Onions & Arthritis

If you are suffering from painful and stiff joints, then you might be having arthritis!

Arthritis is a disease characterized by pain and inflammation in joints, morning stiffness, dryness in the mouth, and disturbed sleep patterns among patients. There are numerous different types of arthritis, most commonly being:-

1. osteoarthritis,
2. rheumatoid arthritis,
3. gout

So, let’s look at one common ingredient in our kitchen with powers to help with this ailment, which is THE ONION.

Onions aren’t just flavoring your favorite dishes. They are low in calories, have virtually no fat, and are loaded with healthful components that fight inflammation in arthritis and related conditions.

Onions are also one of the richest sources of flavonoids – antioxidants that mop up free radicals in your body’s cells before they have a chance to cause harm. One flavonoid found in onions, called quercetin, has been shown to inhibit inflammation-causing leukotrienes, prostaglandins, and histamines in osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), other benefits of quercetin include reducing heart disease risk by lowering low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol and help prevent the progression of cancer.

Those subjected to routine cortisone injections may also experience a reversal in bone loss, taking more onions helps in increasing bone density this is due to a compound in the onion known as GPCS for short, gamma-L-glutamyl-trans-S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide was shown to inhibit the breakdown of bone in a study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry. Researchers at the University of Berne, Switzerland, speculate that GPCS might work the same way as alendronate (Fosamax), which is used to treat osteoporosis and reverse corticosteroid-induced bone loss.

We have different types of onions which include Sweet Onions, White Onions, Red Onions, Shallots, Green Onions, Yellow onions, and Leeks. All onions are healthful but disease-fighting chemicals are highest in shallots, yellow and red onions, and lowest in white and sweet onion varieties. Shallots, yellow and red onions also have a stronger flavor than white varieties, suggesting the more pungent the onion the more powerful the health-promoting properties, says Rui Hai Liu, MD, Ph.D., associate professor of food science at Cornell.

5 Ways to Add Onions to Your Meals

Raw or cooked, onions make a healthful addition to any dish. Here are a few suggestions:

Salads. Raw, red onions, sliced or diced, add a healthful and colorful splash to any salad.

Stir-fries. Add strips of yellow onions to a vegetable medley. They cook quickly – in four to five minutes in a stovetop skillet on high heat – and increase your vegetable-rich dish’s antioxidant boost.

Sandwiches. Sweet, white, yellow, red – sautéed or raw – onions on sandwiches are a great idea. Load your sandwiches with lots of onions and other vegetables to help increase your phytochemical intake while decreasing portions of other sandwich ingredients, like meats and cheeses that should be eaten in moderation.

Side Dish. Grill, bake or broil thick slices of onion brushed with a little bit of olive oil to bring out the sweetness.

Saved for Later. Have an extra cut, raw onions? Stick them in bags in your freezer and spare yourself more chopping and tears.

An onion can make people cry, but there has never been a vegetable invented to take away the pain.

By Jubilee Insurance