Onions and Cholesterol: How They Support Heart Health

It is well known that increasing one's consumption of a wide range of vegetables has a fountain of youth effect on health. Each of these veggies has a strong point, and the humble onion's special power lies in cardiovascular support. As well as being a rich source of anti-inflammatory sulfur compounds, insulin-controlling chromium, and osteoporosis-preventing GPCS, the onion has been scientifically shown to significantly lower cholesterol.

Significance

• A component of onion breaks down fibrin, a clotting factor in the blood.

Considerations

• A1975 study found that the portion of the onion directly responsible for the reduction of cholesterol in the body is in the vegetable's essential oil.

Misconceptions

• Cooked onion, habitually consumed, is just as effective as raw onion at lowering cholesterol--perhaps because it's much easier to stick to.

Warning

• Some studies conducted used amounts of fresh onion that could be considered unacceptably high in a person's everyday diet.

Fun Fact

• One study showed that the consumption of one half of a raw onion raised "good" cholesterol (high density lipoproteins, or HDL) by 30 percent.