Onions have healing properties. Beneficial properties, harm and contraindications for eating onions

Onions are, at first glance, an ordinary vegetable crop that is widely used in almost all countries of the world. It is publicly available and therefore seems very simple. But that's not true. The first memories of this vegetable date back to the 3rd century. BC, they were depicted on the walls of the Cheops pyramid in Ancient Egypt.

Beneficial features

There are about 700 varieties of onions. Most of them are wild. What few people know is that garlic is also one of the onion varieties. Unlike many other plants, all parts of the onion are useful and medicinal: the bulb, the leaves, and even the peel.

1. Promotes the formation of a good appetite and actively secretes gastric juice. Helps with bloating.
2. Thanks to aphrodisiacs - special substances in the vegetable that are similar in structure to human sex hormones, onions are able to preserve youth, keep the body in good shape and maintain sexual activity.
3. It has wound-healing properties and is able to kill microbes in the body. Increases immunity. Today it is actively used to combat the flu epidemic, but in history there are facts when onions fought plague, cholera and typhoid.
4. Phytoncides contained in onions are capable of protecting the human body from radiation to a certain extent.
5. Reduces blood cholesterol levels and helps prevent atherosclerosis. Helps restore the body's cardiovascular system.
6. Actively removes helminths from the human body. We especially recommend it for children.
7. Fills brain cells with oxygen, which promotes more active brain function.
8. Improves hearing levels if consumed daily with food.
9. Recently, scientists have proven that onions can kill cancer cells and prevent the occurrence of cancer. Especially the purple and red varieties of vegetables contain quercetin.
10. Prevents premature aging of the brain. Stimulates the development of nerve cells in the body.

Despite its apparent simplicity, onions contain many different components:

• Proteins;
• Sucrose and fructose;
• Sodium, Potassium, Phosphorus; Calcium,
• Sulfur and iron;
• Mineral salts;
• Enzymes;
• Essential oils;
• Various vitamins;
• Phytoncides;
• Carotene;
• Malic and citric acids.

Using a bow

Ancient doctors believed that onions could help treat any disease. Nowadays, this is one of the most affordable medicines that can help with many ailments.

1. Almost all cuisines in the world use onions in the preparation of various dishes. It gives not only a special taste, but also an aroma. The surprising thing is that raw, fried, stewed or boiled vegetables - they all have a different taste and aroma.
2. Onions are actively used in canning and various pickles. In addition to taste, it has disinfecting properties.
3. Inhaling onion vapors will help as a prophylactic for the treatment of various colds and sore throats.
4. Onions are used to treat skin diseases such as sagging, red acne, various rashes and seborrhea.
5. A solution of onion and alcohol actively treats baldness and hair loss. The vegetable also contains sulfur and phosphorus, which are integral components of hair. It also helps get rid of dandruff.
6. It is actively used in cosmetology. Various masks and mixtures of onions with other components actively stimulate the skin of the face and hands, treat cracked nails, and cleanse the face of freckles.
7. By combining onion juice with honey, cataracts are treated by instilling the solution into the eyes. Thus, people with low vision strengthen it.
8. Onion juice ointment is used to treat toothache by applying cotton swabs to the sore spot in the mouth. The ointment also actively helps with muscle strain, rheumatism and various pains associated with the musculoskeletal system.
9. Boiled onions are used to treat calluses.
10. In pharmacology, many medicines are created based on onions and its components.
11. Certain types of vegetables are used in cooking exclusively as seasonings.

A very interesting fact is that many people are afraid to be treated with this product because of the unpleasant odor that it leaves behind. But there is a simple solution to this problem. After using onions, you can eat a handful of walnuts, pine nuts or almonds, this will eliminate bad breath. If your hands smell, you should wipe them with damp salt and then wash them thoroughly.

Contraindications

Not all types of onions are eaten. But also not all of its types are publicly available to humans. A very large number of so-called “wild” varieties are known. You can’t buy them in the supermarket and pick them from the garden. But they are often used for cooking in restaurants.

