onions
Onion: Onions have antimicrobial properties that hasten wound healing and remove scabs without leaving scars. Prepare a paste by pounding one small freshly cut onion with a teaspoon of honey. Apply this directly on the scab and leave on for 10 minutes. Wash off and re-apply three to four times a day to prevent scars.

Underground bulbs that grow at the base of plants, onions (Allium cepa) are rich in healthy soluble fibers called fructans. Fructans are prebiotic (substances that enhance the growth of beneficial bacteria) fibers that can reduce inflammation, improve colon health and reduce the risk of colon cancer.[1,2,3]

Onions are also packed with antioxidants that reduce inflammation and suppress the growth of harmful microorganisms, particularly bacteria and yeasts.[4,5,6,7]

Animal studies show that onions can prevent bone deterioration and could even increase bone mass.[8,9,10] Another study showed that women over 50 years of age who regularly consumed onions had increased bone density.[11] Regular consumption of onions reduced the risk of several types of cancers such as breast, colon, prostate and stomach cancers.[12,13,14,15,16,17]

Onions For Diabetes
Diabetes is characterized by elevated blood sugar levels. Animal studies have found that onions can lower blood sugar levels.[18,19,20] Sulfur compounds including S-methylcysteine and flavonoids such as quercetin are mainly responsible for the hypoglycemic (blood sugar-reducing) activity of onions.

Raw onions could be used in the management of both type 1 and 2 diabetes.[21,22] A clinical study found that when people with diabetes consumed 100 grams of raw onions every day, it led to a significant reduction in blood sugar levels.[23]

How To Take It

  • Eat about eight slices of raw onion after every meal to help manage your blood sugar levels.

For more interesting stories, visit our Health page. Read more about Natural Remedies here.

Read More:
Health Quiz: Are You At Risk Of Diabetes?
Discover Natural Ways To Manage Your Diabetes
Living With Diabetes: Practical Ways To Manage The Condition Better (Part 1)
Living With Diabetes: Practical Ways To Manage The Condition Better (Part 2)

References:
1. Looijer–Van Langen, M. A.C. and Dieleman, L. A. (2009), Prebiotics in chronic intestinal inflammation. Inflamm Bowel Dis, 15: 454–462. doi: 10.1002/ibd.20737

2. Slavin J. Fiber and prebiotics: mechanisms and health benefits. Nutrients. 2013 Apr 22;5(4):1417-35. doi: 10.3390/nu5041417. Review. PubMed PMID: 23609775; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3705355.

3. Madrigal L, Sangronis E. [Inulin and derivates as key ingredients in functional foods]. Arch Latinoam Nutr. 2007 Dec;57(4):387-96. Review. Spanish. PubMed PMID: 18524324.

4. Dhan Prakash, Brahma N. Singh, Garima Upadhyay. Antioxidant and free radical scavenging activities of phenols from onion (Allium cepa). Food Chemistry, Volume 102, Issue 4, 2007, Pages 1389-1393.

5. Chun-Lin Ye, De-Hui Dai, Wei-Lian Hu. Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the essential oil from onion (Allium cepa L.). Food Control, Volume 30, Issue 1, March 2013, Pages 48-53.

6. Griffiths G, Trueman L, Crowther T, Thomas B, Smith B. Onions–a global benefit to health. Phytother Res. 2002 Nov;16(7):603-15. Review. PubMed PMID: 12410539.

7. N. Benkeblia. Antimicrobial activity of essential oil extracts of various onions (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativum). LWT – Food Science and Technology, Volume 37, Issue 2, March 2004, Pages 263-268.

8. Mühlbauer RC, Li F, Lozano A, Reinli A, Tschudi I. Some vegetables (commonly consumed by humans) efficiently modulate bone metabolism. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2000 Dec;1(2):137-40. PubMed PMID: 15758507.

