Below are some interesting facts about onions. The 4000 Year Old Healer For over 4000 years, onions have been used for medical purposes. Egyptians numbered over 8000 onion-alleviated ailments. The esteemed Greek physician Hippocrates prescribed onions as a diuretic, wound healer and pneumonia fighter. During World War II, Russian soldiers applied onions to battle wounds as an antiseptic. And throughout the ages there have been countless folk remedies that have ascribed their curative powers to onions, such as putting a sliced onion under your pillow to fight off insomnia. The Modern Day Preventative Sweet Onions are a member of the 500-plus allium family. While garlic, another allium has been highly touted as a cancer preventative, most people consume far greater quantities of onions. As Americans search for low-fat, low-salt, but tasty meals, they're eating onions - almost 18 pounds per person, which is 50% more than a decade ago. Therefore, there is greater hope that the onion will be a key in producing long-term health benefits. In addition to tasting great, onions contain 25 active compounds that appear to inhibit the growth of cancerous cells, help combat heart disease, inhibit strokes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol and stimulate the immune system. Alliums are also antibacterial and antifungal, so they can help ward off colds and relieve stomach upset and other gastrointestinal disorders. Onions and your heart As with garlic, onions help prevent thrombosis and reduce hypertension, according to the American Heart Association. The juice of one yellow or white onion a day can raise HDL cholesterol (the good stuff) by 30% over time, according to Dr. Victor Gurewich of Tufts University. Red onions don't provide the same effect. Sweet Onions - The tasty way to better health What tastier way to eat healthier than with sweet onions. Because they are milder and easier to digest, you can consume "sweets" in abundance, thus obtaining all the many health benefits that these delicious alliums offer. Best of all, you won't shed any tears in the process. HOME NEWS RECIPES TIPS FACTS EMAIL LINKS JOBS