02/05/2019 / By Zoey Sky
Chopping onions can make you cry, but it’s a sacrifice worth making because onions can give a dish an incredible boost of flavor. But did you know that eating red onions offers various health benefits and that they can help you manage your blood sugar?
According to Haley Hooks, a dietetic intern at Tufts University’s Frances Stern Nutrition Center, onions are full of beneficial chemicals such as antioxidants, flavonoids, sulfur compounds, and vitamin C.
Onions are nutritious whether you eat them raw or cooked. However, raw onions have higher levels of sulfur compounds. The sulfur compounds in onions are formed via an enzymatic reaction when they are cut or crushed.
According to studies, these sulfur compounds offer several benefits such as promoting the breakdown of blood clots, which can lower your risk of developing heart disease and stroke. These onion compounds can also reduce the production of unhealthy cholesterol in the body.
To maximize the sulfur content of red onions, it’s better to eat them raw. Cooking onions will significantly decrease the quantity of the compounds that offer various health benefits.
The only downside is, these sulfur compounds are responsible for the pungent odor of onions. The compounds also make you teary-eyed when you’re slicing onions.
If you can stomach the taste of raw red onions, add them to dishes like salads or sandwiches. If you prefer to eat cooked onions, cooking them lightly will still offer many health benefits. Serve grilled or roasted red onions as a side dish, or dice and saute them with some peppers to make a delicious and healthy relish for lean meat or grains.
Here are several reasons to start eating raw red onions:
Regardless of your food preferences, eating more red onions daily can help improve your overall well-being. It can even improve your cardiovascular health and lower your risk of developing cancer.
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