62. ONION

                                              ONION

Nutrition in 100 gm (Raw)
Energy: 42 kcal
Carbohydrates	10.11 gm
Sugar	4.28 gm
Dietary fibre	1.4 gm
Water	88.54 gm
Fat	0.08 gm
Proteins	0.92 gm
Vit B1 (Thiamin)	0.048 mg
Vit B2 (Riboflavin)	0.025 mg
Vit B3 (Niacin)	0.083 mg
Pantothenic acid (Vit B5)	0.122 mg
Vit B6	0.147 mg
Vit B9 (Folate)	19 µ gm
Vitamin C (Absorbic acid)	6.4 mg
Vitamin E	0.9 µ gm
Calcium	22 mg
Iron	0.19 mg
Magnesium	10 mg
Phosphorus	27 mg
Potassium	144 mg
Zinc	0.16 mg

Onion is eaten raw and also cooked or stir-fried. When it is cut, it brings tears in the eyes. It has a strong flavour and hence it is a favourite in the kitchen. It is used in so many types of dishes. The leaves also have a strong flavour and are edible.

People in ancient Greece, athletics ate a lot of onions believing that it would lighten their balance of blood. Roman gladiators rubbed onion on their body believing that it make their muscles firm.

Onions are low in calories but provide dietary fibre, vitamin C & B6, chrominum and potassium.

Benefits:

1. Breast milk: Onion is a good stimulant to increase breast milk. It can be added to vegetables, soups, etc.

2. Cold: Burn onion directly on flame and eat to cure cold and cough.

3. Heart: Onion has a naturally occurring chemical organosulfur which lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

4. Onions are effective against cold, heart diseases, diabetes, and osteoporosis. They contain anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anti-cancer and antioxidant components such as quercetin.

5. Dandruff: Boil pieces of onion in coconut oil for 20 minutes. Drain the oil and apply to your hair. After some time wash your hair with a liquid in which rice and yellow gram has been cooked.

6. Tumors: Onions are a very rich source of fructo-oligosaccharides. These oligomers stimulate the growth of healthy bifidobacteria and suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the colon. They can reduce the risk of tumors developing in the colon.

7. Asthma: Onions help reduce the severity of asthma attacks. Extract from onion was found to reduce the asthma attacks which were caused by allergy. Onion improves the functioning of lungs.

8. BP: Onions contain a number of sulfides similar to those found in garlic which may lower blood lipids and blood pressure.

9. Heart: Onions are a rich in flavonoids, substances, which provide protection against cardiovascular disease.

10. Clotting: Due to the presence of sulphur, onion is a good anticlotting agent. They reduce the risk of blood clots. 

Danger: Onion causes irritation to the eyes when it is cut. This can be reduced by cutting the onion under water or rinsing it and cutting it while it is wet.