Top 7 Health Benefits of Onion Juice [2019]
People usually associate onions to a food item that adds a sweet taste to their burgers, salads, and curries. But surprisingly, there are tons of benefits of onion juice. In this post, I will be sharing those in detail.
Onion juice is a natural drink. There are no added preservatives or artificial flavors in it. In fact, onions can easily be juiced at home. Onions contain nutrients like Vitamin C, Vitamin B, magnesium and iron. These nutrients are essential for a healthy body and mind.
Top Health Benefits of Onion Juice
1. Fights Inflammation
Onions contain elements that are excellent in fighting swelling and inflammation. Inflammation can occur in any part of the body. But in most cases, people complain of inflammation in muscles, intestines, and lungs. Onions are loaded with flavonoids.
A study by Antioxidant Research Laboratory, Italy suggests that flavonoid-rich foods are good anti-inflammatory agents. Quercetin is one such flavonoid that helps people recover from rheumatoid arthritis– which causes inflammation in joints.
Another study by the University of Bern, Switzerland confirms that consumption of onions can lead to bone resorption. They fed rats with a measured amount of onions and found out that there was a significant increase in their bone density. Hence, drinking onion juice every day can help people struggling with arthritis and other bone-related disorders.
Not just this, but there are plenty of other benefits of onion juice– as far as inflammation is concerned. Also, there are many more studies done to confirm the anti-inflammatory properties of onion juice
2. Boosts your immunity
Onion juice can boost your immunity and keep you away from diseases and infections. Nutrients like selenium, sulfur, and zinc are essential for the human body to be able to fight diseases on its own. Earlier, I also discussed quercetin, a flavonoid that does not allow harmful free radical to cause damage to your body.
To boost your immunity, it’s also recommended to maintain a balanced diet and perform adequate physical exercise. Onion juice alone will not help you stay healthy. It only supports you to have a germ-free and disease-free body.
Onions also contain chromium. Which helps in balancing the production of insulin and glucagon by the pancreas. Hence, it regulates blood sugar levels. They also contain a trace mineral called selenium. Selenium keeps makes you immune to diseases like asthma, infertility, and arthritis.
3. Fights Acne
Onion not only adds an amazing flavor to your food but can also help you clear up pimples from your facial skin. A study done by Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, IR Iran confirmed that onions can enhance the appearance of scars in patients with seborrheic keratosis. On the application of onion based gel, the redness, softness, and texture of scars got significantly reduced in just 6 to 10 weeks.
Onion juice can be externally applied on your face. This method of treating acne works great for people who don’t like the pungent smell of onion juice. Onion juice does not taste very good. In many countries, onion is not a part of their staple diet. For people from these countries, sipping onion juice can be a troublesome task.
4. Restores Original Hair Color
Greying of hair is a major problem for people in their late 30’s and early 40’s. Despite their age, everyone wants to look younger. By consuming onion juice every day, it’s possible to restore your hair to its original color.
In 2002, Researchers at Bradford University found the root cause behind premature greying of hair in men and women. Hydrogen peroxide–when gets built-up in the hair follicles and scalp– causes the hair to turn grey. Moreover, the catalyses enzyme found in onions helps to neutralize the hydrogen peroxide and prevents graying of hair.
Onion juice when mixed with a few drops of lemon, can be applied directly on the scalp. Consistent use of this paste will turn your hair back to its original color in no time.
Not only restoration of hair color, but there are a few more benefits of onion juice I will discuss in this article. The presence of sulfur in onion juice facilitates hair growth. So, add onion juice to your diet if you want thick, long and shinier hair.
5. Fights Bacteria and Fungus
Onions have antibacterial properties that make them effective in treating skin and hair conditions. A Bangladeshi study says that onion when mixed with garlic and lime extracts, can prevent the growth of certain strains of E. coli. These E. coli are otherwise resistant to conventional antibiotics. It should be noted that the bacterial isolates were susceptible to a combination of onion, lime, and garlic. On its own, onion juice is not that effective against germs.
Researchers at a Saudi Arabian university studied the effects of onion and honey–individually and combination of both– against 8 lethal microbes. They used Black Forest honey and Egyptian red onion for the tests. They concluded that the mixture of onion and honey affected the microbes in a compelling way. In conclusion, onion juice when mixed with some honey can be an effective antidote against harmful bacteria and fungus.
6. Improves Digestion
One cup of chopped onions contains 2.7 grams of dietary fiber. That’s almost equal to the fiber content in apples. Onions also contain a special type of prebiotic fiber called oligofructose. Oligofructose kills unhealthy bacteria in the colon. Regular consumption of foods consisting of oligofructose help in maintaining a proper balance of bacteria in the stomach.
An article published by Livestrong claims onions to be one of the best foods that facilitate the growth of healthy bacteria in the stomach. Onions contain starchy substance Inulin which is consumed by the healthy bacteria in the stomach. Due to the restoration of the balance, the bowel movement improves.
7. Helps Fight Cancer
Consumption of red onions can prevent cancer. Researchers at the University of Guelph the effect of Ontario-grown red onions on cancer cells in the human body. They studied five different types of onions grown in the Ontario region of Canada. Later, they found that the Ruby ring red onions are the most potent against the growth of cancer cells.
The Ruby ring red onions have a high amount of flavonoid quercetin. Which, as discussed earlier, is great at fighting off free radicals in the body. So, if you are thinking of adding onions to your diet, consider Ruby ring red onion. Generally, people don’t believe when someone says that onions can prevent cancer. But there are tons of benefits of onion juice.
Conclusion
I hope you are now aware of the benefits of onion juice. It is not popularly known as a health drink, but as listed in the article has immense value to offer to your body. Onion juice can be consumed by adding some honey or lemon to it. If you also concerned about weight gain, it will be best to have it in the early morning.
Also Read- 7 Best Snacks For Diabetes in 2019