Almost all our dishes are incomplete without that golden brown sautéed onions in it. Onions do really enhance the tastes of our dishes.
Part of the allium family of vegetables and herbs, onions can do a lot more to our health aside from adding flavor to our meals. They are low in calories and high in beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help treat a cold, cough, high fever, sore throat, and boosts immunity.
Do Onions Work Against Colds?
Drinking warm fluid-like tea – can help soothe cold symptoms and loosen congestion.
Onion tea has hydration properties and antioxidant effects that may be beneficial in alleviating cold symptoms.
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), onions are rich in vitamin C which plays an important function in boosting the immune system to fight off viruses, bacteria, and infections, as well as help, regenerate other antioxidants in the body. This layered vegetable can provide our body with about 13% of our daily recommended value per cup.
In addition to vitamin C, onions are also packed with other immune-boosting nutrients like selenium, zinc, and sulfur compounds that help fight mucus and promote the expulsion of mucus from the airways. Considered as one of the most powerful natural antibiotics, onions can fight off both viral and bacterial infections, and ease the symptoms of sore throat.
Moreover, a March 2016 study published in Nutrients has shown that onions contain a polyphenol called quercetin. Quercetin is a potent flavonoid that is linked to improved mental and physical performance and a reduced risk of infection. This flavonoid is also known for its immune-boosting, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and histamine regulating effects.
According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, viruses that infect our body can cause inflammation in the membranes that line our nose and throat, thus causing the nose to run or the throat to feel sore. Quercetin’s anti-inflammatory properties work by alleviating these symptoms.
Ways Of Using Onions Against Cold
- Have a spoon of onion juice. It has strong antioxidants that will relieve from severe cold.
- Add onions into salads and food for maximum benefits.
- Slice some onions and keep it in a bowl. Add some drinking water to it. Drink the mixture thrice a day. Make sure to consume it fresh.
- Drink an onion tea. This can be a quick remedy for colds. Simply wash and cut five slices of ginger and half an onion. Put the two ingredients along with green tea into a teapot and pour boiling water into it. Wait for three to four minutes to allow the tea to steep. Enjoy the tea.