People who experience various symptoms when using onions should know important things:

1. It is important to know that the useful parts of the vegetable are the core and feathers no more than 10 cm long from the bulb itself. Eating feathers taller than 10 cm can cause drowsiness, stomach discomfort, nausea and headache.
2. If you have liver or kidney diseases, the use of this product is strictly prohibited.
3. If a person suffers from ulcers and other diseases of the intestinal tract, then the juices contained in onions can cause negative consequences for the body in the form of irritation. This product may also increase stomach acidity.
4. Onions can cause high blood pressure, so people suffering from heart disease need to seriously monitor their diet.
5. This vegetable may be a cause of bronchial asthma.

As you can see, contraindications in the use of onions relate more to special cases. Therefore, it is very important that every person knows about his body’s reactions to a particular product. After all, many, suffering from various diseases, most likely do not even realize that the most effective medicine may have been nearby for a very long time.

Onions are one of the most respected vegetables for any housewife. After all, it is an indispensable ingredient in many dishes. In addition, this is a time-tested product that relieves most ailments. Probably, there is no more accessible and effective means of healing the entire body. However, it should be remembered that, despite the fact that onions have beneficial properties, there are also contraindications to their use.

Historical reference

Onion is a fairly ancient vegetable plant. The first memories of its cultivation date back to the fifth millennium BC. e. An inscription about him was found on an Egyptian pyramid. Even then I was interested in people and contraindications).

It is believed that its homeland is the countries of the Mediterranean and Asia. He came to us with the Romans, who brought him from their campaigns. Thanks to its culinary qualities, onions quickly gained popularity and spread throughout the world.

Rich composition

What is the reason for such fame? After all, to this day onions are of interest: features, chemical composition, properties - everything worries consumers. An amazing vegetable that allows you to maintain health all year round. After all, it is distinguished by the presence of an extensive list of useful substances:

1. Vitamin RR. This component normalizes blood sugar and cholesterol. It perfectly strengthens blood vessels.
2. B vitamins. Help increase stress resistance and stimulate brain function. Normalize metabolism. Can improve the condition of skin, nails, and hair.
3. Vitamin C. Thanks to it, onions increase immunity, protect the body from colds and viral illnesses.
4. Vitamin E. Gives the vegetable antioxidant properties.
5. Vitamin N. This is one of the effective means for strengthening nails and beautiful hair. In addition, it improves the functioning of the nervous system.
6. Cellulose. Provides the body with cleansing of waste and toxins. Helps eliminate excess cholesterol. Normalizes intestinal function.
7. Micro-, macroelements. Calcium, sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus, copper, iodine, zinc, fluorine, potassium, sodium, chromium, magnesium, iron, manganese and many others. They help strengthen tooth enamel and bones. They have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels. Helps normalize blood pressure and regulate metabolism. Protects the body from anemia. Normalize the functioning of the brain.
8. Flavonoids. These substances prevent the formation of cancer cells.

Speaking about onions, beneficial properties and contraindications, it should be noted that the vegetable is rich in carotene, nicotine, lemon and

Energy value

Not many people know that onions can help you lose weight. We will consider the beneficial properties, composition, and calorie content below.

Vegetable (100 g) contains:

• carbohydrates (8.2 g),
• vegetable proteins (1.4 g),
• fiber,
• very little fatty acids (0.2 g).

Calorie content of 100 g of product is 41 kcal. One medium onion contains about 30 kcal.

In addition, onions are rich in organic acids and beneficial essential oils. The main sources of calories are proteins and organic acids; oils have the ability to break down fats and improve digestion. It is thanks to its low calorie content and fat-burning beneficial properties that the vegetable promotes weight loss.

Virus protection

Volatile substances - essential oils and glycosides - determine the therapeutic effect that onions have. Everyone should know the beneficial properties and contraindications discussed below.

The vegetable is able to kill most pathogenic microbes, such as:

• tuberculosis bacillus;
• influenza virus;
• diphtheria bacillus.

Everyone knows how quickly it can clear a room of various pathogenic microbes. Doctors, having studied onions, beneficial properties and contraindications, came to the conclusion that during epidemics the vegetable should be ground and placed in a room to get rid of viruses.

ethnoscience

Onions are in demand not only in cooking. The use and contraindications for the use of vegetables have interested humanity since ancient times. It is not surprising that onions are widely used in traditional medicine recipes. It allows you to effectively treat:

• respiratory tract diseases;
• nasal congestion;
• boils;
• diabetes;
• hypertension;
• toothache;
• haemorrhoids;
• whooping cough;
• otitis;
• sprain.

