Help Control Blood Sugar

Eating onions may aid in blood sugar regulation, which is especially important for persons with diabetes or prediabetes. A study of 42 persons with type 2 diabetes found that consuming 3.5 ounces (100 grams) of fresh red onion after four hours lowered fasting blood sugar levels by roughly 40 mg/dl. Furthermore, animal studies have suggested that eating onions may help with blood sugar regulation.

A study found that diabetic rats fed the diet with 5% onion extract for 28 days had lower fasting blood sugar and significantly lower body fat than the control group. Specific onion components, such as quercetin and sulfur compounds, have anti-diabetic properties. Quercetin, for example, has been found to interact with cells in the small intestine, pancreas, skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and liver to regulate whole-body blood sugar levels. Consuming onions may help lower high blood sugar levels due to the numerous beneficial components contained in them.