Try cooking these strongly flavored yellow-brown onions to tame their sharp taste. Sautéing, roasting, grilling, or caramelizing them brings out their sweetness.
White onions
White onions are milder than yellow onions. Dice them to use raw in guacamole and as a garnish for tacos, or slice them to use as a pizza topping.
Shallots
These small, sweet onions have a subtle flavor with just a hint of garlic. Dice them finely to use in vinaigrettes, salads, and other dishes in which you’d like a mild onion flavor.
Scallions/green onions
These long, slender onions are often thinly sliced and used raw. Try them as a garnish for soups, baked potatoes, stir-fry, and other dishes to add a dash of color and a mild onion taste.
Scientists have linked onions to many possible health benefits, with most of them coming from the antioxidants in onions. Antioxidants help prevent cell damage in your body. Research shows that one particular antioxidant, called quercetin, protects health in several ways, such as fighting inflammation and boosting the immune system.
Onions are also a good source of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Some possible health benefits of onions include:
Lower risk of cancer
Many kinds of onions contain chemicals that can help fight cancer.
One study found that people who ate the most onions were the least likely to have cancer of the colon, throat, and ovaries. Another showed that men who ate the most vegetables of the allium family were the least likely to have prostate cancer.
Some researchers believe that quercetin and other antioxidants in onions are responsible for their cancer-fighting properties. A diet full of quercetin has been associated with a lower risk of developing lung cancer.
Antibacterial action
Onions may kill a wide range of bacteria, according to some lab research. In one experiment, onion and garlic extracts slowed the growth of several microbes. More research is needed to show how onion affects bacteria in the body.
Digestive health
Onions have fructooligosaccharides, substances that act as prebiotics (food for your gut’s healthy bacteria), which can help with digestion. They pass through the small intestine and feed the healthy bacteria in the large intestine.
Diseases ranging from diabetes to colon cancer and depression have been tied to not having enough healthy gut bacteria.
Bone health
Onions may play a role in preventing osteoporosis, a condition that weakens your bones. One study in people near or past menopause found that those who ate onions daily had greater bone density, resulting in stronger bones.
Lower risk of heart disease and stroke
Onions contain organic sulfur compounds, which give them their sharp, strong taste and smell. These compounds can help reduce the level of cholesterol in your body and may help break down blood clots, lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke.
You should eat onions raw rather than cooked to get the most sulfur compounds from them.
Diabetes control
Both quercetin and organic sulfur compounds found in onions are known to boost insulin production, making them a helpful vegetable choice if you have diabetes.
Lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease
One study found that a long-term diet high in flavonoids decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
What about onions for hair?
Some people use onion juice as a home remedy for hair loss, dandruff, itchy scalp, and other hair-related problems. But research on any possible benefits is scarce. One small study found a possible benefit in people who lost hair due to an immune disorder called alopecia areata. In that study, people who washed their hair with onion juice grew more hair than those who washed it with water.
