Onions: Nothing To Cry About

**mlk_man** · 05-19-2005, 12:38 PM

Garlic has numerous health benefits. The onion is no slacker, though. Research has shown onions to have strong anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-allergic actions, which could be why they are the starting point of choice for the cuisine of so many cultures around the world.

There is also a wide variety of onions, and a recent study shows that all onions are not equal when it comes to their healthful qualities. Researchers sought to determine which varieties had the highest antioxidant qualities, as well as the ability to inhibit cancer cell growth. The varieties included in the study were: shallot, western yellow, New York bold, northern red, empire sweet, western white, Peruvian sweet, Mexico, Texas 1015, Imperial Valley sweet, and Vidalia. (I didn't even know there were so many.)

The winner was the shallot, a staple in Asian, Mexican, French, and Mediterranean cooking. Shallots had the highest antioxidant activity among the 11 varieties tested, with six times more phenolics than the lowest-ranked onion, the Vidalia.

The shallot also had the greatest effect against liver cancer cell growth, along with the western yellow and the New York bold, although the latter two were the highest ranked against colon cancer cell growth.

Onions get a bad rap for their effect on breath, and their ability to induce tears during meal preparation, but this shouldn't keep them off your shopping list. To combat the tears when slicing and dicing, chill them for about an hour or so before cutting. This slows the activity of the enzyme that produces the allyl sulfate, which is what causes the tears.

As for that infamous "onion breath," chew a sprig of parsley after any onion-containing meal.

**grandma** · 05-22-2005, 06:29 PM

Mlk - does the way the onions are cooked, or not cooked, have any effect on their benefits?

**Mike** · 05-23-2005, 02:10 AM

The method of cooking does have an impact on how beneficial any vegetable is. Microwaves have the worst impact. Steaming is supposedly the best approach to use.

**Spaf** · 05-23-2005, 03:14 AM

The Secret Onion Bloomer
http://www.topsecretrecipes.com/sleuth/sleuth4.htm
and
http://www.recipegal.com/appetizer/BloominOnionII.htm
:u

**grandma** · 05-23-2005, 03:38 AM

Spaf - that looks like a work of art !!

Mike - it is tomatoes, isn't it, that give off their best nutritional value when cooked.

**Mike** · 05-23-2005, 10:50 AM

I haven't read anything about cooking enhancing something's nutritional value... only that the process tends to destroy/inactivate a lot of nutrients we'd otherwise get from vegetables. Steaming them retains almost all of the benefits, though.

I don't know anything about tomatoes, other than the fact that eating a lot of them / their products is very healthy (I have no trouble doing that... I love ketchup / pasta). :^

**mlk_man** · 05-23-2005, 10:56 AM

grandma wrote:

Spaf - that looks like a work of art !!

Mike - it is tomatoes, isn't it, that give off their best nutritional value when cooked.

You are correct grandma, heating tomatoes or tomatoe based sauces increases their antioxidant effect. This is about the only vegetable I've heard this about. Get extra sauce on that pizza!! :^

**mlk_man** · 05-23-2005, 02:48 PM

grandma wrote:

Spaf - that looks like a work of art !!

Mike - it is tomatoes, isn't it, that give off their best nutritional value when cooked.

style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #f8f8f8"http://www.eatright.org/Public/Nutri...2_nfs1102b.cfm

**Mike** · 05-23-2005, 05:18 PM

mlk_man wrote:

grandma wrote:

Spaf - that looks like a work of art !!

Mike - it is tomatoes, isn't it, that give off their best nutritional value when cooked.

You are correct grandma, heating tomatoes or tomatoe based sauces increases their antioxidant effect. This is about the only vegetable I've heard this about. Get extra sauce on that pizza!! :^

The tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable. :P

**mlk_man** · 05-23-2005, 05:45 PM

Mike wrote:

The tomato is a fruit, not a vegetable. :P

If it ain't sweet, it's a freakin' veggie in my book you young whipper snapper!!

**grandma** · 05-23-2005, 08:55 PM

Yeah, we know--If it has seeds it is a fruit - like tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers.......... get your 5 servings in, eat a tomato for lunch it is a vegie, repeat at supper, it is a fruit!!! How many tomatoes to make enough catsup for burger & the fries? You have to know that to know who much to use !!!

I grew up putting sugar on my sliced tomatoes,

When I moved southas a young married & found people putting SALT on them - that was the WEIRDEST thing I'd ever heard of!!!:P (they also talked funny down there.) - However, I have converted, somewhat - I also learned to eat deep fried fish instead of pan fried smelt!!! I hope my brother & cousins have some in the freezer waiting for my trip home this week!!! :!