Regular consumption of onion can protect against diseases including cancer and diabetes

Those who want to look and feel healthy are advised to eat onion everyday. Anselm Adodo, a reverend father, founder and director of Pax Herbal Clinic, Ewu, Edo State, who gave the advice, said apart from strengthening the immune system, warding off a variety of bacteria, lowering noxious cholesterol level in the blood system, onion also protects the body against viral infections. Onion contains substances that also lower blood sugar and destroys cancerous cells in the body. It purifies and strengthens the liver and the kidney as well as cleanses the blood.

Onion is also a good remedy for hepatitis. It is effective against typhoid fever, low sperm count, weak erection, premature menopause and anovulation, which is the inability to ovulate. Onion is a potent natural antibiotics, hence it works against bacteria and wards off common infections. Based on this, he said onion could be used as an anti-diabetic, anti-tumour and as an immune booster. Science has confirmed that onion works powerfully against the bacteria which causes intestinal dysbacteriosis and urinary infections, bacillary dysentery, the inflammation of the genital organs, damaged sperm cells, skin infections and blemishes. Onion has been proven to lower noxious cholesterol level in the blood because it is rich in fibrinolytic substance that helps to break up blood clots and prevent coagulation.

Unfortunately, many people do not know about the health benefits which onion has. As a result, they have suffered and died in silence. Adodo, who described onion as a versatile vegetable because it could be eaten in many ways-raw, grated, boiled or prickled, said onion also destroys cancerous cells in the body. In the case of sickle cell anemia, he said it has been of invaluable help because it is rich in enzymes which help in the production of blood and contains iron and elements that are often lacking in sicklers. “In Nigeria, cases of cancer, especially of the breast are increasing daily. The prevalence of fibroids and infertility among our women today is alarming. What do we do? Are we to fold our hands and watch our sons and daughters die in pain and desperation? Or are we to once again sit lazily and wait for western thinkers and scientists to help us find the solution?” He advised women to eat onion as much as possible. “Onion will act as a good prevention against cancer and helps in dissolving cancerous tumours. Simply chew a bulb of raw onion every night. It is as simple as that.”

Bank-kadejo Adedamola, a naturopathic medicine practitioner, who has done research on alternative medicine, lamented that of about 200,000 types of herbs in Africa, only about 700 of them are recognised in Nigeria. “And out of this 700, traditional practitioners currently make use of about 50 or less and the reason is that we have not done enough research on them. But I must commend the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research because they are doing their best,” he said.

Onion is from the Middle East, especially Iran. It is made up of 60 percent volatile oil called sulphured glycosides. “Other components of onion are sulphur, iron, magnesium, fluorine, calcium, phosphorus, vitamins A, B, C and E. It also contains allicin, which works on the cardiovascular system thereby preventing any cardiovascular problem. Onion can also be eaten even when no sickness has been detected. “The antioxidant is a form of protection against infection.”