Onions are the most common, accessible, irreplaceable and “loved to tears” by each of us. Since ancient times, onions have been worshiped as a good deity and successfully treated - then and now. Onions stimulate the appetite, enhance the secretion of gastric juice, improve digestion, increase the body's resistance to infectious diseases, and have a detrimental effect not only on bacteria, but also on various fungi and viruses. Many people call onions a natural antibiotic. It is used for colds, gastrointestinal disorders, hypertension, atherosclerosis. Onion juice dissolves kidney sand, lowers blood sugar, improves liver function, etc. And this is not surprising, because it is literally packed with valuable substances: vitamins C, B, E, A, PP, organic acids, potassium, iodine, calcium, iron, phosphorus, etc.
Particularly useful green onions which can be grown all year round: in the summer - in the garden, in the winter - on the windowsill. The rich, centuries-old experience of traditional medicine contains accessible and effective recipes that can be successfully treated for various diseases.
Atherosclerosis (sclerosis). Grate the onion, squeeze out 1 glass of juice, mix with honey (1:1) and take 1 tablespoon 2 times a day (morning and evening) half an hour to an hour before meals. Course - 1-2 months.
Bronchitis, dry cough. Mix 500 g of chopped onion with 400 g of sugar, boil in 1 liter of water over low heat for 3 hours, let cool. Add 50 g of honey, stir, pour into a jar, close the lid and store in the refrigerator. Take 4-6 tablespoons per day after meals.
For better expectoration and relief of dry cough. Chop 10 onions and 1-2 heads of garlic and boil in 0.5 liters of unpasteurized milk until the onions and garlic become soft. Then add 1 tablespoon each of honey and raspberry jam. Drink 1-2 tablespoons every hour during the day.
Flu. Grate 1-2 onions, pour in 0.5 liters of boiling milk (but do not boil!), leave for 20-30 minutes in a warm place. Drink half of the hot infusion at night, the other half in the morning - also hot. With this treatment, the flu goes away in 3-4 days without complications.
Kidney stone disease. Pour 50 g of chopped onion into 0.5 liters of vodka, leave for 7-10 days, strain. Take 1-2 teaspoons with 3 tablespoons of water 2-3 times a day. This onion remedy helps dissolve sand and small stones.
Runny nose, otitis media. For inflammatory processes, place pieces of cotton wool moistened with onion juice in the nostrils and ears.
Angina. Gargling with fresh onion juice helps; you can dilute it 1:1 with honey.
Abscesses, pimples, boils, heel spurs. Boil 1-2 chopped onions in 100 mg of milk until softened, apply the hot onion to the sore, and apply a bandage.
Hemorrhoids (internal). Pour 2 liters of milk into a thick clay pot, put 4-5 large onions, close and steam in the oven until softened. Close the pot with a wooden lid with a hole and warm the anus over steam for about 30 minutes. After this, be sure to lubricate the passage inside and outside with Vaseline and take a laxative. Repeat the procedure after 3 days.
Prostatitis and adenoma. 1 cup rinsed in a colander onion peel pour 0.5 liters of water, boil under the lid for 7 minutes over low heat, leave for 40 minutes, strain. Add 3 tablespoons of honey, stir. Drink 0.5 cups 3 times a day before meals for 5 days. Then follows a break of 5 days. Repeat this until it improves.
During breaks, it is advisable to do salt wraps. Dissolve 200 g of salt in 2 liters of water, moisten a linen sheet, squeeze a little and wrap it in it for 2 hours.
There is an easier way - eat 1-2 onions at night. To make the onion less hot, cut it and keep it in warm water for 2-3 minutes. You can add some green peas and eat them unfried pumpkin seeds(0.5 cups).
Headache. Cut the onion into slices, place them on the back of your head, and wrap your head in a towel. The pain will soon subside.
Systematic and regular eating of onions (especially at night) improves the condition of patients with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, helps with anemia, insomnia.
The French even offer an onion dinner: mix finely chopped 2-3 onions, grated apple with sourness, and a boiled egg mashed with a fork.
Scientists have found that onions can cleanse brain cells and delay the aging process. They also found that eating garlic and onions leads to a reduction in the incidence of breast cancer.
However, there is also contraindications to taking onion preparations: acute diseases of the liver, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, before using these recipes, you should consult your doctor.
The widespread vegetable is a biennial plant native to many countries. Today there are about 400 species of it. They have been used in cooking for centuries. In addition to excellent taste, green garden vegetables have medicinal properties. Therefore, it is often used by traditional healers to combat various external and internal diseases. So, let's learn in detail about this healing vegetable.
