Paleo – LPC

The chances of you not including onions in your recipes, or at least salads, is almost close to zero. If you put some chopped onions next to your meat in a pan while cooking, it instantly turns your meals from good to great! But suppose you decide to try a diet like Paleo. In that case, you might be wondering if you can still enjoy this fantastic vegetable. So to put your mind at ease, we did the research to try and answer the question: Can you eat onions on Paleo? Now, we plan to go a bit deeper than just a yes-or-no answer, so buckle up and let's find out what this glorious vegetable is, how much is too much, and how good it is for your health. Can You Eat Onions On Paleo? To get this ride started, let's get the straight answer right away: YES, onions are allowed on the Paleo diet. The Paleo list of foods is as follows: lean meats, vegetables, fruits, eggs, nuts, and seeds. Onions are on the list, but being on the Paleo diet usually means eating foods that are as close to natural as possible. Now, this doesn't mean you need to bite on a raw onion while eating your lunch. The caramelized version can still be on the bottom of the pan, and you can still enjoy its contribution to your meals. Onions come in a myriad of shapes and sizes. Most of these variations can work in almost the same ways in your meals, and it all depends on your preference. So if your store only has yellow, white, red or spring onions, worry not! They are all equally healthy and delicious. What Are Onions & The Best Way To Eat Them Onions are one of the species that come from the genus Allium. They can grow pretty much anywhere and during all seasons. For this reason, they are one of the most cultivated vegetables in the world. Pretty much every region grows some common onion type, and some of them have their own kind. No matter what kind of onion your local supermarket sells - it can be implemented in your diet, so don't worry too much about choosing. Onions are always Paleo-friendly! The Best Way To Eat Them There is no wrong answer here. Onions can be eaten raw in salads, cooked, or you can caramelize them in the pan, as we mentioned already. We suggest not adding too much salt and staying away from adding any sugar or other processed ingredients to the mix. Keep them healthy, and they will return the favor. Our favorite way of eating this tasty veggie bulb is by chopping it and adding it to salads. Raw onions have a great crunch to them, and they always add a special kick to your mixes. They're great for roasting, and onion soup isn't too bad either! You can experiment all you want with them, and as long as you don't burn them too quickly, they will make the blandest meal fun again. So they are allowed on Paleo, and you can implement them to your Paleo diet in about a million ways. But how much is too much? We'll have to check the nutritional side of the story to find out. Nutritional Values Of Onions Onions are famous for being a low-calorie addition to your meals, but how low are we talking? Let's check if the stories are true. Nutritional Values Of Onions (100g) Calories40Water89%Protein1.1gCarbs9.3g Sugar4.2gFiber 1.7g As we can see, onions are very much on the low side as far as calories go. An average onion is about 170-230g in weight - this would be a bulb somewhere between what is considered a large and a medium onion. So you can imagine that even munching on a bag full of them during the day won't impact your meal plans that much. It could even be healthy! Let's focus then on the other parts of the table. The first thing most people notice is that they are 89% made of water. Yes, you read that correctly, 89%. Onions are glorified glasses of water that you can chop up and eat. The rest of the list looks almost empty because of this. Food that is made out of so much water really can't affect your body and diet in any noticeable way. But the rest of the list isn't there just for show; the rest of its compounds pack a heck of a punch when it comes to health benefits! The Health Benefits Of Onions The onion can contribute to your health more than you may think. It is rich in vitamins and antioxidants. Because of this, it has some excellent anti-inflammatory properties. Healthy Bones You have probably been told that drinking milk gives you healthier bones, but what should you do on Paleo? Almost all Paleo folk try to avoid milk, and even those that consume it do so in very small measures. Well, no dairy, no problem. Onions can help slow down the deterioration of bones, which means that it's a must in any diet for people suffering from osteoporosis. Some studies have even shown that it can help your body increase bone mass! Helping You Control Blood Sugar High blood sugar levels result from consuming too much sugar, and your body is turning that sugar into glucose that fills up your bloodstream. The usual trick that helps with this is avoiding it altogether, which the Paleo diet already does. But if the damage is already done, onions could help! Eating a dose of about 100 grams of raw onions per day can do a great job of lowering blood sugar levels. We can't say that onions will get rid of the sugar altogether, but any help is appreciated. Preventing Cancer Because of the high levels of antioxidants, onions can help prevent several types of cancer! You can help your body fight stomach, breast, colon, and prostate cancer - just by cramming a lot of onions in your meals. There Are Always Some Risks There are some risks with eating too many onions, though the benefits outweigh them by a lot. Still, if there are any risks, we have to mention them. One thing that we will note is that these risks are not health-related. So when we say that the benefits are still worth it, we mean it. Body Odour The one lousy reputation that onions have is the smell. Many people even avoid them altogether because of this! So why is this? Do onions do something to our bodies to make them produce body odor? Well, yes. You see, onions have high levels of sulfuric acids, and there are a lot of oils that get secreted from them when they're eaten. All that mixes with fatty sweat that our apocrine glands release. The result is an unpleasant body odor. The acids also cause bad breath, but that's easier to resolve than the B.O. You don't have to worry about a lot of things when it comes to this favorite veggie. So if you don't have to talk to a lot of people later in the day, go ahead and chop away! Can you eat Onions on paleo - Final Words The onion is a legendary vegetable that can make any diet feel like a non-stop cheat day. The calories are pretty much not there, and the health benefits are one of many reasons to stock up on the stuff. If you were wondering whether or not to implement onions in your Paleo diet, our opinion is obvious. Buy them, chop them up, and eat them in whatever way you want, just as long as the plate is clean in the end. A final note would always be to buy fresh veggies, know what kind of food your body needs, and enjoy your meals. As long as you do all those things, everything else will be just fine!