Saturday, February 23, 2013

HEALTH BENEFITS FROM EATING ONIONS

Onions are great sources of health benefits to athletes and everybody else. Here, some indications for these benefits and the reasons. 1. PROTECTS YOUR BRAIN - Onions are good sources of the antioxidant quercetin. This flavonoid may help offset oxidative damage to muscle fibers and body tissues caused by intense exercise. In fact, in a study using lab animals, quercetin helped prevent oxidative damage to brain tissue after a long workout. 2. KEEPS YOUR HEART HEALTHY - The pungent odor from onions (and garlic) comes from sulfur-containing compounds called allyl sulfides. These compounds combined with onions' rich quercetin content, may help protect blood vessels form damage caused by cholesterol, boosting heart and vascular health. 3. STRENGTHS BONES - In a study published in 2009, women who ate onions daily had greater bone density than those who didn't eat onions. And among older women, onion-eaters had 20 percent lower risk of hip fractures. Researchers believe that sulfurous compounds, quercetin, and other antioxidants may be responsible for the beneficial effect. 4. REDUCES CANCER RISK - A host of flavonoid compounds in onions (including quercetin) may help ward off cancer by preventing damage to genetic material inside cells, ultimately blocking cancer-causing agents from wreaking havoc. Studies show that frequent onion-eaters have lower risk for some types of cancer and heart disease compared to people who don't eat them. 5. AIDS DIGESTION - Onions contain a special type of carbohydrate called fructo-oligosacharides (or FOS) that, while not digestible by our enzymes, serve as food for our intestinal-tract bacteria. FOS promotes growth of the healthy, immune-boosting bacteria, while keeping the bad bacteria at bay, and also helps improve digestive function by relieving constipation.

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