Eating red onions can help fight cancer

New research from the University shows that red onions are rich in flavonoids, which may help fight colon and breast cancer.

According to Abdulmonem Murayyan, a PhD student at the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, onions trigger cancer cell death. They promote an unfavorable environment for cancer cells and break the bonds between cancer cells, which inhibits growth.

This study, published in Food Research International, shows that red onions contain high levels of quercetin, a plant polyphenol belonging to the flavonoid group, found in many fruits, vegetables, leaves and grains and has many benefits such as reducing inflammation and fighting allergies.

red onion

Furthermore, red onions also contain high levels of anthocyanins which further enhance the waste-eliminating properties of the quercetin molecule.

Anthocyanins are what give fruits and vegetables their color, which means that red, dark-colored onions will have the greatest anti-cancer effects.

In the first study, which tested how well onions killed cancer cells, researchers found that not all onions were created equal. The darker the red onion, the more potent its anti-cancer effects.

“The next step is to investigate the anti-cancer effects of onions in human trials,” says Murayyan.

According to SK&DS