Are Red Onions the Key to a Healthy Heart?

According to various news sources, red onions are definitely good for your heart. Recently, Zhen Yu Chen, a professor at the Chinese University in Hong Kong, as well as several colleagues, performed a study on hamsters that explored the association of red onions, as well as biological functions. Their study revealed that consumption of red onions may protect against heart diseases caused by bad cholesterol. During the study, researchers analyzed the interaction of red onions with human genes and proteins (which control metabolism in the body). The study went on for over eight weeks. For the first few days, the hamsters were fed a high-cholesterol diet, but after that the hamsters were given crushed red onion to eat daily for eight weeks.

Throughout their study, researchers watched as LDL (bad cholesterol) levels were reduced by an average of 20 percent. The upside was that though the red onions reduced bad cholesterol levels, they did not affect the good cholesterol levels. Good cholesterol (HDL) is what helps protect and shield the body from heart disease and stroke.

Chen reported in his findings that in countries where people consume red onions as part of their regular dietary intake, these people are at less risk for developing stomach cancer. Furthermore, red onions have been known to prevent cancer as well as ward off the common cold and cough.

One rather interesting home remedy for a cold and cough is to boil a red onion in cola until the onion loses all of its color. Remove the onion and allow the mixture to cool until just warm. Add honey for taste and sip. This can help with cold symptoms as well as aid in sleep.

Red onions are exceptionally healthy in many ways and they're rather tasty too! Red onions can be chopped into salads, eaten raw and cooked with stews, potatoes and other hot meals. By adding red onions to lunch time and dinner time meals, you may be warding off cancer, lowering bad cholesterol levels and keeping a nasty cold away.