9. Mühlbauer RC, Lozano A, Reinli A. Onion and a mixture of vegetables, salads, and herbs affect bone resorption in the rat by a mechanism independent of their base excess. J Bone Miner Res. 2002 Jul;17(7):1230-6. PubMed PMID: 12096836.

10. Horcajada-Molteni MN, Crespy V, Coxam V, Davicco MJ, Rémésy C, Barlet JP. Rutin inhibits ovariectomy-induced osteopenia in rats. J Bone Miner Res. 2000 Nov;15(11):2251-8. PubMed PMID: 11092407.

11. Matheson EM, Mainous AG 3rd, Carnemolla MA. The association between onion consumption and bone density in perimenopausal and postmenopausal non-Hispanic white women 50 years and older. Menopause. 2009 Jul-Aug;16(4):756-9. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e31819581a5. PubMed PMID: 19240657.

12. Galeone C, Pelucchi C, Levi F, Negri E, Franceschi S, Talamini R, Giacosa A, La Vecchia C. Onion and garlic use and human cancer. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006 Nov;84(5):1027-32. PubMed PMID: 17093154.

13. Dorant E, van den Brandt PA, Goldbohm RA, Sturmans F. Consumption of onions and a reduced risk of stomach carcinoma. Gastroenterology. 1996 Jan;110(1):12-20. PubMed PMID: 8536847.

14. Levi F, La Vecchia C, Gulie C, Negri E. Dietary factors and breast cancer risk in Vaud, Switzerland. Nutr Cancer. 1993;19(3):327-35. PubMed PMID: 8346081.

15. Challier B, Perarnau JM, Viel JF. Garlic, onion and cereal fibre as protective factors for breast cancer: a French case-control study. Eur J Epidemiol. 1998 Dec;14(8):737-47. PubMed PMID: 9928867.

16. Steinmetz KA, Potter JD. Food-group consumption and colon cancer in the Adelaide Case-Control Study. I. Vegetables and fruit. Int J Cancer. 1993 Mar 12;53(5):711-9. PubMed PMID: 8449594.

17. Galeone C, Pelucchi C, Talamini R, Negri E, Dal Maso L, Montella M, Ramazzotti V, Franceschi S, La Vecchia C. Onion and garlic intake and the odds of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology. 2007 Oct;70(4):672-6. PubMed PMID: 17991535.

18. El-Demerdash FM, Yousef MI, El-Naga NI. Biochemical study on the hypoglycemic effects of onion and garlic in alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Food Chem Toxicol. 2005 Jan;43(1):57-63. PubMed PMID: 15582196.

19. Kang MJ, Kim JH, Choi HN, Kim MJ, Han JH, Lee JH, Kim JI. Hypoglycemic effects of Welsh onion in an animal model of diabetes mellitus. Nutr Res Pract. 2010 Dec;4(6):486-91. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2010.4.6.486. Epub 2010 Dec 28. PubMed PMID: 21286406; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3029789.

20. Kook S, Kim GH, Choi K. The antidiabetic effect of onion and garlic in experimental diabetic rats: meta-analysis. J Med Food. 2009 Jun;12(3):552-60. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2008.1071. PubMed PMID: 19627203.

21. Akash MS, Rehman K, Chen S. Spice plant Allium cepa: dietary supplement for treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Nutrition. 2014 Oct;30(10):1128-37. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2014.02.011. Epub 2014 Mar 2. Review. PubMed PMID: 25194613.

22. Mirmiran P, Bahadoran Z, Azizi F. Functional foods-based diet as a novel dietary approach for management of type 2 diabetes and its complications: A review. World J Diabetes. 2014 Jun 15;5(3):267-81. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v5.i3.267.
Review. PubMed PMID: 24936248; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4058731.

23. Taj Eldin IM, Ahmed EM, Elwahab H M A. Preliminary Study of the Clinical Hypoglycemic Effects of Allium cepa (Red Onion) in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetic Patients. Environ Health Insights. 2010 Oct 14;4:71-7. doi: 10.4137/EHI.S5540.
PubMed PMID: 21079693; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2978938.

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