A native of Asia, from the garlic family, the onion is another superfood indispensable to the good functioning of our organism. The importance that even took the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda to pay homage to him when writing the “Ode to the Onion“:
“(…) Under the earth
it was the miracle
and when it appeared
your rude green stem
and your leaves were born
like swords in the garden,
the earth has accumulated its power
showing your naked transparency,
and as in Aphrodite
the remote sea
doubled the magnolia
lifting her breasts,
the earth so made you onion
clear as a planet to shine,
constellation constant,
round pink water,
on the table of poor people. (…)”
Is it worth shedding tears for an onion? Yes, without any doubt. It is a key ingredient in making a good dish and its benefits to the human body are fantastic. It is rich in flavonoids, which allows it to act as intensely as its odor, and is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cardiac protector, analgesic, antiallergic, anticancer, antidiabetic, anti-ulcer, among others. In practice, eating onions is protecting the heart, enhancing immunity, preventing infections, inflammation, the onset of degenerative diseases, increasing bone density, controlling cholesterol and diabetes, preventing the formation of cataracts in the eyes, improve digestion, detoxify the body and lose weight, etc.
White, pearl, purple or yellow, each onion has its own characteristics and a unique flavor that conveys a subtlety and refinement to each dish, although consciously all unite to give harmony and well being to the human body. For each tear shed, the cells and organs of our body thank you for receiving valuable allies that help protect against the stresses of everyday life.
Raw onion
It is the best way to take advantage of all the properties of the onion. Experts recommend consuming at least one raw onion per week. When cooked, it is advised not to leave to fry more than five minutes.
Cutting an onion without crying
When cutting an onion, it gives a chemical reaction that in contact with the air creates sulfuric gas, which causes the irritation of the eyes. As protection, our body sheds tears to cleanse and combat discomfort. It is possible not to cry as soon as the onion is peeled under running water or with wet hands so that the gas that the onion releases is reduced or nullified by water and thus prevent it from reaching our eyes.
Syrup
It is a good homemade cough-relieving option because it has dilating and expelling properties that help relieving the airways, eliminating cough and phlegm more quickly.
Add three onions, half a kilo of honey and three lemons juice in a blender until a homogeneous mixture is obtained, then store in a tightly sealed glass jar. Children can take two dessert spoons of syrup during the day, while adults can take four dessert spoons.
Onion tea
Boil pieces of onion, for example, a tablespoon of chopped onion, in a kettle or a boiler with water and sweeten with brown sugar or honey. Tea can also be made with the onion peels.
Onion tea, as well as its juice, has anti-inflammatory powers, being especially used in cases of cough, hoarseness, throat inflammations, colds and other stresses in the airways.
Storage
The ideal temperature to conserve the tubers is the room temperature, however, it can not be as cold as in a refrigerator. Ideally, they should be kept between 7 and 10 ° C, but if kept at slightly higher temperatures (between 10 and 25 ° C) it is still possible to obtain a reasonable duration.
Saving the onion in the refrigerator can be a good way to infest it with fungi, in addition to the low temperature make the onions wilting faster and rotting.
Find out when an onion is a poison
Cutting an onion and consuming it several hours later or the next day is highly dangerous, since the onion absorbs all the bacteria, around it, so it will be toxic to the human body.
And if the onion is a superfood for humans, some animals, such as dogs, cats, horses or monkeys, may die. The main culprits are some compounds called sulfoxides and sulfides, which can trigger a disease called Heinz Anemia, which is characterized by inside damages in the red blood cells, which leads to anemia.
This text is an awareness. According to the season of the year and the moment in which you are, it is up to each one to feel if they should consume this food. The dosage and frequency depend on the nature and physical condition of each Human Being.
Feel more about Onion in:
16 benefits that the onion offers to our organism
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