The onion, family of the Liliaceae, is eaten and appreciated both for its taste, sweet and strong at the same time, and for its beneficial properties for millennia. As often happens with traditional foods, remedies and herbal teas, also in case of onion the scientific studies are now confirming its healthy action. Nowadays, we know that eating onions can be really useful thanks to its antibiotic, antiseptic, expectorant, antioxidant, anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, slimming, hypoglycemic, protective of heart and anti-cancer properties (Galeone et al, Am J Clin Nutr, Nov 2006 - Ramos et al, J agric Fiid chem, May 2016 - Wilson et al, Nutrition & Food Science 2007 - Galeone et al, Eur J Nutr, Mar 2009). However, the properties of the onion depend a lot on how this bulb is proposed, on the cooking methods and the foods with which it is served. In the previous post we have seen the hypoglycemic and anti-age action of raw onion and how a sofrito prepared with extra virgin olive oil and onion as a base for tomato sauce can help increase the availability of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant. Today, we see in detail other cooking methods and food combinations.
Onion, legumes and cereals
Eating the onion together with cereals and legumes increases the availability of iron and zinc contained in them and the same action is also observed using garlic, another component of the family of Liliaceae (Gautam et al, J Agric Food Chem , Jul 2010). In the Healthy Food section you can find a tasty recipe based on pasta, beans and onions, so perfect from the point of view of food combinations!
Onion in the oven
Although raw onion is the best preparation to get the maximum benefit from the properties of this vegetable, also onion in the oven preserves many nutrients. It remains indeed rich of selenium, sulfur compounds, magnesium and zinc, antioxidants that fight aging processes and damages caused by free radicals (Fausto Aufiero, The nutritional and therapeutic role of food). To increase this anti-aging effect, you can serve onion in the oven with foods rich in vitamin C and E. For example, after the cooking you can distribute on the onion a generous handful of chopped parsley, alternatively, at the end of the meal, you can eat a fruit like a kiwi fruit, a cup of berries or an orange or even an avocado salad. Onion in the oven is useful for its expectorant action in cases of bronchitis, colds but also for its diuretic action, helpful in case of kidney stones, water retention or urinary tract problems such as cystitis. However, pay attention if you suffer from diabetes or if you need to keep under control your blood sugar levels because this preparation has a higher glycemic index than raw onion.
