Onion
Allium cepa
Vegetables. Folk & home remedies and Modern nutrition.
Also called Yellow onion, Red onion, Bulb onion
Pinyin: Yáng Cōng
Spanish: Cebolla
Toxic to dogs and catsA bulb vegetable used in cooking worldwide, with a sharp taste from sulfur compounds.
Did you know? Onion juice was rubbed on bald patches in old folk care, and a small study in the early 2000s reported hair regrowth in people with patchy hair loss.
What it may help, and how strong the proof is
- Infections. Onion has antibacterial compounds in lab tests. Human proof is limited.Traditional proof
- Sore throat & cough. Onion syrup has a long folk history for cough. No good trials test it.Traditional proof
- Heart health. Onions contain quercetin and other plant compounds. Trials on onion for heart health are small.Traditional proof
Parts of the body
Traditional use
Folk remedies used raw onion, onion syrup and onion poultices for coughs, colds, bites and wounds. The evidence for these uses is weak.
How it is classified
- Herbal actions
- Antimicrobial, Expectorant. Energy: neutral.
How people take it
Eat cooked or raw as food. Onion syrup for coughs is a folk recipe with no proven dose.
Food and syrup.
Where to get it
Grown widely in temperate and tropical regions. Sold as yellow, white and red bulbs, and in dried or powdered forms.
Be careful
Safe as food for most people, though onions can cause heartburn, gas and bloating. Raw onion can cause skin reactions in some people. Onions are toxic to dogs and cats, so keep them away from pets.
Avoid if: onion allergy.
Mixing with other things
- Works well together
Onion contains inulin, a prebiotic fiber that feeds helpful gut bacteria.
- Works well together
Onion and garlic are both alliums and often form the base of the same dishes.
- Works well together
Onion, carrot and celery start many soups and stocks.
- Works well together
A common base for Mexican bean and soup recipes.
Found in these formulas
Fire cider (Folk)
The honest take
Onions are a good food with useful plant compounds. Claims that onion helps colds, hair loss or infections come from folklore or lab work. Human proof is weak.