2024-02-23 17:30:00
Onions are condiments to which dozens of incredible therapeutic properties are attributed. Much more than a condiment, it would be a nutraceutical, that is to say a pharmaceutical food! We will see together if this reputation is really justified and beyond their interest in cooking, if they deserve a special place for healthy eating.
It is first of all the chemical content of onions that attracts attention: there are molecules known for their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anticholesterol effects and we could continue the list by even mentioning effects that neutralize the storage of fats.
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READ ALSO Is garlic really good for your health? In short, the onion is described as an ideal plant for preventing and treating practically all chronic diseases linked in particular to excess oxidation or inflammation.
But beware ! In nutrition, asserting that chemical properties lead to significant effects in preventing or treating diseases is a hell of a shortcut. And to date, despite the numerous scientific publications which describe the biological properties of the onion, it must be admitted that the evidence of an effect on health is weak.
Food supplements rather than regular consumption
There are a few clinical trials that attempt to demonstrate the benefit of onion extract powder. We can cite small favorable effects on cholesterol, blood pressure and sometimes on weight in subjects who are overweight or obese. But overall, it’s quite disappointing compared to what we might have expected. And as I specified, it is with food supplements, often onion powder, and with regular consumption of onion on our plates that these results are obtained.
Concerning cancers, it has been shown that people who consume onions very often have a 30% to 40% reduced risk of developing digestive cancer, particularly in the stomach. But be careful with interpretation, it has never been shown that onions treat or prevent cancer.
READ ALSO Does turmeric improve and protect the brain? In practice, the onion deserves its place as part of a balanced diet, in salads or to accompany any type of dish. It is a product with little contamination by pesticides. And even if we consume it every day, it has no suspected side effects, except in certain people with intestinal sensitivity, particularly in cases of irritable bowel syndrome.
Should you choose red, white, pink onions? It is sometimes said that the more colorful the onion, the richer it is in antioxidants. But frankly, it’s still superfluous to use this argument to claim that red onion is the best for our health. My advice: choose what you like!
To finish, I recommend a recipe, that of sofrito, a tomato sauce which contains onions. It’s a delicious dish that we have already talked about in another column. Sofrito is an integral part of the Mediterranean diet whose health benefits are clearly established.
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