A doctor revealed that regularly eating certain vegetables can help reduce the risk of inflammation and cancer. Dr. Poonam Desai, an emergency medicine physician, stated in a TikTok video that the best vegetable for maintaining good health is onion.
In the video, which has been viewed over 40,000 times, Dr. Desai noted, "Onions contain what is called quercetin, which gives onions their powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits." Quercetin offers a long list of health benefits, including reducing the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol, and prostate cancer. This natural compound is well-studied and is often used in functional nutrition and functional medicine to help soothe the excessive histamine response in the immune system, according to Gina Folby, a nutritionist at WholeisticLiving.com.
The type of onion and how it is consumed can affect quercetin levels. According to Dr. Desai, "Red onions have more quercetin than white or yellow onions, so I choose to eat red onions." She added, "If you cook the onion, it reduces quercetin levels. Therefore, I choose to eat onions raw to maximize health benefits." She pointed out that the outer layers of onions contain a higher amount of quercetin compared to the inner layers. Thus, "the next time you pick onions, choose red onions and try to eat them raw, and try to consume the outer layers."
For those who cannot eat raw onions, quercetin can also be found in other foods, such as red wine, green tea, berries, and apples. A previous study found that phytochemicals like quercetin-3-glucoside found in apples have therapeutic properties that help protect against certain diseases and cancers. Research shows that the antioxidants in quercetin eliminate chemicals in the body known as free radicals, which can damage cell membranes, manipulate DNA, and potentially cause cell death.
Quercetin is commonly used for cardiovascular diseases. It may also help reduce swelling, kill cancer cells, control blood sugar levels, and aid in preventing heart disease.
