Onions Are Powerful Anti-Inflammatories

At SuperFoods, we always aim to use whole foods medicinally when they may actually work. Onions are one such food that can bring relief to a whole host of issues.

Onions contain several anti-inflammatory compounds that contribute to reducing symptoms that are associated with inflammatory conditions like osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis, the allergic inflammatory response of asthma, and the respiratory congestion that is a symptom of the common cold.

Onions and their cousin garlic both contain compounds that inhibit enzymes that generate inflammatory prostaglandins and thromboxanes. Both vitamin C and quercetin contribute to this beneficial effect, and they work synergistically to spell relief from inflammation, making both onions and garlic good choices as ingredients in many dishes during cold and flu season.

Quercetin is a plant pigment (flavonoid). It is found in many plants and foods, including red wine, onions, garlic, green tea, apples, berries, Ginkgo biloba, St. John’s wort, American elder and others. People use quercetin as a medicine, even though the FDA has issued warnings emphasizing that quercetin is not a defined nutrient, cannot be assigned a dietary content level and is not regulated as a drug to treat any human disease. At SuperFoods, we only recommend getting quercetin from whole foods, especially when onions and arthritis relief are linked in studies.

Onions have also exhibited antimicrobial activity against a range of bacteria and fungi.