Hello Beautiful!

It looks like you're new to The Community. If you'd like to get involved, click one of these buttons!

In this Discussion

onions- a persistent concern of mine.

all information found at http://www.rawfoodexplained.com

The substance in onions which gives them their characteristic odor and flavor is mustard oil, a volatile oil which is highly toxic. Its vapors are so irritating that they cause profuse watering of the eyes just by being in contact with the vapors for a few seconds. This oil, if applied directly to the skin, would cause extreme redness and blistering.

Anyone can testify to the fact that after they have eaten onions, even if it was only a small amount, the onion smell stays in their breath for a long time afterwards. The body eliminates much of this toxic oil through the breath as it attempts to get rid of this poison from the system.

The mustard oil is metabolized in the body to thiocyanate. Ordinarily small amounts of thiocyanate are eliminated. But in large amounts this substance is highly toxic and results in disease. Thiocyanates are goitogenic. They contribute to the formation of a goiter by decreasing thyroxine synthesis in the thyroid gland. Thyroxine performs many important functions in the body.

One important function that thyroxine has in the body is to increase the rate at which cells burn their fuel, glucose. It also works in partnership with cortisol (a hormone of the adrenal glands) in defending the body against stress resulting from extreme cold. Thyroxine is also involved in other antistress responses. Emotional stress and severe hunger also provide an elevated thyroxine output. In general, thyroxine comes into play when there is an extra demand for energy. Thyroxine also increases the heart rate. When it is synthesized within the cells of the thyroid, this hormone becomes a part of a protein (thyro-globulin) until needed. When needed, a complex reaction involving the proteolysis (hydrolysis) of thyroglobulin and the synthesis of thyroxine takes place.

This is the point where the thiocyanate interferes with the synthesis of thyroxine. Apparently, the interference occurs with this protein but further research still has to be done in this area. At any rate, much harm can result.

In The Complete Book of Food and Nutrition, J.I. Rodale relates a series of experiments concerning the adverse effects of eating onions. According to Rodale, Dr. M. Kaiser, of the University of Illinois College of Medicine, gorged (experimentally) on enough onions to bring himself down with an all-out case of anemia in a single week.

Experimenting with dogs, the same Illinois scientist first tried them out on the ordinary onion oil extract that is widely used in restaurants and homes for food-flavoring, and discovered that a daily dose of a mere quarter teaspoonful of this substance produced the disease in marked degree. Found to be too potent to try in a proportionate scale on humans, this extract should, they agreed, not even be used in extreme moderation in seasoning.

The next stage in the course of their study consisted simply of enlisting volunteer medical students to overeat the plain food, and in this stage Dr. Kaiser himself participated. Besides their regular diet, the group consumed over two pounds of cooked onions daily for 5 days. At the end of this time all showed typical anemia symptoms, dragging themselves around in an exhausted state and turning pale to their fingertips. On laboratory examination, the red cell count in their blood exhibited a drop of about a million, and the hemoglobin content was also starkly reduced. But this was only a slight anemia when compared with that of the dogs, which for 15 days had been fed comparable amounts of the pungent bulbs. In the animals both red cell count and hemoglobin had sunk to 50 percent below normal.

This destruction of the red blood cells and subsequent liberation and loss of hemoglobin has very grave consequences to the body's overall integrity. The red blood cells, along with the other constituents of the blood, perform many very important functions. Below is a list of just some of these duties:

-It is the medium by which oxygen is transported from the lungs to the tissues.

-Carbon Dioxide, a product of the metabolism of cells is transported from the tissues to the lungs.

-Nutrient materials are absorbed from the intestine and carried to the tissues.

-Many organic substances that represent breakdown products of metabolism are carried by the blood to the kidneys for excretion.

-Hormones, the secretions of ductless or endocrine glands, are distributed throughout the body by the bloodstream.

-The blood flows from the deeper and warmer parts of the body to the extremities and tends to distribute heat more evenly to all parts of the body.

