Show Me Your Pearly Whites

In this week’s Superfood exploration we’ll continue with our use of winter foods commonly found in every home. As usual I want to push the envelope a little and show you that you foods we once thought of us as being fillers are often really foods our bodies crave. Just goes to show that no laboratory can do what Hashem has prepared for us. When looking to bulk up your meals, feel free to use this week’s Superfood…ONIONS!

photo credit: Micolo J

That’s right. Onions. So, what’s so great about them. Well, for starts, onions are an amazing source of antioxidants. Even more than tomatoes, red bell peppers, and carrots. They are also a good source of vitamin C, B6, Potassium and Folate. But the biggest surprise that onions have, well, it’s the same thing that gives them that…oniony smell, is sulfur.

Sulfur is a mineral which is very critical to a well running body. It’s the 8th most common element in the human body (by mass) and plays a crucial role in metabolizing glucose and in processing vitamin D. Two processes that the average citizen needs some help in. Sulfur helps with bone density and strengthening connective tissue. (Another great source of sulfur is eggs.)

Onions have also been linked in several studies to lower incidences of cancer when a regular part of the daily diet (half an onion a day).

The great news about onions is that they store well and come in a large variety of flavors, colors, and shapes. Yellow, white, red, green onions, and even shallots.

To maximize an onions nutritional benefits it is best to eat it raw, but gentle cooking does not compromise its benefits.