The first family of heart-healthy compounds in onions are the flavonoids. Flavonoids are substances in plants that have potent antioxi-dant powers. They help prevent disease by sweeping up harmful, cell-damaging oxygen molecules called free radicals, which naturally accumulate in our body.
One particular flavonoid called quercetinhelps in two ways. One, it helps prevent the
dangerous low-density lipoprotein form of cholesterol from oxidising, which is the process that makes it stick to artery walls. Two, it helps prevent platelets in blood from sticking together and forming harmful clots.
A second group of protective com¬pounds in onions are the same ones that make you cry - the sulphur compounds.
Experts say that these compounds raise your levels of beneficial high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which helps keep plaque from sticking to artery walls. At the same time, they lower levels of dangerous blood cells fats blood fats called triglycerides, which help make blood thinner, keeping your blood pressure in the safety zone.
Onions are a key player in cancerprevention, especially cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.
Quercetin actually halts the progression of tumours in the colons of animals. Scientists suspect that onions prevent cancer not only by putting the brakes on tumour development but alsoby stomping out harmful bacteria that may cause stomach cancer.
Onions are also beneficial to patienttf suffering from asthma or other respiratory ailments. The sulphur compounds in onionsinhibit the allergic, inflamffl&ory response like that seen in asthma.
Scallions, also called spring or green onions, are actually just young, underdeveloped onions. But they are higher in nutrients, particularly Mate and vitamin C, than their adult counterparts.
A half-cup of chopped raw green onions provides 32 micro grams, or 8 percent of the daily value(DV) of folate, a nutrient that's essential for normal tissue growth and that may protect against cancer, heart disease, and birth defects. In that half cup you'll also get more than 9 milligrams (almost 16 percent of (the DV) of vitamin C, an immunity-boosting antioxidant nutrient that helps vacuum up tissues damaging oxygen molecules in the body.