Beneficial features

Many people want to know more about onions (calorie content, beneficial properties). Unfortunately, it can also cause harm to the body. But more on that later. Now let's touch on the beneficial effects:

1. Onions are very popular in cooking. It is a desirable ingredient in almost every dish, giving it a unique, refined taste.
2. The large amount of iron contained in the vegetable protects the body from anemia. Moreover, its content does not change even after heat treatment.
3. Onions stimulate appetite and help improve the secretion of gastric juice.
4. Potassium, which is part of the composition, has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.
5. The vegetable helps cleanse the blood.
6. It has a calming effect, stabilizes the nervous system, and improves sleep.
7. Some sources claim that eating onions is an excellent prevention of recurrent heart attacks.
8. Everyone knows about the fight against colds with this product.
9. Onion masks allow lifeless, weakened, dull hair to shine with beauty. In addition, they help improve their growth.
10. The vitamins that onions are rich in prevent vitamin deficiency and improve immunity.
11. There is no doubt about the antibacterial properties. Onions destroy various microbes in the human body.

Contraindications

Not all people can eat onions. Beneficial properties and contraindications are incomparable. Of course, this is a very valuable vegetable, but each person has his own characteristics.

Contraindications include:

1. Heart diseases. It is not recommended to abuse vegetables in case of such pathologies.
2. Liver diseases.
3. Hypertension. Onions can increase blood pressure.
4. Asthma. Sometimes a vegetable can trigger an attack.
5. Ulcerative diseases. Onions cause irritation of the mucous membrane.
6. Metabolic disorder. People who have this problem should not abuse the product, as it provokes the formation of gases and mucus in the body.

The above warnings apply to raw onions. When fried, boiled or stewed, the vegetable is completely harmless.

Another disadvantage of onions is that which occurs after eating it. If necessary, roasted walnuts or parsley can get rid of it. But such methods are effective if a small amount of vegetable is eaten.

Preparation

As you know, the product is consumed not only in its raw form. How do thermally processed onions affect the body and are the contraindications the same or not?

It’s not just the raw vegetable that has medicinal properties. benefits the body. Cooked in butter, it helps soften coughs and relieves most colds. When baked, it removes excess sugar from the blood. This effect is confirmed by the centuries-old experience of traditional healers and the scientific research of modern scientists.

For people suffering from diseases of the mucous membrane, heat-treated onions are suitable for consumption. After all, the raw product, as previously noted, causes an exacerbation of gastrointestinal ailments.

Remember that onions, when used correctly, help in the fight against many diseases and do not cause harm to the body. Be healthy!

Onion is a well-known agricultural plant that has found wide use in folk and traditional medicine.

The culture is valuable due to its high content of vitamins, phosphorus, organic acids, essential oils, trace elements and phytoncides - chemical compounds with strong bactericidal properties.

The healing qualities of the plant have been noted since ancient times, as evidenced by the works of Avicenna, Hippocrates and other ancient scientists. Regular consumption of onions increases appetite, optimizes the functioning of the digestive system, increases energy, has a preventive effect on the functioning of the cardiovascular system - cleanses blood vessels, protects against hypertension and atherosclerosis.

Pharmacological properties

Onions are a ubiquitous biennial crop from the lily family. The leaves and bulb are valuable, the latter being more important from a medical point of view. Onions are widely used as an antibacterial, diuretic, laxative and appetite enhancer. Preparations based on it are highly effective in:

• urolithiasis;
• wound healing;
• paroxysmal cough;
• sore throat;
• rheumatism;
• runny nose;
• asthma:
• vitamin deficiency;
• anemia and many other diseases.

Onions are most widely used in cooking because they are used in the vast majority of dishes, but numerous medicinal recipes based on them are found in ancient treatises found in all corners of the Earth. Onions are used to treat not only humans, but also farm animals. Ancient people endowed the plant with supernatural powers by weaving bulbs and dry leaves into amulets; today onions are often found in Slavic amulets. Let's consider all the benefits of the plant from a scientific point of view.

