Re: Onions Question

[Guest guest]

SophiasDream@... wrote:

> I know onions are very healthy, but how do raw onions compare

> with garlic? Do raw onions have blood thinning properties as garlic

> does?

> I noticed a little bit about onions in the article on garlic,

> and noticed they are different, but do they also thin the blood?

>

> Peace,

> Cathie

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Hi Cathie,

In answer to your question, yes they do. But they are a bit more mild

than garlic in their action.

--

Peace, love and light,

Don Quai

" Spirit sleeps in the mineral, breathes in the vegetable, dreams in the animal

and wakes in man. "

[Guest guest]

thanks Suzi

been eating lots of read onions lately, cuz there was a good sale on them and i stocked up -- 2 lbs for a dollar :-)

Good to know about the different strengths of the different colors. The red onions are definitely less sharp andmore sweet in flavor.

Hugz,

Cathie

In a message dated 7/6/2004 8:25:08 PM Mountain Daylight Time, suziesgoats@... writes:

For over 4000 years onions have been used for medical purposes. Egyptians numbered over 8000 onion-alleviated ailments. The esteemed Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed onions as a diuretic, wound healer and pneumonia fighter. During World War II, Russian soldiers applied onions to battle wounds as an antiseptic. And throughout the ages there have been countless folk remedies that have ascribed their curative powers to onions, such as putting a sliced onion under your pillow to fight off insomnia.

The Modern Day Preventative

Sweet onions are a member of the 500-plus allium family. While garlic, another allium, has been highly touted as a cancer preventative, most people consume far greater quantities of onions. As Americans search for low-fat, low-salt, but tasty meals, they're eating more onions - almost 18 pounds per person, which is 50% more than a decade ago.

Therefore, there is greater hope that the onion will be a key in producing long-term health benefits. In addition to tasting great, onions contain 25 active compounds that appear to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, help combat heart disease, inhibit strokes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and stimulate the immune system. Alliums are also antibacterial and antifungal, so they can help ward off colds and relieve stomach upset and other gastrointestinal disorders.

What Makes Them So Good for You?

Of all the healthy compounds contained in onions, two stand out: sulfur and quercetin - both antioxidants. They each have been shown to help neutralize the free radicals in the body, and protect the membranes of the body's cells from damage. Quercetin is also found in red wine and tea, but in much lower quantities. Interestingly, white onions contain very little quercetin, so it's better to stick with the yellow and red varieties. Most health professionals recommend eating raw onions for maximum benefit, but cooking makes them more versatile and doesn't significantly reduce their potency. In fact, unlike sulfur compounds, quercetin can withstand the heat of cooking. One researcher, Dr. Leonard Pike, director of the Vegetable Improvement Center at Texas A & M University, is working on producing onions with even higher levels of quercetin.

Onions And Your Heart

As with garlic, onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American H eart Association. The juice of one yellow or white onion a day can raise HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) by 30% over time, according to Dr. Victor Gurewich of Tufts University. Red onions don't provide the same effect.

White the strongest next is yellow and last is red.

Suzi