The health benefits of onions make these delectable delights that adds flavor to most any non-dessert dish, an even more important part of your daily fare. Aside from those with onion allergies, it seems onions are beneficial for almost anyone searching for better health through nutrition.

Onions are high in vitamin C and chromium but they also contain vitamin B 6, vitamin A, calcium and phosphorus. However, it's not just the vitamins and minerals that make the onion a healthy addition to your meals; it's also the phyonutrients, flavinoids that onions contain. The most prominent of which is quercitin.

Quercitin is an antioxidant found in onions and when combined with curcumin, found in turmeric, is a powerful colon cancer preventative.

Colon cancer often comes from precancerous polyps that grow in the intestines. A study that included four patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, FAP, a genetic condition that encourages the growth of multiple precancerous polyps in the colon, showed that treatment with quercitin, combined with curcumin not only helped prevent the polyps from becoming cancerous, it also reduced the number of polyps in the colon.

The study conducted by Marcia Cruz-Corella, Daniel A. Shoskes, Patricia Sanchez, Rhongua Zhao, Linda M. Hylind, Steven D. Wexner and Francis M. Giardiello was small and only included five patients, but was quite significant. The patients received curcumin and quercitin three times a day. In the first three months, four of the five had fewer and smaller polyps. The fifth party was not following the regimen of medication. In the next three months, that person also showed a significant decrease in both size and number of polyps, however, one of the other patients was not available for the follow up examination. The use of these two phytochemicals proved far less harmful than the normal regimen of drugs used to treat polyps.

Another study shows that people that consumed onions more frequently had an 84 percent lower chance of developing oral cancer or cancer of the pharynx, an 88 percent lower possibility for esophageal cancer. Besides reducing the potential for colorectal cancer by 56 percent, regular consumption of onions also lowered the risk for prostate cancer, breast cancer, laryngeal cancer ovarian cancer and renal cancer. In fact, it was even better than garlic for its potential to decrease the risk of these cancers.

Besides reducing the potential for cancer, onions also lower blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure levels. It is an anti-inflammatory and things the blood in addition to reducing blood clots. It helps the body to eliminate excess retained water with its natural diuretic quality.

In addition to that, onions also can help those with diabetes. The chromium in the onion helps lower and maintain blood sugar. Not only do onions contain chromium that helps the cells use blood sugar more efficiently, it also contains allyl propyl disulfide that clinical tests identify as the agent that lowers glucose levels in the body.

Onions also have antiseptic properties; they are good sources of fiber and help eliminate constipation. Onions also contain gamma-L-glutamyl-trans-S-1-propenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide, a substance that stops the effects of osteoclasts, which break down bones. There are so many reasons to include onions in your diet besides just for the zest they add to dishes. Not only is the flavor of onions good for your food, the health benefits of onions are great for your body.