Harvesting and storing onions
When fresh, it protects the human body from infectious diseases. And when processed, it improves the taste of dishes, serves as a rich and accessible source of vitamins, organic acids, phytoncides, and microelements. There are several ways to prepare vegetables:
- Freezing. Select the best onion feathers, peel them, and rinse them with running water. Dry. Cut into small pieces and blanch them for one minute. Then drain the greens in a colander. Once completely cooled, transfer the product to a plastic container. Place it in the freezer. Some housewives prefer to freeze vegetables without blanching, in chopped form.
- Salting. Thoroughly wash 1 kilogram of green onions. Chop it finely and mix with a glass of salt. Then compact the greens into the jars so tightly that the juice is released. Fill the top vegetable oil. Close the container and place it in a cool, dark place.
Regarding onions, then it is collected in August, thoroughly dried, and stored in ventilated areas. You can tie the bulbs into a wreath and hang them in a room with a stable temperature.
Use in everyday life
Not everyone knows about the options for using this affordable vegetable for household needs. And he really serves as an excellent assistant to housewives. Here are the options for its household use:
- Removing stains. If you have ruined your clothes with an iron stain, onion gruel will help you deal with it. Just grate a small fruit on a fine grater and apply it to the stain for several hours. After this, remove the pulp, soak the item in cold water, wash with powder.
- Mold removal. An onion cut in half will remove it from clothes. Rub a piece of vegetable onto the stains, leave for 30 minutes, then wash in warm water. The phytoncides of the medicinal plant penetrate deeply into the tissue and dissolve the fungus. Rust on dishes is also removed in the same way. Rub household utensils with onion and they will be renewed.
- Egg coloring. Onion peels have long been used as a safe and durable dye for Easter eggs.
- Hair coloring. Brown-haired women can rinse their hair with an infusion of onion peels every time after washing their hair to give their hair a shiny copper shade.
- Treatment of burns. A paste of finely grated vegetables should be applied to the affected area. The bactericidal regenerating properties of onions will help renew the skin.
- Therapy for boils. Bake half the vegetable in the oven. Apply warm to the boil overnight. The compress will draw out the purulent contents and speed up the healing of the skin.
- Treatment of alopecia. For hair loss, it is recommended to rub onion juice into the scalp every other day. It strengthens hair follicles, saturates them with vitamins, and makes hair stronger.
- Fighting cough. Grate one large onion, mix with goose fat, and rub into the chest area overnight. A tablespoon of the mixture should be taken orally.
Composition and medicinal properties of onions
The main valuable component of the vegetable is phytoncides. These are antimicrobial substances that cope well with microbes, streptococci, tuberculosis, dysentery, and diphtheria bacilli.
Onions contain maltose, sucrose, proteins, fructose, polysaccharides, fiber, and ash. It is rich in vitamins B2, B6, A, C, E and PP, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron.
Onion extract is used in cardiology to stimulate cardiac activity, and in therapy to improve the functioning of the digestive tract. This vegetable has established itself as an excellent medicine in the fight against colds and spring vitamin deficiency.
The use of onions in folk medicine
Herbalists use its healing properties in the treatment of many ailments. We invite you to verify the effectiveness of the garden doctor. Here are the recipes for its use:
Contraindications for use
The vegetable is not advisable for people with high stomach acidity. Do not use it if you have an individual intolerance.
Good day everyone!
Looking through materials about hiking and fishing, I noticed that in lately People increasingly began to take dried onions into the forest rather than raw ones, which I fundamentally disagree with, since onions have a fairly wide range of uses, besides cooking, and dry onions are only good for soup. So I decided to write about onions. First, a little history, then about the use of the bow.
Onions (Allium sera) as a garden crop have been known to man since time immemorial. Homeland - Central Asia. For many millennia BC, it was widely cultivated in the Nile Valley by the Egyptians. Divine properties were attributed to him, giving man inexhaustible vitality, eternal immortality. The ancient Romans also revered onions, believing that they saved them from many diseases. Roman legionnaires ate onions every day (they believed that they increased strength and courage).
- Bulbs were also revered as amulets. They were worn for courage and as protection against disease, especially during long military campaigns.
- The healing properties of onions have been well known since ancient times in Rus', as mentioned in ancient chronicles. Proverbs and sayings (“onions cure seven ailments,” “onions and bathhouse rule everything,” “he who sows onions will get rid of torment,” “onions in cabbage soup and farewell to hunger”) reflect centuries-old folk experience. In Russia, during raging epidemics, bundles of onions were hung in every hut: people believed in its protective power. Doctors believed that even the smell of onions protected against diseases. As it turns out, such allegations are not unfounded. Volatile substances found in onions - phytoncides - have a detrimental effect on putrefactive and pathogenic bacteria. During heavy physical work, loaders and barge haulers deliberately excluded meat from breakfast and lunch, replacing it with onions and rye bread. They noticed that onions give strength and endurance.
