Though a common vegetable, onions are anything but ordinary. On the contrary, onions are often referred to as the “Queen of Vegetables” and are a nutrition-rich, therapeutic food for health.
Shu Rong, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner from the UK, brings over 26 years of professional medical experience, including serving as a special physician to the Royal Family of Dubai. She offers a range of therapeutic menus featuring onion recipes, which she generously shares with her clients.
The Magic of Onions
Onions are rich in minerals, sulfides, and antioxidants such as vitamin C, B6, folic acid, cellulose, and potassium, as well as the anti-inflammatory flavonoid quercetin. Onions are antibacterial and diuretic—a function that helps remove excess water and eliminate swelling in the eyes and legs.A Case Study
A patient of Shu often came down with the flu—with symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, and chills.After he began onion food therapy, including drinking the juice, his condition improved, and he gradually recovered.
Another one of Shu’s patients was a 90-year-old man with heart disease. A regular eater of pickled onions as appetizers and in salads, he also enjoyed stir-fried onions with meat. His examination showed healthy blood pressure, lipids, and blood sugar levels.
The Medicinal Values of Onions
TCM believes that different flavors aid different organs in the human body. Spicy and sour foods aid the liver, while the spleen and stomach benefit from sweet foods. Onions are spicy, bitter, and warm in nature, hence, have the therapeutic effect of treating liver and spleen diseases.1. Increased Appetite
For people with little to no appetite, stir-frying with onions can strengthen the spleen and increase appetite.Pickling onions in vinegar is also a great way to make a delicious side dish.
How to Make Pickled Onions
- Cut onion into 2 to 6 large pieces and put it in a mason jar.
- Add rice vinegar to cover all the onions.
- Leave the onion to soak for two to four days before serving. You only need to wait up to 48 hours in the summertime.
2. Resolve Phlegm and Regulate the ‘Three Highs’
In TCM, the presence of mucus suggests an unhealthy spleen. Besides dissolving phlegm, eating onions regularly helps restore the spleen’s overall health and vital function. After metabolizing blood lipids, cholesterol, and other harmful substances, the blood becomes clean, reducing issues related to the “three highs”—high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids.3. Trichomoniasis
Trichomoniasis is a parasitic infection, transmitted by sexual activities, that causes vaginal inflammation. Symptoms include:- Increased secretion of leukorrhea (abnormal whitish discharge).
- Yellow, greenish, foamy discharge.
- Foul odor.
- Itchiness.
Directions:
- Chop a quarter of a fresh onion and an equal amount of celery.
- Mix in a blender until it becomes juice.
- Pour the liquid through a sieve into a clean bowl.
- Add two drops of white vinegar, mix, and set aside.
Dip a clean cotton ball in the onion and celery mixture until the cotton ball is soaked.
- Before bed, gently insert the soaked cotton ball into the vaginal area.
- Remove and discard the cotton ball in the morning.
- Repeat the treatment for seven days.
4. Roundworm
Roundworm, or ascariasis is a parasite infection in the small intestines.A Home Remedy to Clear Roundworm:
- Finely chop 10 grams of onion.
- In a hot pan, pour 5ml of cooking oil, and stir-fry the chopped onion until it becomes soft and mushy.
- Do not add salt.
- In the morning, take one spoonful of the onion preparation on an empty stomach.
- Wait two hours before having a meal.
- After repeating the food therapy for three consecutive days, the roundworm should be cleared.
5. Pregnancy Complications
Some women may experience unease, dizziness, and anemia during pregnancy and postpartum.A Home Remedy for Pregnancy Complications:
- Prepare 120g of chopped onion and 100g glutinous rice.
- In a pot, cook the rice until it is almost fully cooked.
- Stir the chopped onion (120g) into the rice.
- Add some extra water and cook until the rice becomes paste or porridge consistency.
- Add salt to taste before serving.
6. Dysentery
Home Remedy for Dysentery- Chop 30g of raw onion.
- Grind it with a mortar and extract the juice.
- Remove the juice and set aside.
- Add warm water and a pinch of sugar to the juice. Mix well.
- Drink the juice three to four times daily until the symptoms of dysentery subside.
In addition, onions can treat skin wounds, promote healing, and reduce inflammation. Onions also treat colds, improve sleep quality, nourish the intestines, and relieve constipation.
Onions as Food Therapy
In addition to the above functions, Shu explains that onions have various therapeutic effects in food therapy.Onion and Beef
Onion and beef both can strengthen the spleen and stomach.Meal recommendations:
- Stir-fried beef with onions.
- Beef stew with onions.
Onion and Duck
Traditional Chinese culture and philosophy are rooted in TCM, which contains unique theories such as those about hot and cold to guide its clinical application.TCM categorizes food into cold, cool, warm, and hot. Warm food can warm the body, while cold food can cool down body temperature.
Since duck is considered cold food, while onions are warm, combining the two can neutralize each other and help balance the body’s yin and yang.
Onion aids and strengthens organs that manage water in the body, such as the kidneys—so dishes with onion and duck can alleviate symptoms in people with chronic nephritis, urination problems, and male reproductive issues.
As the summer approaches, many people enjoy cold dishes. Since most vegetables are cool food, mixing them with warm food such as onions can neutralize their effects, balance the body’s yin and yang, and help prevent diseases.
More About Onions
What Type of Onions Should You Choose?
There are purple, white, and yellow onions. The deeper the color, the more nutritional, and the stronger the taste and spiciness. Thus, it’s better to choose onions with deeper color.How Should Onions Be Stored?
Onions do not need to be kept in the refrigerator. You can keep them in a cool and ventilated place.Can You Eat Onions That Have Sprouted?
Shu says although the nutritional value may decrease, onion is safe to eat even if it sprouts.Are There Side Effects to Eating Onions?
Although onions are delicious and have many medicinal values, there can still be some side effects, and they are not suitable for everyone. Some people may experience:- Drowsiness.
- Fuzzy memory.
- Confusion.
- Eye redness and damage.
Shu advises paying attention to physical reactions after consuming onion.
Who Should Not Eat Onions?
People with “heat-type” bodies often experience redness in the face, dryness in the body, bad breath, acne, eye irritations, and discharge, and should avoid eating onions.In addition, eating onions can aggravate the symptoms of those with skin conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, urticaria, body odor, and tooth decay. Eating onions may also cause the recurrence of such diseases.
How to Avoid or Eliminate Onion Breath
Raw onions taste pungent and eating them leaves behind strong-smelling breath. Shu suggests the following to minimize the lingering effects:- Eat raw onion only in the middle of a meal.
- Rinse mouth with strong black tea after a meal.
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