-The blood plays an important part in maintaining acid-base balance of the tissues.

-There is a constant relationship between blood volume and the fluid content of the tissues.

-The ability of the blood to form a clot and so reduce bleeding has been of survival value to animals and man.

-The blood performs an important part in cleaning up foreign matter and dead cells from the body.

-We can thus see that by disturbing one thing in the body we disturb many functions. But these problems can be avoided simply by staying on a correct diet and -----avoiding such toxic foods as garlic and onions.

Volatile oils, especially from polishes; mustard oil, onions, garlic and other pungent herbs; teas and drinks, etc., are not wholesome in the lungs. If you eat an onion or a piece of garlic, the lungs are one of the eliminating organs through which their toxic components are expelled. The oils of frying foods are not only toxic and very carcinogenic, but, when inhaled, they tend to coat the lungs. Heated oils give off acrolein. While it may smell fine, it is really a trojan horse, for its pleasant odor is contrary to its toxic nature.

All members of the onion family

Comments

  • does anyone have any information that contradicts this? i've been afraid to use onions and have begun looking for a substitute- so far i think, depending on how the onions are used, the best are celery, apples, and jicama. and i can't think of a substitute for garlic. i'm just spreading this helpful information because i think most people don't know about it, but if anyone can tell me why i shouldn't worry about using onions and garlic, that would also be appreciated.

  • If you don't mind I'm going to add this to my website, it is new for Christians.

    http://www.christianforlivingfood.com

    take care

    God bless

  • I know that some raw foodists (I know Dr. Douglas Graham is one) are against onion and garlic use. Personally, I don't have problems with moderate onion or garlic use (escept bad breath or it coming out the pours:-) I know that the smell is sited as evidence that the body is trying to rid itself of toxics. But, I can smell high fruit days (which I try to have a lot of) coming out my pours and when I urinate. (Sorry about being so personal). I don't think that means fruit is bad for me.

    Anyways- I have only antedotal evidence. I personally have no problems from them. And, I know tons of people eat onions and garlic with no problems either.

    I wouldn't gorge myself on them (like Dr. Kaiser did for the experiment). But, moderate use of onion and garlic, yes.

    I used mashed garlic in avacado for several days when I had a bad "cold" (not sure exactly what it was). Had white spots on the back of my throat, so maybe it was strep? I believe it helped get rid of it and saved me from having to go to the doctor for antibiotics (which I would have if it didn't clear up).

    Of course, I could barely stand the smell of myself (neither could my poor husband;-)

    I think the key thing to remember is that even the article it mentions "But in large amounts this substance is highly toxic and results in disease."

    Many things (even good or neccessary for our health substances) can be toxic in large amounts.

    Moderation is the key imho.

  • I have been hearing for awhile now that some people have eliminated onions and garlic, and I wasn't sure what the basis behind it was. This article clears up that question for me. Although I still do not plan to stop eating onions and garlic. Same goes for herbs and spices. I see these as all naturally occurring foods and believe that they all have some benefits for us. Raw garlic especially is touted for it's wonderful health benefits. I don't plan to make a meal out of onions or garlic either though. As sisterbecky said, moderation is the key.

    I noticed that the study also mentioned that the subjects were eating cooked onions: "Besides their regular diet, the group consumed over two pounds of cooked onions daily for 5 days."

    I wonder if there would have been any difference if they had eaten raw onions... ?

    In any case, there are SO many conflicting studies out there nowadays, that if we try to adhere to all of the findings, we will be left with nothing to eat!

  • I say....listen to your body. You can find an article out there about ANY food that "proves" with "facts" and "studies" that it is not good for you. If it feels right to eat it then go for it; if not then stay away.

  • delalunadelaluna Raw Newbie

    Personally for me, my digestion cannot tolerate raw garlic or onions. Cooked onions and garlic, okay. but not raw.

