In the search for dietary measures to help fight cancer red onions have surfaced as being powerful cancer fighters. The University of Guelph reports red onions have been found to be a powerful cancer fighting food.
Engineering professor Suresh Neethirajan and PhD student Abdulmonem Murayyan together tested five onion types which are grown in Ontario and they discovered the Ruby Ring onion variety had the most powerful anti-cancer properties. Onions contain high concentrations of quercetin, which is a type of flavanoid. Ontario red onions have unusually high levels of this compound in comparison to onions grown elsewhere.
This study has also revealed that red onions have high amounts of anthocyanin, which enhances the scavenging properties of quercetin molecules. Murayyan, who was the study’s lead author, has said anthocyanin is vital in providing color to fruits and vegetables. Therefore, it is clear that red onions, which are the darkest in color, have the best cancer-fighting power.
This study has been published in Food Research International. Murayyan says his research team discovered onions are powerful at killing cancer cells. Onions promote an environment which is not favorable for cancer cells and they undermine communication between cancer cells which disrupts growth of these cells.
Onions are a superfood which can be added to salads and burgers to help prevent cancer. The researchers predict onion extract
will eventually be added to food products such as juice or baked goods
and may be sold in pill form as a kind of natural cancer treatment. So remember that dietary supplementation of onion or of onion extract can demonstrate anti-cancer properties.