The benefits of phytoncides

In 1928 prof. Tokin discovered phytoncides, which can literally be translated roughly as “plant killers.” Scientists have noticed that these substances have an inhibitory effect on bacteria comparable to antibiotics. Some healers say so - onions contain natural antibiotics and this statement is absolutely true. That is why the plant is effective for the following ailments:

• diseases associated with dysfunction of the respiratory tract: rhinitis, tracheitis, bronchitis, catarrhal processes in the bronchial tree;
• diseases of the tonsils, tonsillitis, stomatitis, otitis;
• ulcers and fungal diseases of the outer or inner epidermal layers;
• There are positive dynamics in the treatment of tuberculosis and pneumonia.

Phytoncides are volatile - everyone knows how much their eyes water when chopping an onion. This property is used during the flu epidemic. As a disinfectant, you should place halves of onions in the room or you can rub onion pulp into your hair, which will further strengthen the hair follicles.

Useful organic substances

The onion contains a large amount of ascorbic acid (10 mg%), which is useful for the immune system, vitamin B1 (60 mg%), carotenes, from which the body then synthesizes vitamin A, which is necessary for the protective mechanisms of the body and skin. In addition there are:

• simple carbohydrates up to 10%;
• essential oils up to 0.05%;
• nitrogenous substances up to 2.5%;
• citric and malic acids;
• flavonoids;
• inulin;
• phytin;
• quercetin or its glycosides.

The benefits of onions

Let's briefly talk about the benefits of onions, because with a detailed presentation, extensive material will emerge, which will be enough for an entire book. If you eat onions every day without heat treatment, your body's resistance to respiratory infections will increase. The table shows the effects of onions on the human body.

Area of ​​influence: Colds, flu, ARVI
Action: Strengthens the immune system, increases the body's resistance thanks to vitamins and phytoncides.

Area of ​​influence: Diabetes
Action: Normalizes blood glucose levels (sulfur, phosphorus).

Area of ​​influence: Bronchial asthma
Action: Quercetin has an antihistamine effect and weakens bronchospasm - it becomes easier for the patient to breathe.

Area of ​​influence: Oral cavity
Action: The unpleasant odor remaining after eating the vegetable kills bacteria concentrated on the gums and teeth, which is the prevention of periodontal disease, caries, and stomatitis.

Area of ​​influence: Nasopharynx
Action: Effective for rhinitis, inflammation of the nasopharynx, sore throat, tonsillitis.

Area of ​​influence: The cardiovascular system
Action: Potassium strengthens the myocardium and is needed for the operation of transmembrane pumps. Iron is part of the myo- and hemoglobin molecules; the vitamin complex has a positive effect on vascular tone. The juice contains substances that cleanse the blood.

Area of ​​influence: CNS
Action: Potassium improves the conduction of nerve impulses due to its participation in the potassium-sodium pump.

Area of ​​influence: Gastrointestinal tract
Action: Increases appetite, improves digestion, helps with constipation

note. People suffering from chronic stomach diseases with high acidity should eat raw onions with extreme caution. You should not use it without consulting a doctor if you have problems with the nervous system, liver, or kidneys. Allergy sufferers with individual intolerance to any substance in onions are prohibited from using it.

Let's consider how to use onions, whose beneficial properties depend on the method of administration.

Beneficial features

Even the doctors of Ancient Rome advised men to eat onions because it gives strength and courage. Modern scientists have found that when consumed daily, blood pressure decreases in hypertensive patients, prostate activity and sperm formation improve in men, and onions are useful in women for menstrual disorders. Libido increases in both sexes.

Briefly other beneficial properties of raw onions:

• increases the secretion of gastric juices;
• normalizes intestinal tone, helps with atony;
• reduces cholesterol levels, is effective against atherosclerosis and hypertension;
• enhances excretory processes in the kidneys when sand or stones form;
• has anthelmintic effect.