    So I use green onions as a substitute. And the recipes that call for garlic, I just skip the garlic part.

    I'm also wondering what if I dehydrate the raw onions and garlic, maybe then my digestion can tolerate?

  • rawlizardrawlizard Raw Newbie

    I can't imagine a day without onions! maybe I am overdoing it...

  • camiheartsrawcamiheartsraw Raw Newbie

    I always thought it was the high sulfur content was the main cause for the bad breath - I mixed up a batch of spring onions last night and couldn't figure out why my trash smelled like rotten eggs (sulfur). Sure enough - it was the onions. I will research this further. Garlic has a lot of very good attributes, including anti-bacterial and fungicide properties. Onions and garlic have both been suggested for people with autoimmune diseases like lupus because the sulfur content can be beneficial. Anything can be toxic in extreme amounts - even water can cause electrolyte imbalances, potassium deficiency and therefore potentially kidney problems if consumed in extreme excess.

    Note that the experimenter "gorged" on onions for a week and the test subjects ate 2 pounds daily for 15 days. Dogs are affected differently by some foods - look at chocolate! Onions and Garlic can cause anemia in dogs when used in excess - and cause bleeding problems. Small amounts of garlic for a short period of time can be beneficial during flea season and when our dogs blood was tested - no problems. We generally keep them away from onions because the benefits aren't as high as the risks as they are in garlic. It also mentioned blisters being caused by the oil - then why do our hands and tongues not break out?

    Moral of the article: Don't eat 2 pounds of onions daily :)

  • swayzeswayze Raw Newbie

    Thanks for the article, Sweet Adeline! That site has a whole bunch of great articles on raw foods and health.

    Onions certainly won't kill you, but they are not an ideal food. Whenever I do have them, I can smell it in my sweat the next day.

    I tend to stick with food that I can eat in mass quantities on its own. The only way I can eat onions is in small quantities and mixed with other foods.

    Swayze

    www.fitonraw.com

  • I think in order for certain foods to cause a goiter, you have to be predisposed towards a goiter in the first place. I tihnk you would have to eat a lot of onions to see results as in the above article. That being said they can be hard on the digestion. People can use their best judgement about how much of these to eat. I prefer chives. They are mild and sweet but confer an 'oniony' taste . I hate raw onions and the aftertaste. ;-)

    Some people use their eating habits to complement spiritual growth or meditative states. In Buddhist traditions, there are times when you are supposed to eschew strong flavors such as onion and garlic in order to complement a mental state that is meditative and transcendant. I wonder if that is so that you aren't distracted by onion breath or garlic seeping out of your pores while you're meditating..... ;-) lol

  • I was just thinking about this yesterday while i was eating a raw veggie burger with red onions on it. I thought to myself "If I wouldn't want to take a bite out of an onion by itself, by what natural means can I justify eating it along with other foods? I wouldn't go up to an onion and munch on it like fruit in a wild environment." Thanks for bringing this up.

  • There are scientific studies that show garlic is a potent natural antibiotic and antifungal agent. Perhaps onions and garlic are meant for a more medicinal, short term usage rather than a food.

  • Alexa, that's a good point- I totally agree.

    the funny thing is that I heard that Angela Stokes Monarch ate a red onion like an apple (I read it on Matt Monarch's web site) so, maybe some people do that-- but I would not do that either.

  • swayzeswayze Raw Newbie

    Woah, the whole thing?! My Dad LOVES red onion, but I don't think even he would have the guts to do that.

    Swayze

     

  • Chef ShuannaChef Shuanna Raw Newbie

    Raw Happy Girl, I couldnt have said it better. Do what makes you feel good. We all have one common goal. To live a natural raw, cruelty free life. Our paths to that lifestyle make take us down a different road, though we all have the same end point.

    My body do great with the two listed above but it doesn't mean that someone else's body isn't sensitive to them. Every food out there has some 'scientific' study on how it is not good for us. I say go with what your body thrives on. Skip on what it doesnt.

