All About Onions - Protection from Colon Cancer

[Guest guest]

ALL ABOUT ONIONS AND COLON CANCER

Adding an onion to your sandwich might not earn you any points with your

spouse, but it may help protect you against colon cancer. In fact,

according to a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition,

increased intake of quercetin (a nutrient found in onions) may slash

your risk of developing colon cancer.

Unfortunately, the onion gets a bad rap in many homes. Sure -- you may

use them as flavor-enhancers in some of your favorite dishes. But when

most of us try to " eat healthy, " onions don't automatically jump to the

top of the shopping list. And that's too bad…because onions are one of

the healthiest foods on the planet.

They've been used medicinally for centuries to treat everything from

constipation to hair loss. Today, we know that onions have powerful

anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, in many parts of the world,

onions are used topically to reduce the swelling from bee stings,

blisters, and boils.

Scientists now know that onions are also a great source of flavonoids.

Why are flavonoids important? Well, basically these phytochemicals

(chemicals found in plants) are like the " Green Berets " of antioxidants.

They seek and destroy toxins and cancer cells in the body like nobody's

business.

In fact, in 2004, researchers from Cornell University found that when

you inject onion extract into cancer cells, the cancer cells stop

multiplying.

All onions aren't created equal

Researchers measured the flavonoid levels of 10 different types of

onions. They found that Western Yellow onions had highest flavonoid

content. Shallots had the highest phenolic content (another type of

phytochemical)p

The researchers injected colon and liver cancer cells with extracts from

the different onions. According to the University's press release " The

pungent yellow and Western Yellow onion extracts provided the strongest

anti-proliferation against colon cancer cells. The Western Yellow,

shallot, and pungent yellow extracts provided the strongest

anti-proliferation protection against liver cancer cells. "

The team's lead researcher went on to say, " Our study of 10 onion

varieties and shallots clearly shows that onions and shallots have

potent antioxidant and antiproliferation activities and that the more

total phenolic and flavonoid content an onion has, the stronger its

antioxidant activity and protective effect. "

Getting results outside the lab?

No doubt about it, the Cornell folks got great results in the lab using

onion extract to stop dividing cancer cells. But what about in real

life? Does eating more onions translate into cancer prevention? That's

what researchers set out to discover in the latest study published in

the British Journal of Nutrition.

Scientists designed a case-control study with 264 patients with

confirmed colorectal cancer and 408 healthy, cancer-free controls. They

found that patients with the highest intakes of quercetin, the flavonoid

found in onions, significantly reduced their risk of developing colon

cancer. In fact, those with the highest intakes reduced their risk by up

to 40 percent! [you can get quercetin from the health food stores]

Well, what do you know! One of the world's oldest (and most pungent)

vegetables might also be one of the most beneficial.

Choose your onions wisely

Overall, these studies just scratch the surface. More research is needed

to fully uncover the role onions play in preventing cancer. I'll keep

you posted as I run across more evidence exploring the benefits of these

vegetables.

In the meantime, go ahead and throw caution to the wind! Add onions to

your salads, sandwiches, and stir-fries. Choose shallots and Western

Yellows, for the most antioxidant punch. And if you're worried about bad

breath, just chew on a little fresh parsley following your meal. That

should do the trick quite nicely. I keep a fresh parsley plant in my

kitchen window for just such occasions!

Until next time,

Allan Spreen, M.D.

NorthStar Nutritionals

[Guest guest]

 Quercetin is one of the most potent flaviniod . Is in onions ,in apple peels.

The strongest concentration quercetin in an onion is in the skin. Boil the skin

and drink it like tea or put it in other foods. 

From: Sh0shanna@... <Sh0shanna@...>

Subject: [ ] All About Onions - Protection from Colon Cancer

Activist_List

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2009, 8:44 PM

 

ALL ABOUT ONIONS AND COLON CANCER

Adding an onion to your sandwich might not earn you any points with your

spouse, but it may help protect you against colon cancer. In fact,

according to a new study published in the British Journal of Nutrition,

increased intake of quercetin (a nutrient found in onions) may slash

your risk of developing colon cancer.

Unfortunately, the onion gets a bad rap in many homes. Sure -- you may

use them as flavor-enhancers in some of your favorite dishes. But when

most of us try to " eat healthy, " onions don't automatically jump to the

top of the shopping list. And that's too bad…because onions are one of

the healthiest foods on the planet.

They've been used medicinally for centuries to treat everything from

constipation to hair loss. Today, we know that onions have powerful

anti-inflammatory properties. In fact, in many parts of the world,

onions are used topically to reduce the swelling from bee stings,

blisters, and boils.

Scientists now know that onions are also a great source of flavonoids.

Why are flavonoids important? Well, basically these phytochemicals

(chemicals found in plants) are like the " Green Berets " of antioxidants.

They seek and destroy toxins and cancer cells in the body like nobody's

business.

In fact, in 2004, researchers from Cornell University found that when

you inject onion extract into cancer cells, the cancer cells stop

multiplying.

All onions aren't created equal

Researchers measured the flavonoid levels of 10 different types of

onions. They found that Western Yellow onions had highest flavonoid

content. Shallots had the highest phenolic content (another type of

phytochemical) p

The researchers injected colon and liver cancer cells with extracts from

the different onions. According to the University's press release " The

pungent yellow and Western Yellow onion extracts provided the strongest

anti-proliferation against colon cancer cells. The Western Yellow,

shallot, and pungent yellow extracts provided the strongest

anti-proliferation protection against liver cancer cells. "

The team's lead researcher went on to say, " Our study of 10 onion

varieties and shallots clearly shows that onions and shallots have

potent antioxidant and antiproliferation activities and that the more

total phenolic and flavonoid content an onion has, the stronger its

antioxidant activity and protective effect. "

Getting results outside the lab?

No doubt about it, the Cornell folks got great results in the lab using

onion extract to stop dividing cancer cells. But what about in real

life? Does eating more onions translate into cancer prevention? That's

what researchers set out to discover in the latest study published in

the British Journal of Nutrition.

Scientists designed a case-control study with 264 patients with

confirmed colorectal cancer and 408 healthy, cancer-free controls. They

found that patients with the highest intakes of quercetin, the flavonoid

found in onions, significantly reduced their risk of developing colon

cancer. In fact, those with the highest intakes reduced their risk by up

to 40 percent! [you can get quercetin from the health food stores]

Well, what do you know! One of the world's oldest (and most pungent)

vegetables might also be one of the most beneficial.

Choose your onions wisely

Overall, these studies just scratch the surface. More research is needed

to fully uncover the role onions play in preventing cancer. I'll keep

you posted as I run across more evidence exploring the benefits of these

vegetables.

In the meantime, go ahead and throw caution to the wind! Add onions to

your salads, sandwiches, and stir-fries. Choose shallots and Western

Yellows, for the most antioxidant punch. And if you're worried about bad

breath, just chew on a little fresh parsley following your meal. That

should do the trick quite nicely. I keep a fresh parsley plant in my

kitchen window for just such occasions!

Until next time,

Allan Spreen, M.D.

NorthStar Nutritionals