Onion juice

Freshly squeezed juice has found particular application in folk medicine, which is used both in pure form and in various mixtures for the following purposes:

• as a diaphoretic;
• with a runny nose;
• for cosmetic purposes: correction of skin pigmentation (freckles, birthmarks), acne, elimination of wrinkles (as part of a honey-wax mixture);
• with itching;
• with urolithiasis;
• to improve vision and treat eye diseases;
• when coughing;
• accelerates the healing of wounds and burns;
• for gargling, etc.

Onion pulp

Onion gruel is useful for:

• strengthening and enhancing hair growth;
• cold;
• wound treatment;
• catarrhal processes of the respiratory tract;
• sore throat;
• as an antiseptic.

Baked onion

Heat-treated onions will be useful in the following cases:

• furunculosis;
• haemorrhoids;
• diseases of the liver and biliary tract;
• diabetes mellitus;
• increases urine secretion;
• with uterine bleeding;
• for chest pain;

Husk decoction

In folk medicine, not only onions are used; their husks also have medicinal properties. The saturated solution is useful for hair loss, combating dandruff, it accelerates the healing of wounds after frostbite or burns, and is effective in the maturation of follicles.

The note. The ancient Romans used a decoction of onion peels to strengthen blood vessels and increase their tone.

Other treatments

A decoction of the onion increases sputum discharge when coughing. Alcohol tincture is useful for reducing cholesterol when cleaning blood vessels, flatulence, constipation and urolithiasis. Onion flowers along with vegetable oil are used for pneumonia, bronchitis and eczema.

Onion is a perennial plant, reaching a height of up to 90 cm. A small bunch of root system extends from the bottom of the onion, which penetrates into the soil to a depth of 0.5 meters. The bulb appears flattened or ball-shaped with yellow, red or white shells. The stem is thick, inflated below the middle, bearing up to 9 leaves at the base. The leaves are shorter than the stem, soaked in juice, straight with pointed ends. Description of the flowers of the plant are small balls on long stalks, collected in an umbrella, sometimes there are children. Before flowering, the umbrella is surrounded by a sheath, which, from the time of flowering, is significantly shorter than the inflorescence itself by 2-3 times. Sometimes, in addition to flowers, there are small bulb bulbs, which, after falling into the soil, begin to grow and form a new plant. Onion seeds are black, triangular, wrinkled. Flowering begins in June and ends in August, fruits germinate in September. Methods of care are different, depending on which varieties were chosen.

The plant has minimal harm and contraindications, so it is widely used for use and planting. Various varieties of onions differ in shape and main color, as well as in taste, smell and sharpness. The bulbs are often covered with yellow or orange skin; there are varieties with white or purple skin. The size and weight category of the bow varies. There are plants whose description speaks of their enormous size, for example, the Valentina onion from Spain weighs up to 1 kg. The press once published a photograph of a German gardener with an onion weighing about 3 kilograms.

Beneficial vitamins found in onions

Onions contain a complex of vitamins from group B, C, E, as well as PP. Additionally, the product contains fluorine, iron, phosphorus and sodium, quercetin, saponin, essential oils, organic acids and other substances beneficial to the human body. Due to the high content of such phytonutrients, onions are classified as biologically active ingredients, which help in the treatment of many ailments of the body. The vitamins that make up onions have a beneficial effect on the body, regardless of what varieties were purchased. The plant can be used in any form.

Onions have a pungent odor and a pungent specific taste; when peeling and cutting, in some cases it leads to watery eyes. The presence of such characteristics is due to the presence of essential oil containing sulfur in large quantities. Phytoncides have a powerful effect on the body, providing antimicrobial, antiseptic, and antiviral effects. One chopped onion is enough to destroy bacteria, fungi, infections, and spores in the room. Exactly how onions work depends on which varieties were chosen for planting.

Useful properties of onions

Phytoncides of root vegetables have the property of killing tuberculosis and diphtheria bacillus, and have a negative effect on dysentery, streptococci and other pathogenic microscopic organisms.
The benefits of onions for the body are characterized by the following properties:

• antiviral;
• diuretics;
• general strengthening;
• antiviral;
• hematopoietic;
• tonic;
• antiseptic.

