Looking to put some onions on a burger, a salad, or whatever else you’re cooking today? A new study suggests you should opt for red instead of white if you want to ward off cancer.
Researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, tested extracts from five different kinds of onions on lab-grown colon cancer cells. What they found was that red onions, particularly the Ruby Ring variety, were adept at fighting off cancer. Red onions overall, however, killed three to four times more cells than lighter-colored onion varieties, regardless of the specific variety.
Natural News reports that the red onions were just as effective at getting rid of breast cancer as they were at getting rid of colon cancer.
Red onions have high concentrations of the flavonoid quercetin, and they also contain anthocyanin. Researchers believe both of these properties contribute to their cancer-fighting abilities. The compounds in these onions encourages cell death among cancer cells and also protects healthy cells from harm by “inhibiting the production of reactive compounds that may damage otherwise normal cells.” Until further research has been conducted, the best way to reap these benefits is to eat your red onions raw.
“Anthocyanin is instrumental in providing colour to fruits and vegetables so it makes sense that the red onions, which are darkest in colour, would have the most cancer-fighting power,” said lead author Abdulmonem Murayyan.
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