Onions are more than food. In fact, onions can help keep you healthy.

According to Onion-USA.org, "Onions contain quercetin, a flavonoid (one category of antioxidant compounds)." Antioxidants are basically compounds that help slow down oxidative damages to cells and tissues of the body. From a study at Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands, individuals can obtain twice the amount of quercetin from onions than other quercetin foods such as tea.

In additon to the quercetin, other studies show that the consumption of onions can prevent certain diseases. For example, "onions may prevent gastric ulcers by scavenging free radicals and by preventing growth of the ulcer-forming microorganism, Heliobacter pylori." Also, the researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison found that onions with a more pungent taste have a strong anti-platelet activity, which means the risk of getting atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke is reduced. In a recent study at the University of Bern in Switzerland, researchers showed that, with a consumption of 1 gram of dry onion every day for about 4 weeks, bone mineral can increase. In othe words, onions can help decrease the chances of osteoporosis.

As a nutritious source, onions are a good source for vitamin C, potassium, dietary fiber, and folic acid. "They also contain calcium, iron and have a high protein quality." Onions are low in sodium and contain no fat as well.