For men and women, as well as children, the use of onions is advisable when:

• Balancing the work of digestion and increasing the tone of the gastrointestinal tract.
• Strengthening the body's immune system. This is possible due to the fact that the plant contains useful vitamins and complexes that help restore the balance of beneficial microorganisms in men and women.
• Protection against influenza, acute respiratory viral infections, colds, cough onions also help effectively.
• Lower blood pressure.
• Reducing high levels of cholesterol inside the blood.
• The benefits of onions are clearly expressed in heart diseases in men and women, as well as in eliminating atherosclerosis and arrhythmia.
• Stimulation of appetite.
• Balancing libido and reproductive system functions.
• Decreased blood and urine sugar levels.
• Relieving stress from the central nervous system.
• Protecting body cells from the negative effects of radiation, for example radioactive.
• The vitamins that the product contains are involved in cleansing the body of carcinogens and toxins.
• Prevention of oncology.
• Balancing sleep in men.
• Onions help with a runny nose.
• Prevention of hypovitaminosis, especially in winter. The vitamins that onions contain have the ability to replenish the required amount of nutrients inside the body.

Treatment with onions, list of diseases:

• rhinitis, runny nose;
• angina;
• vitamin deficiency of the body;
• hypertension;
• enteritis;
• colitis in men;
• constant constipation;
• disinfection of wounds;
• elimination of skin diseases;
• stimulation of sperm production;
• increasing potency in men;
• vitamins have a general strengthening effect;
• from a cold.

Onions are a unique product that has medicinal properties that help against many diseases in men, children and the female half of the population. It helps against colds and also prevents viral diseases. The harm and contraindications of the plant are minimal, but they do exist.

Onions and onion peels in folk medicine, recipes:

1. Allergic reaction. Grate a small onion, squeeze out the juice, add a small spoon of honey and lemon juice, mix. Take the decoction every day 2.5 hours after meals in the evening. Cut the fresh onion, make a hole and pour 1 small spoon of flax oil into it, bake in the oven. Squeeze out the juice and use hot.
2. . The medicinal properties of onions will show themselves in the form of a compress from the product. You need to grate the ingredient, squeeze out the juice of the onion, and soak a gauze bandage with it. Wrap a cloth around your neck and leave it overnight; in the morning there will be no trace of the cold left.
3. Elimination of atherosclerosis. Grate a large onion, cover with granulated sugar, leave for 3 days. Use the decoction internally, 1 spoon every 3 hours.
4. Treatment of bronchitis, also suitable for colds. Pour boiled water over a large spoonful of coltsfoot herb, cool, add onion juice and its puree, mix and strain. Use a spoonful of the decoction 3 times a day.
5. Onions are effective for a runny nose. Grind the ingredient, pour into a glass container and cover with a funnel. Place the structure on fire in the form of a water bath. Breathe the emanating steam. The procedure is also effective against colds.

What are the benefits of onion peel?

Onions can be used for medicinal purposes not only as a decoction, juice or puree. Onion peel actively helps fight many diseases. It contains quercetin, an effective antioxidant and antihistamine. The properties of onion peels show themselves when gargling during sore throat, pharyngitis, as well as dental problems with teeth and gums. When using this product to rinse your gums and teeth, you need to be careful not to stain your teeth yellow. The decoction should not be too concentrated and dark, otherwise it will be disgusting, and besides, having this color, it will be impossible to remove it from the teeth for several days, or even weeks.

Harm and contraindications of the product

Despite the beneficial properties and vitamins that make up the root vegetable, the plant also has its contraindications. Onions are not suitable for everyone, since each person is unique and has his own body characteristics. The harm to the product is based on its use in its raw form. Propanthial, which is part of the product, irritates the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines; for overly sensitive people, this effect can be decisive in inflammatory processes of the stomach. Contraindications to the use of onions:

• gastritis, ulcer;
• asthma;
• kidney and liver diseases;
• difficulty breathing.

The use of fresh product can cause the development of hypertension and heart problems. By causing such harm, the human body is seriously undermined, and it is difficult to restore it. in many cases it does not harm the body, but has its contraindications. There is also an individual intolerance to the product. Using baked and cooked onions in moderation is beneficial for almost everyone; this ingredient is not harmful and contains the same vitamins.

