Pungent cancer fighters

Better Nutrition, Jan, 2005

Strong-flavored onions may have significant potential for fighting colon cancer, report researchers from Cornell University.

Researchers have known for some time that onions--as well as shallots and aged garlic extract--may help combat cancer. But the current study is the first to compare cancer-fighting abilities among commonly consumed onion varieties.

The research found that members of the onion family with the strongest flavor--particularly New York bold, western yellow and shallots--are the best varieties for inhibiting the growth of liver and colon cancer cells. They offered the greatest antioxidant protection.

Onion varieties with the mildest flavor--vidalia, empire sweet, western white, Peruvian sweet, Mexico, Texas 1015 and imperial valley sweet--had the lowest total antioxidant activity.

Onions are rich in a flavor compound known as quercetin. This potent antioxidant is also found in apples, red berries and other vegetables, and it's been linked to protection against cataracts and heart disease as well as cancer.

Green onions and cocktail onions were not tested in this study. Researchers also did not test whether cooking the onions made a difference in terms of their cancer-fighting ability.

The study was published in the November 3, 2004 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.