Up to 96% of all mineral content of onion is concentrated in its skin, study points out

Edited and resized image of Erda Estremera, is available on Unsplash

Onion peel tea has potential health benefits, as it is in the onion skin that most of the plant's beneficial minerals and compounds are found. In addition, some studies have shown that this part of the onion can be used to make natural dyes for hair and fabrics.

health benefits

Studies have shown that onion skins, especially the darker ones (red and yellow), are rich in antioxidant compounds, which can serve as a source in the development of products with high added nutritional value.

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In the onion skin, flavonoids of the flavonol type are also present, which are in greater concentration in yellow onions, highlighting quercertin and its derivatives, and anthocyanins, predominant in red onions, with these compounds being the main responsible for its color.

The outer layers of the onion are an excellent source of antioxidant substances, having an antioxidant capacity 23 superior to that of garlic. Onion skin tea can have significant health benefits because, according to a study, despite being a commonly discarded part, onion skin has 96% of all mineral content of onion, with red onion being the richest type. minerals.

Studies show the antioxidant capacity of flavonoids - they are able to react with various types of free radicals (which accelerate premature aging), thus forming stable compounds and slowing down cell aging. It can also be mentioned the anti-inflammatory, vasodilating, analgesic, anticancer, anti-hepatotoxic actions, as well as antimicrobial and antiviral activities. Learn more about this topic in the article: "Flavonoids: what they are and what are their benefits".

Anthocyanins are substances responsible for the blue, violet and red colors of most vegetables. In terms of health benefits, it goes hand in hand with flavonoids.

Anthocyanin can be found in blackberries, blueberries, cherries, juçara fruits and many other foods. There are more than 600 types of anthocyanins that are used for various functions such as food coloring and pH meters. In our body, anthocyanin provides different benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, short-term memory enhancement, glaucoma prevention and heart protection. Learn more about this topic in the article: "Anthocyanin present in red fruits brings health benefits".

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Red onions are those that have the greatest amount of beneficial compounds, being up to ten times the amount found in other types of onions. In addition to these benefits, another study concluded that onion peel tea has the property of preventing excess weight gain and bad cholesterol in high-fat diets.

However, all the mentioned studies tested extracts extracted in the laboratory, and animals were tested. More studies (in humans) are needed to prove the health benefits of onion peel tea.

Use as a natural fabric dye

Experiments carried out at the University of Lisbon in Portugal tested onion skins as a source of natural dye to dye cotton and wool fabrics. The result of the analysis showed that the onion skin solution can be used to give the fabrics brown color. Another study found that silk and wool fabrics are also easily dyed with the natural onion skin dye, giving them a yellowish-brown color.

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Use as natural hair dye

Onion skin can be a raw material for the production of natural hair dye, being an alternative for people who have allergies to the product or pregnant women.

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In one analysis, 1 g of the dried and ground peel mixed in 10 mL of solvent and heated in a water bath gave rise to a pigment that could be used in the natural cosmetics industry. But that doesn't mean that if you make onion peel tea at home you can use it as hair dye. More studies need to be carried out to reach this conclusion.