions that scavenge free radicals may also reduce your risk of developing gastric ulcers, according to the National Onion Association.
5.Regulating blood sugar
The chromium in onions assists in regulating blood sugar. The sulfur in onions helps lower blood sugar by triggering increased insulin production. One 2010 study in the journal Environmental Health Insights revealed that this might be especially helpful to people with people with diabetes. People with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes who ate red onions showed lower glucose levels for up to four hours.
6.Bone density in older women
A 2009 study in the journal Menopause found that daily consumption of onions improves bone density in women who are going through or have finished menopause. Women who ate onions frequently had a 20 percent lower risk of hip fracture than those who never ate onions.
Health risks:-
While not especially serious, eating onions can cause problems for some people. The carbohydrates in onions may cause gas and bloating, according to National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Onions, especially if consumed raw, can worsen heartburn in people who suffer from chronic heartburn or gastric reflux disease, according to one 1990 study in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.
Eating a large amount of green onions or rapidly increasing your consumption of green onions may interfere with blood thinning drugs, according to the University of Georgia. Green onions contain a high amount of vitamin K, which can decrease blood thinner functioning.
It is also possible to have a food intolerance or an allergy to onions, but cases are rare, according to an article in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. People with onion allergies may experience red, itchy eyes and rashes if an onion comes into contact with the skin. People with an intolerance to onions may experience nausea, vomiting and other gastric discomfort.
Lastly, people to make sure their onions are fresh. "Onions keep for a long time, "but they still spoil."
Onion facts:-
Slicing onions makes you cry because when you cut into it, the onion produces a sulfur-based gas. The gas reacts with the water in your eyes and forms sulfuric acid. To rid your eyes of this fiery irritant, your tear ducts work overtime. For no more (or fewer) tears, try moving your face farther away from the onion so the gas disperses before reaching your eyes.
Another suggestion for reducing tears is to first chill the onions for 30 minutes. Then, cut off the top and peel the outer layers leaving the root end intact.
Bulb onions are yellow, red or white. In the United States, about 87 percent of the commercial onion crop is yellow onions, 8 percent is red and 5 percent, white.
Onions range in size from less than 1 inch to more than 4.5 inches in diameter. The most common sizes sold in U.S. markets are 2 to 3.75 inches.
Scallions, or green onions, are actually immature yellow, red or white onions, harvested before the bulb begins to form. "Spring onions" and "salad onions" are other aliases for immature onions.
A scallion is not a shallot. This misnomer probably occurs because "échalion" is another name for the shallot, derived from the French échalote. Shallots have a distinctive taste, but the flavor is closer to that of mature onions than to that of scallions.
The largest onion ever grown weighed 10 pounds, 14 ounces (about 5 kilograms), according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
U.S. farmers plant about 125,000 acres of onions each year and produce about 6.2 billion pounds a year. The top onion-producing areas are Washington state, Idaho, eastern Oregon and California.
The Ieading onion production countries are China, India, United States, Turkey and Pakistan.
The average American eats 20 pounds (9 kg) of onions per year.
To avoid "onion breath," eat a sprig of parsley, or rinse your mouth with equal parts lemon juice and water, or chew a citrus peel.
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