- Currently, many valuable varieties of onions are cultivated. It is rich in phytoncides, vitamins C (up to 35 mg%), B2 (50 mg%), B3, B6, PP, carotenoids, contains organic acids (citric and malic), essential oil, sugars, flavonoids, glycosides. WITH chemical composition Its various food and medicinal uses are connected: Onions are necessary for preparing many dishes. Preparations made from it enhance the motor and secretory functions of the gastrointestinal tract and stimulate the cardiovascular system. Onion juice is recommended for diseases of the upper respiratory tract, sore throat, flu, long-healing wounds, and furunculosis (baked onion compresses).
- A proven method for insect bites (mosquitoes, gadflies, wasps and bees) is onion juice. It is enough just to anoint the place where the unfortunate insect bit you with an onion slice a couple of times, and your feeling of pain will immediately decrease, and the swelling will also go down much more.
- Onions are considered a good appetite stimulant, promote the secretion of digestive juices and the quick and easy digestion of food. It is also credited with the healing property of purifying the blood. It will help calm your nervous system and help you cope with restless sleep. Onions will also seem like an excellent helper and protector for those people who have already had a heart attack once. Scientists have proven that systematic consumption of onions will help avoid another heart attack.
- It was believed that beneficial properties Onions have the ability to increase the level of courage in a soldier’s blood, so it was very common in the military kitchen of the Romans. It is also known about its healing qualities, which is why in the same troops it was customary to go into battle with onions (especially in baked form, it was mixed with goat’s milk and subsequently applied to wounds received on the battlefield). In these same areas (that is, in Ancient Rome) the bow was credited with magical powers. Many believed that by hanging a bunch of woven onions at the entrance to the house, it would definitely protect the house from evil and all evil spirits.
- Onions are very useful because... is able to destroy the diphtheria bacillus, within five minutes it will neutralize the tuberculosis bacillus, and in addition, just one small piece of this plant can cleanse the entire oral cavity of bacteria.
- Onions have a pronounced anti-sclerotic effect, lower blood sugar levels, fight germs and pathogenic microflora. Onions have choleretic, diuretic, anthelmintic properties.
- Onions normalize water-salt metabolism in the body,
- Eating onions strengthens eyesight and improves hearing
- Onions help with mental fatigue and mental fatigue.
- Onions are used as a preventative against colds and flu, thanks to their disinfecting components (phytoncides, essential oils, sulfur, iodine, etc.). You can also use it if you do get sick. It is recommended to simply inhale the smell of freshly chopped onions for a few minutes several times a day and the cold will go away.
- Freshly chopped onions are applied to the temples for headaches
- Onions as a general tonic: prepare an alcohol tincture at a ratio of 1:4 with 70% alcohol. Take 20-30 drops 3 times a day. The course of treatment is 3-4 weeks.
- Onion for sprain: Peel the onion, chop finely, add a little granulated sugar, stir well. Cover a rag with a thick layer of this mixture, apply it to the sore spot and bandage it. Change once a day
- Treatment of warts and fungal foot infections: Simply apply onion juice to the affected areas and let it dry.
- To get rid of warts: Cut a piece from an onion and soak in vinegar for two hours. Then secure it with a plaster on the wart.
- The beginning graying of hair can be delayed by rubbing onion juice into the scalp
- An infusion of onion peels gives light hair a golden hue, refreshes light brown hair, and masks slight gray hair. Boil 2 handfuls of husks in 1 liter of water for 5 minutes. Cool and strain. You should rinse your hair with this infusion - it will also become shiny, stronger and healthier.
- Dandruff - a handful of onion peels are brewed in 1 cup of boiling water. Add to water when rinsing.
- Onion juice – effective remedy with nesting baldness. Onions are useful as a remedy against baldness and hair loss. For a long time, onion juice was used to remove freckles, and onion masks were used as a remedy against wrinkles.
Onions are widely used in cooking:
- Bulbs and green juicy leaves are used as a seasoning for salads, vinaigrettes, vegetable and meat dishes. Onions are useful all year round, but especially great value The plant represents the winter-spring period. It is noteworthy that heat treatment does not reduce the usefulness fried onions. When cooking: boiled, fried and baked onions practically do not lose their quality and beneficial properties. Dishes with fried onions are excellent taste qualities and a pleasant aroma. Culinary dishes with onions are very popular in many countries of the world, so it is impossible to imagine modern cuisine without onions. In cooking, onions are used fresh, fried, dried and canned.