It is difficult to imagine preparing most cold appetizers, salads and hot dishes without adding onions and green onions, which can rightfully be called the king of vegetable seasonings. It is to him, known in world culture for more than 5,000 years, that I want to dedicate today’s article, dwelling in detail on the benefits of onions and possible harm to health.

Sweet and spicy varieties of the vegetable are grown in most parts of the world with temperate and warm climates. In our country, this unpretentious plant is present in almost every summer cottage, and the heads planted in soil or simply in water quickly produce an increase in green mass, which is one of the most useful leafy vegetables.

Bulbs that fully ripen in July-August (in midland conditions) have excellent keeping quality, which allows the roots to be used for food throughout all seasons (all major phytonutrients, including phytoncides, allicin and essential oil, are stored in the bulbs all year round) .

A little history

The healing power of onions has been known since the times of Ancient Egypt. The Persian doctor and scientist Avicenna, at the beginning of the 11th century, described in his treatises the antiseptic and bactericidal properties of onions, which made it possible to purify water from pathogenic microflora by adding onion peelings to it.

The famous healer Hippocrates claimed that this plant can heal many breakdowns and ailments of the human body, in particular, gout, obesity and rheumatism. Onions were included in the diet of Roman soldiers to maintain health, rightly believing that the spicy vegetable gave courage and additional strength.

Fresh turnip juice was widely used to treat purulent and poorly healing wounds, allowing them to be cleaned in a short time, to treat sore throats, and, in combination with honey, to treat eyesores.

Thanks to the quercetin present in the composition, the universal coloring properties of onion peels have been actively used to give lasting color to various objects or hair (just remember the tradition of dyeing eggs for Easter by boiling them in water with the addition of a handful of onion peelings).

Use in cooking

Most often, the vegetable is consumed raw or fried in lard, lard and vegetable oils until transparent, after which it is added to dishes according to the recipe. Feathers and root vegetables are widely used in preservation as an aromatic and bactericidal spice, and as an additive to vinaigrettes, mushroom, vegetable, meat and fish dishes.

Fresh and pickled onions act as an independent vitamin-spicy snack for food, complementing and enriching the taste of cottage cheese, cheeses, bread with lard, homemade sausages and cutlets, as well as a universal additive to borscht, gravy, sauces, minced meat, goulash and dressings.

Loved by me, like most housewives, the root vegetable not only gives food a specific spicy-sweet taste and piquant aroma, but also saturates the body with valuable bioactive compounds - antioxidants, vitamins, macro- and microelements that activate the defenses and increase immunity.

Beneficial properties of onions for the body

The medicinal properties of onions are unique and diverse - green feathers contain dietary fiber (fiber), carotenoids, proteins, a lot of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), sugars (glucose, fructose, maltose, sucrose), bioflavonoids, saponins.

All parts of the plant, including the husk, are rich in pure esters and sulfur-containing substances (alline and allicin), which give the vegetable a specific and easily recognizable aroma and cause increased lacrimation when the heads are crushed. The pulp of the bulbs contains up to 14% natural sugars, including the polysaccharide inulin, which is unique in its healing effects on the human body.

The following biologically active phosphonutrients were found in the heads: vitamins and vitamin-like substances, enzymes, mineral salts of iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, manganese, zinc, magnesium, etc., phytoncides, flavonoid quercetin, bitterness, organic and amino acids, glycosides, mucus, pectin .

The maximum amount of quercetin, which has powerful bacteriostatic and antioxidant properties, is present in onion peels. It also contains a high content of rutin, which is responsible for the permeability and elasticity of blood vessels.

First of all, onions are considered a powerful vitamin remedy that is used all year round. Nutritionists advise paying special attention to the inclusion of fresh and green vegetables in the winter-spring diet, since the body in the cold season, as a rule, experiences a lack of vitamins and other valuable compounds responsible for the state of the immune system.

Due to the medicinal properties of onions, its use for medicinal purposes makes it possible to effectively treat and prevent serious diseases. Moreover, all parts of the plant - bulbs, leaves and husks - have a healing effect. Even inhaling onion fumes is an excellent remedy for home treatment of diseases of the respiratory system, nasopharynx and colds.

