Onions grew in Chinese gardens as early as 5000 years ago. In Egypt, onions can be traced back to 3500 B.C. In India as early as the sixth century BC, the famous medical treatise Charaka Samhita celebrates the onion as medicine a diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes, and the joints.
The presence of phytochemicals, vitamin C, and organosulphur compounds and chromium in onion makes onion a good recipe in controlling various health disorders, Red onions (Spanish onions) regular usage gives long term benefits like reducing risk of chronic diseases.
Onions were also prescribed by doctors in the early 16th century to help with infertility in women.
Onion Medicinal Value and Usages in Ayurveda
- Feeding the onion with jaggery to children gives a good strength to bones and helps in energetic and healthy growth
- Onion juice can be used with sugar as a medicine for the people suffering to get sleep during nights, Having 20gms of onion juice mixed with 10gms of sugar twice a day gives good sleep
- The Massage with the mix of onion juice and mustard oil by taking in equal quantities reduce the pains of diabetic patients.
- Onion juice or paste can be used for external applications for insect bites and scorpion stings as well. The ointment formed by pasting onion with honey can be used for dog’s bite.
- The smell of onions causes insects to flee, hence onions can be used as insect repellents
- Consuming an equal mixture of onion juice and honey can relive sore throats and coughing symptoms.
- One table spoon of onion juice along with one spoonful of ginger juice, taken three times a day, can boost the libido and sex drive.
- Having Onions in diet prevents anemia, also known as iron deficiency
- For those suffering from a burning sensation during urination, onions can provide relief. People suffering from this condition should drink water boiled with 8 to 10 grams of onions. Also consuming 10gms of onion juice regularly, helps in melting the stones in kidneys.
- Consuming the mix of 10gms of onion juice and 10gms of lemon juice with little sugar will give relief to Cholera patients to recover soon
- White Onion pieces must be fried in ghee and mixed in sugar syrup. By consuming this regularly gives good increase in sperm count
- White Onion useful to regrow hair on Bald spots
- Onion juice useful to cure Leucoderma (Vitiligo)
- Crush an onion within coconut oil. Coat the chest with onion paste and cover the chest with a dish towel then a shirt. This is useful to breakup chest congestion.
- For Ear Pain or Infection : Chop onion and put them into a thin sock and tie the sock closed. Place the flattened onion sock over the troubled ear and cover the head/ear/sock with a hat to hold the sock in place. Remove when pain is gone.
- For Cuts : The transparent film of the onion skin will stop moderate bleeding immediately. It also acts as an antiseptic for the wound.
- For Cough : Peel a large onion and slice in half. Cover the face of each onion with 1 tablespoon of brown sugar and cover the onions for one hour. The sugar/onion relish should be taken twice a day to help with the cough.
- Fever : Slice an onion into thin slices. Rub the bottom of the feet with coconut oil. Put a thin slice into the arch of each foot and wrap with a cloth. Cover the onion/feet with sock over night to allow the onion to draw out toxins and the illness from the body.
- Cure Vomiting : Grate 1 white or yellow onion. Press the onion juice from the onion wrapped in a cheesecloth. Brew a strong cup of peppermint tea and let it cool. Drink 2 teaspoons of the onion juice and wait 5 minutes. Drink 2 teaspoons of the cool peppermint tea and wait 5 minutes. Repeat both the onion juice and peppermint tea until the symptoms subside. Vomiting should stop immediately and the nausea should go away within 15 minutes.
- Place slices of onion on plates throughout your house to purify the air of viruses and bacteria.