This one will make you cry
While we're considering the benefits of Nature's bounty, let's look at heart-smart options, as well.
Quercetin isn't one of those vitamins that you hear about every day on the news, but food researchers have an interest in it. This is just a compound in the group known as flavonoids, which have antioxidative power. Taken as a whole, flavonoids can reduce the early onset of heart disease.
But with quercetin, researchers are encouraged by findings that, after being broken down in your body, it can help prevent inflammation.
This translates into a heart benefit because a constant state of inflammation can trigger arteries to thicken up in response.
Researchers honed in on the compounds that make up quercetin, which are measurable in your blood once they're digested. They used the equivalent amount of these compounds that would normally be ingested and broken down, applying them to blood vessel lining cells.
According to the results, just a small dose of these compounds could reduce the inflammation that could lead to arterial damage. And by small doses, they're looking at the equivalent of eating about a quarter-pound of onion daily.
Be inventive: How can you add a quarter-pound of onion to your daily meal plan? Chop an onion up, and you can add it raw to the top of hot dogs and hamburgers. You can mix it in with soup or any hot dish that you're cooking. And, of course, you can throw it on top of your salad. You'll be amazed at how easy it is to go through an onion a day. (Even if it means you go through a few more mints!)
Of course, there are other ways to get your fill of quercetin compounds and benefiting your heart. Eat an apple, drink a glass of red wine, or drink a cup of tea. There are lots of ways to get your fill of this heart-healthy powerhouse.