- Frozen onions are ok to eat, but should not be thawed. Such onions can be used as needed, since their taste and nutritional properties remain almost unchanged.
- Lubricate the cut area of the unused onion with any fat - the onion will retain freshness and nutrients.
What is fishing without fish soup? And what is fish soup without onions?
And you can’t imagine a picnic without kebab, and kebab without onions.
Contraindications for eating onions: Onions are irritating to the gastrointestinal tract and can also negatively affect the kidneys and liver, so people with problems with these organs should include onions in their diet with great caution and in small quantities!
Onions are also used to care for leather items (gloves, jackets, baseball caps, sheaths, belts, wallets, etc.) - just wipe with a fresh cut.
- You can remove fresh rust from metal with a piece of onion - apply the onion for 10 minutes and wipe with a cloth.
Even the ancient Egyptians knew about the healing properties of onions; there is a mention of it in the Old Testament. The history of using onions goes back more than 4 thousand years! Asia is considered its homeland, from where onions, after some time, came to India, China and Greece, and then throughout the world.
The healing properties of onions are determined by the fact that onions are a source of nitrogenous compounds, glucose, fructose, sucrose and maltose; compounds of elements such as calcium, copper, iron, phosphorus. The antimicrobial effect of onions is determined by high content it contains volatile compounds - phytoncides. The beneficial properties of onions, especially their antimicrobial properties, are excellent for common colds and flu. The alcohol extract from this plant kills all harmful microorganisms and “stimulates” the secretory functions of the intestines. It is used to treat intestinal atony, diarrhea, and also as a remedy against atherosclerosis. A mixture of onion extract with glycerin is used as a medicine for trichomonas colpitis.
And here is another healing property of onions. Freshly prepared onion juice will be useful for men, as it promotes sperm production and has a positive effect on potency and sexual desire. And for women, it will serve as a means of helping with insufficient menstruation and infections. Onions, or rather onion juice, are used in the treatment and prevention of hypertension and atherosclerosis. It is also recommended to use it for neurasthenia, sleep disorders and rheumatism. But do not forget that excessive consumption of onions can cause bad consequences for severe kidney diseases, liver diseases, stomach diseases and heart diseases.
The healing properties of onions include the fact that onions stimulate appetite, help better digestion of food, and increase the body's resistance to pathogenic agents. Onions are used as an antiscorbutic remedy and for helminth infections. Baked onions are used to treat boils, and fresh chopped onions are applied to the temples for headaches. Onions are used for sprains, in the treatment of rhinitis, for sulfur plugs in the ear canals, and for coughs.
It is known that the healing properties of onions make it a valuable hair care product. A mixture of onions and honey was also used by beautiful women Ancient Greece, like a face mask that gives the skin beauty and youth.
In short, our faithful assistant and protector, onion, is an extraordinary plant. Imagine: it is included in almost any salad or soup. Onions are eaten both raw and specially fried. We are already so accustomed to it, a regular guest at our table, that sometimes we don’t think about its medicinal properties.
Onions are a rich source of biologically active compounds: vitamins necessary for the normal functioning of our body. So, let's find out what vitamins determine the healing properties of onions and for what reason
Onions contain carotene (provitamin A), which, once in our body, is converted into retinol (vitamin A), which is very necessary for normalizing the processes of growth and development, for skin, hair and teeth.
In addition, onions contain vitamin B1 (thiamine), which plays a very important role in almost any metabolic processes. It has a beneficial effect on the condition nervous system, maintains muscle tone.
Another component that determines the healing properties of onions. This is B2 (riboflavin), which is responsible for the proper functioning of metabolism, is necessary for our central nervous system, protects our skin from aggressive factors environment. A lack of riboflavin leads to the development of anemia.
Another very important component– vitamin B3. This substance is necessary for water-salt and protein metabolic processes, promotes cellular respiration, improves skin health, is beneficial for the nervous system, heart and blood vessels, and normalizes cholesterol levels.
Vitamin B9 (or folic acid) – necessary for hematopoiesis; it is especially needed for children and expectant mothers.
Onions also have beneficial properties that make the walls of blood vessels strong and prevent the formation of carcinogens in the body. And all this thanks to vitamin C. Only one onion contains the daily amount of vitamin C.
So this is such an onion, the healing properties of which you now know. As for the “onion” smell that we so dislike - well, there are quite a few simple methods freshen your breath, but you’re unlikely to find another healing product like onions!