Diuretic, stimulating the production of gastric juice, soothing, bactericidal, immunomodulatory, anthelmintic, sedative, hypotensive, antioxidant, antimicrobial, disinfectant and antifungal properties of onions are scientifically substantiated and confirmed by numerous studies by world-famous scientists.

The mineral salts present in the pulp of root vegetables and herbs normalize water-salt metabolism, and volatile and bitter compounds, which give the bulbs a pungent odor and piquant pungency, activate the processes of secretion of food juices and stimulate appetite.

By adding just 1-2 heads to your daily diet, you can significantly improve the condition of all organs and systems. However, remember that excess onions can be harmful to your health. Here is a far from complete list of medicinal effects obtained from the systematic consumption of root vegetables and vegetable leaves:

• Activation of the body's defenses and effective prevention of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and colds;
• Mild and persistent decrease in blood pressure;
• Reducing the concentration of low-density lipoproteins in the blood (“bad cholesterol”);
• Prevention of atherosclerosis and all pathologies associated with it (stroke, myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, arrhythmia, heart attacks, tachycardia, etc.);
• Stimulation of digestive processes;
• Suppression of putrefactive microflora in the intestine, activation of its peristalsis;
• Increases potency in men and libido in women;
• Protecting the body from oxidative stress caused by the activity of free radicals;
• Improving metabolic processes and burning fat deposits;
• Elimination of nervous system overload caused by stress;
• Cleansing the body of toxic compounds, toxins, carcinogens and toxic substances;
• Cancer prevention;
• Prevention and treatment of vitamin deficiency, especially in early spring;
• Improvement of emotional background.

The pharmaceutical industry produces, based on the root vegetable, effective antimicrobial agents Allylchep (intended for the treatment of diarrhea, colitis, tendency to constipation, intestinal atony, sclerotic form of hypertension and atherosclerosis) and Allylglycer (used as tampons in the complex therapy of Trichomonas colpitis).

An effective cosmetic product and medicine against hair diseases

The benefits of onions for the body are not limited to internal use. Even ancient beauties treated baldness and dandruff with masks based on gruel and root juice. Masks and wraps with onions allow you not only to get rid of pattern baldness and baldness, but also to activate hair growth, as well as significantly improve their condition and appearance.

Fresh onion juice and gruel are used both as an independent product for application to the scalp before washing, and in combination with other products, for example, vegetable oils, egg white and yolk, cognac or brandy, herbal infusions and extracts, baker's yeast, fruit pulp of vegetables and fruits.

For example, there is a gypsy recipe for strengthening hair based on alcohol: place 2 handfuls of onion peels in a glass bottle, add 2-3 buds of dried cloves (spice), pour in 0.2 liters of high-quality vodka, cork and leave in a shaded place for about 3 weeks The filtered liquid is rubbed into the hair roots every evening before bed.

Onions are also invaluable for the skin. Products containing it lighten pigmented areas of the skin, allowing you to safely get rid of freckles. Face masks based on bee honey and onions are a proven means of rejuvenating, refreshing and nourishing the skin, smoothing wrinkles, eliminating acne and excessive oiliness of the epidermis.

Contraindications to eating onions

Like any product, onions are not used in any form if you have an individual intolerance. Due to the ability of the vegetable, especially when fresh, to productively stimulate the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, onions can harm people with peptic ulcers and gastritis with high acidity.

It is undesirable to eat vegetables, not to mention treating them, even with pancreatitis, pathological conditions of the kidneys, liver diseases, especially during periods of their exacerbation. Treatment using traditional medicine recipes in the presence of chronic diseases should be carried out only under medical supervision.

Abuse of onions can cause overload of the central nervous system, which adversely affects the functioning of the heart and the entire cardiovascular system as a whole.

The information I have collected allows me to say that we cannot do without onions in our lives, of course, if you do not have allergies or other contraindications for health reasons. So don’t forget to eat the spicy root vegetable or juicy feathers every day, enjoying the benefits and unforgettable taste. I wish you active longevity!