HealthyPIG Magazine

Types of white onions: Spanish white onions: Spanish white onions are known for their mild flavor and are often used raw in salads, salsas, and a...

Types of Purple Onions: Red onion varieties: One of the most common types of purple onions is the red onion, known for its vibrant deep purple-r...

Yellow onions, botanically classified as Allium cepa, are one of the most popular storage varieties and are members of the Amaryllidaceae family. T...

Have you ever cried like a baby while chopping onions? As we chop onions, we cry, sometimes laughing at ourselves, with tears streaming down our cheeks. The crying usually occurs about 30 seconds after cutting the onion. After about five minutes of cutting, the tearing begins to slow. Try as we might, we often can't control the tears we shed over the smell of onions. Why does this happen?

Turns out, onions are nothing to cry about—these delicious bulbs are packed with nutrients. Onions are very healthy, they are an excellent source of vitamin C, sulfur compounds, flavonoids and phytochemicals. Phytochemicals, or phytonutrients, are naturally occurring compounds in fruits and vegetables that react with the body to trigger healthy responses. Flavonoids are responsible for the pigments in many fruits and vegetables. Research shows they may help reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease, cardiovascular disease and stroke.