    Cheers

     

  • ambiguousambiguous Raw Newbie

    OK, if you feel like onions are not good for you, that's fine.

    However, the premise of this "article" is false, "The substance in onions which gives them their characteristic odor and flavor is mustard oil, a volatile oil which is highly toxic."

    I'm not going to say that you can buy mustard oil at Indian food stores and that lots of people eat mustard oil all the time (OK, maybe I am), but regardless of whether mustard oil is toxic or not, ONIONS DO NOT CONTAIN MUSTARD OIL. Onions are not in the mustard family. They are actually in the lily family, the same family as aloe and bananas. It is sulphenic acid and aliinases that gives onions their bite. When onions are cut, sulfuric acid is formed. That's why our eyes tear.

    Frankly, most of the "information" at rawfoodexplained.com seems to be made up out of thin air, and the rest is often misquoted from other sources. Please do some background research before believing what you read there, or anywhere. Even here.

    Plus--doesn't everyone know not to give raw onions to dogs? They're also not supposed to eat grapes or macadamia nuts--does that mean everyone here will stop eating these too?

  • I love onion and garlic, I have one or the other everyday.

  • LilEarthMuffinLilEarthMuffin Raw Newbie

    For me personally I love onions and I love garlic! However I noticed that whenever I eat garlic I smell and sometimes i get gassy. ew :(

     

  • grapefruit.fanaticgrapefruit.fanatic Raw Newbie

    Raw vs. cooked onion

    Artemis- great question about raw vs. cooked onion. I personally love onion and add it to most salads, but I can only tolerate it raw. Cooked onion makes my stomach sick and makes me gassy...so perhaps that study would have had different results if it hadn't been cooked.

    In small quantities, I don't think that raw onion necessarily gives you bad breath, either. I have always been paranoid about that, but my husband swears that he cannot smell it on my breath :-)

  • The same is true w/ chives. It is in my herbal book. Also, try to only use olive oil from Israel.

  • I'm not cutting out anything that occurs naturally in nature. That includes onions, garlic or any other member of the "mustard family" (lol).

  • onion and garlic are underground bulbs. they contain nearly everything that the plant buds will need to grow and bloom. they are essential for the plants but i would say they aren't food for us. if you were in nature would you know to find that plant and dig up the bulb? and even then, how would you eat it?

    there are foods that are much worse for your health, so i wouldn't worry too much about it unless you consume it on a regular basis. all i know is that when i eat onions or garlic raw i get instant heartburn, i get sweaty and it smells like onions and garlic. not a good sign to me.

  • edited

    God Bless!

  • Just because of something's being a product of nature, dose not mean it is always good for you, look up american poke weed (Pytolacca americana) sometime or doll's eyes (Actaea pachypoda). How about chocolate, for humans it's a super antioxidant, but in canines they can't metabolize the theobromine in it which is a neuro-cardiac stimulant which can lead to arrest in that system.

    So how about onions and garlic? I say everything in moderation, and onions and garlic in much more moderation, at least for myself. Everyone's physiologically different and the issue here is metabolism of certain compounds and the antibiotic effect on healthy bacterial flora. I've never sweated out these compounds so I'm in line to think that I can metabolize these to a good degree, yet it dose seem to have an effect on my intestinal flora. Many people have stronger levels of bacteria or a better reservoir for bacteria I guess (check out this new appendix research http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/08/090820175901.htm). Die off can be a negligible issue for an individual who consumes rarely or not often, but large intakes can have a more devastating effect. Decreased flora means compromised nutrient intake, digestion, immunity, and tissue health (due to bad bacteria excesses).

    Ultimately it comes down to the fact that everyones different and they have to experiment and see how it effects their system. You could possibly age garlic which would remove a good portion of the allicin (anti-bacterial compund) from it, I don't know if this would be the same process as curing, and allicin may not be the only compound that has adverse effects.

Sign In or Register to comment.