The Wonderful Healthy Onion
Onions have fed humanity for many centuries. They are put into dips, soups, stir-fries, and salads on a regular basis. They have been eaten raw, cooked, boiled, and roasted. There are many varieties of onions that let you choose whether you want a mild or a strong flavor. A member of the lily family, they are grown on every continent.
Onions have also enjoyed a long reputation as a medicine. They are antimicrobial and antibacterial, eliminating such bacteria like E. coli, Bacillus subtilis and Salmonella. They are used to treat coughs, angina, bacterial infections, and respiratory issues in Chinese medicine. In Early America, settlers used them to treat coughs, colds, and asthma. They even used them to repel bugs.
The World Health Organization (WHO) suggests that onions can treat a poor appetite and can prevent atherosclerosis. They recommend that onion extract can help relieve symptoms of bronchitis, colds, coughs, and asthma. They even help prevent tumors of the colon.
Onions contain sulfides that are very similar to those found in its cousin, the garlic. These sulfides may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Studies done in India have shown that people who ate lots of onions and garlic had lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure than those who did not eat these foods. They are a natural anticoagulant and can help prevent blood clots.
Some types of cancer can be prevented by adding them to your diet. Onion sulfides help protect you from developing tumors. People who eat a lot of strong verities develop only half as much stomach cancer as those who do not eat them. Milder ones do not contain as many sulfides as the stronger varieties, so while they do offer some protection, it is not as effective as what you get from strong varieties. They do not interact with any medications except anticoagulants. They may make them more effective, so if you eat lots of them and need blood thinners, speak to your doctor about adjusting your dose.
With all these health benefits, everyone should be eating them! Most people who do not like them will enjoy them if they are caramelized and then added to soups, gravies, or casseroles. Caramelizing makes them more palatable to some people. Many recipes call for them in one form or another. Other recipes can benefit from the addition of onions. There are so many ways to serve them that you should find something that works for everyone.
If someone does not care for their texture, try chopping them very finely before cooking. French onion soup is a surefire hit even with most people who do not like them. Serve it up in beautiful French onion soup crock bowls and they will be sitting at the table waiting for their own bowl. That layer of melted cheese is hard for anyone to resist!
Who knew they were so beneficial? Try adding some to your menu if you do not eat them regularly. They add flavor to soups, roasts, and spaghetti sauce. Caramelized they can add a big boost of flavor to anything you add them to and they tend to melt into the background for those who do not care for the texture of onions.
Easy recipes for French onion soup are simple to find. In fact, this soup is actually very simple to make, even when you choose one of the more complex recipes. Try it at home and see how easy it really is. Before you know it, you will be enjoying the flavor of onion soup that you made yourself.
