By Agnes Kyotalengerire
It is mandatory to add onion as a spice to enhance flavor, little do cooks think of the nutrition value they contain.
Yet, nutrition experts say onions have got numerous nutrition benefits and medicinal properties.
Andrew Ssekitoleko, a clinical nutritionist at Kiruddu Mulago says onion contain anti-bacterial and virus properties. A good example is allicin; a plant-derived nutrient which kills various viruses and bacteria. This means, you will keep some illness at bay with healthy habits such as eating some raw onion when you feel the onset of a cold or flu. This according to SSekitoleko will boost your body immunity.
Additionally, onions are packed with powerful antioxidants; compounds which delay or help repair damage to different cells and tissues in the body, notes Ssekitoleko. They are also believed to contain vitamin C, a vitamin that plays an important role in immune function. So regular consumption of onion will boost your immunity and help protect you against infections with flu and colds inclusive.
The same potent contained in the vegetable helps to reduce blood pressure and blood clots.
For instance, these anti-oxidants such as Quercetin, work to thin the blood and eliminate blood clots. As such eating raw onion will help to reduce the chances of getting bad cholesterol (LDL) which keeps hearts healthy. In addition, your blood pressure will be kept in check, consequently eliminating the risk of heart attack and heart disease, he explains.
According to Ssekitoleko, similar anti-oxidant compounds for example Quercetin and sulfur, possess anti-diabetic effects that control blood sugar regulation in the pancreas. As such, sulfur compounds found in the onions work by increasing insulin production and therefore, lowering glucose levels, he notes.
If you are not a regular consumer of onion especially in raw form, then you should think twice.
Nutrition experts argue that onions are rich in vitamin B particularly, B 9 and B6 which play a role in nerve functioning.
They are also good sources of potassium which is important for lowing blood pressure, promote general heart health while ensuring normal functioning of the heart with muscle contraction inclusive.
Additionally, the Folate B vitamin found in onion is required by the body for metabolism and cell growth. Plus, onions are a good source of dietary fiber, calcium, iron, low sodium, are low in calories and have no fat, Ssekitoleko notes
To tap the full benefits from onions and help your body recover or prevent infections, he advises to incorporate them in your daily diet.
This can best be achieved by adding them to vegetables to make salads, cooked food or sauces or even chewing them in raw form. Alternatively, you can add onion slices to your cup of room temperature water, leave it to stand overnight. Then take the saline water first thing in the morning to clear your throat.
