Member-only story
Exploring the Layers of an Onion
A Bite-Size Read for Your Health and Waistline
Seriously? Onions? I know this sounds the opposite of thrilling. They’re a pretty polarizing food. My sister loves onions, especially red onions. I, on the other hand, can only eat onions if they are cooked. To me, raw onions contaminate anything else they touch! This made me think, is there a difference between eating onions raw or cooked? Other than flavor, is there a health benefit of eating onions? Let’s dig into it!
We’ll start with the nutrients. Onions qualify as a nutrient-dense food, which means they’re lower on the calorie front and higher on the nutrient front. One medium onion has 44 calories, 0.1g of fat, 1.2g of protein, and 10.3g of carbohydrates of which there are 4.7g of sugar and 1.9g of fiber. On the vitamin and mineral side, they have a small amount of potassium and some vitamin C. With this information, we can think about the metabolic and cardiovascular health support from both protein and fiber. If you read my articles often you know fiber is a prebiotic, which can support our gut health and immune health. Vitamin C also supports our immune system, is required for collagen production, and improves iron absorption. Nerve function is supported by vitamin B, which is in onions too; we get some of the B vitamins like folate and B6.
