Anabolic Health follows strict standards of editorial integrity to help you make health choices with confidence. Some of the products we feature are from our partners. Here’s how we make money.
Onions are a staple food in most kitchens, and you may even have onions in your grocery list. But have you ever heard about the massive onion benefits for men this veggie packs?
It's a rich source of fiber, antioxidants, and other healthy compounds that boost your health. But that's not all! Some studies suggest onions may enhance your performance during your most intimate encounters. 😉
Here are some of the biggest benefits you can get from eating more onions.
1. Increases Sperm Count and Improve Fertility in Men
Studies suggest that onions can help improve male fertility. One popular folk remedy is a combination of onion extract and a spoonful of honey.
In other variants of this concoction, some garlic is also added to the mix. It's also suggested that it can also increase a man’s libido.
2. May Help Treat Premature Ejaculation
Do you sometimes have “wet dreams” and ejaculate in your sleep? Onion extracts are believed to help balance the body’s hormones and prevent these nocturnal emissions.
It is also suggested that these same compounds can also help prevent premature ejaculation during actual sex. There's no scientific evidence to back this up, but hey... It's worth giving a shot!
3. May Help Prevent Stroke
Onions are also a rich source of antioxidants, such as glutathione peroxidase and catalase. Studies suggest that these antioxidants may help reduce one’s risk for stroke.
This is mostly based on the fact that onion has several blood-thinning compounds. These prevent the formation of blood clots, which can lead to stroke.
Some people eat raw onions in an effort to maintain their blood pressure in the healthy range. With normal blood pressure, you can expect firmer erections as well.
4. Works as a Body Detox
Men will also benefit from the detoxifying effect of onions on the body. It contains quercetin and kaempferol, two flavonoids with antioxidative action.
Onions are also rich in anthocyanins. Together with the two flavonoids mentioned above, anthocyanins reduce oxidative stress and fight off free radicals.
Last but not least, onions pack quite a bit of vitamin C, which we all know has powerful antioxidative properties. It protects your body’s cells from damage caused by free radicals.
5. May Help with Diabetes Treatment
Studies also suggest that some of the active compounds in onions may be help to manage blood sugar levels. Note that it's common for diabetic men (i.e. those with type 2 diabetes) to experience erectile dysfunction.
Long-term high blood sugar levels can damage the blood vessels and nerves. Onions are a good source of allyl propyl disulfide, which mimics the function of insulin in the blood, helping reduce blood sugar levels.
Studies also show that the anthocyanin content of onions may help to protect against diabetes.
6. Prevents Memory Loss
Onions also pack a few compounds that may help improve brain function. Some minerals found in this vegetable can help to repair brain tissue, improve mental processes, and prevent memory loss.
7. Relieves Sleep Problems
Do you have any sleep-related issues? A common folk cure is a concoction spiced with lots of onions or just eating them raw before going to bed.
It doesn't sound like a breath mint but it may help you get a good night’s sleep.
(But note this is a purely folk thing, no studies on the matter whatsoever.)
8. Prevents Hair Loss
Here's one natural remedy to hair loss: oss a handful of onions in your juicer to get enough onion juice in a small bottle.
Pour that extracted onion juice on the thinning areas of your head to prevent any further thinning. Apply every day to get the best results.
Allegedly, this strategy works by improving local blood flow, thus bringing more nutrients to the hair follicles and promoting their growth.
9. Reduces Hypertension and Reduces Bad Cholesterol
Overweight men usually have high low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. LDL is the "bad" cholesterol that's a major risk factor of atherosclerosis (arterial plaque).
In a nutshell, atherosclerosis is the build-up of fatty deposits in the walls of the blood vessels. These fatty deposits can severely reduce the blood flow in the affected areas.
Onion extracts are rich in flavonoids that can help reduce LDL levels. The effect over time is improved blood flow which eventually contributes to better and longer-lasting erections.
Besides that, onions are also a rich source of B vitamins such as pyridoxine (vitamin B6) and folate (vitamin B9). These vitamins help boost the body’s metabolism, increase the production of red blood cells, and even improve cognitive function.
10. May Help in Preventing Cancer
Onion extracts may help prevent the development of some forms of cancer.
Studies suggest that some onion compounds may help in the prevention of colon cancer. Note that onions are a good source of cysteine and S-methylcysteine, which are organosulfur chemicals.
These compounds have been found to inhibit the activity of cancer cells in the colon. That should give men enough motivation to make onions a part of their daily diet.
Studies suggest that eating onions regularly may help reduce one’s risk for colorectal cancer by 15%.
This vegetable is also a good source of onionin A (yep, that's how it's called). Studies suggest that this compound can help reduce or slow down the development of tumors in the body.
11. Promotes Bone Health
Making onions a staple food in your diet may help to prevent the loss of phosphorus and calcium, two minerals that are essential for bone strength.
Calcium and phosphorus improve bone mineral density, thickness, and mass.
12. Supports the Immune System
The organosulfur compounds in onions apparently help to improve the production of antibodies. Antibodies are essential for proper immunity in the body.
13. Prevents Stress and Anxiety
Anxiety is one of the contributing factors that lead to erectile dysfunction and a host of other problems that men experience. Stress and anxiety have a huge impact on the brain and they can therefore affect male erectile function.
Note that there are three types of erections:
- Reflexive erections – those caused by physical stimulation
- Psychogenic erections – those caused by mental or visual stimuli
- Nocturnal erections – those that happen when men go to sleep
Any disruption to any of these processes can have a huge impact on the quality of a man’s erections. That means any problems that you experience in the nervous system, your emotional state, hormones, muscle problems, and blood vessels can have a direct correlation with your erections.
According to one study, having emotional or mental issues such as PTSD can increase a man’s risk for sexual dysfunction.
One of the ways to reduce stress and anxiety is by making adjustments in your diet. Onions contain a lot of dietary fiber and probiotics, which are known to support mental health.
14. Promotes Heart Health
We mentioned earlier that onions are a rich source of the flavonoid quercetin. According to one study, taking at least 162 mg of quercetin daily can help reduce systolic blood pressure by 3–6 mmHg over the course of 6 weeks.
Onions also contain a lot of anthocyanins, which also benefit the heart. One study reported that taking anthocyanins regularly may reduce one’s risk of suffering from a heart attack and ischemic stroke.
15. Promotes Skin Health
Who would have thought that adding onions to your meals every day can be beneficial to your skin? Onions have antimicrobial, antibacterial, and antioxidant components that can help boost skin health.
They have been found to improve skin complexion, treat acne, reduce dark spots, and get rid of wrinkles.
If you’re interested in the skin health benefits of onions, then make sure to consume more red onions. This type of onion contains more anthocyanins, which is the pigment that gives these onions their deep red color.
It’s Easy to Add to Any Diet
Here are a few suggestions in case you want to make onions a part of your daily meals:
Onions are staples in some cuisines, which makes them very easy to add to your diet. You don’t have to eat them raw to enjoy the onion benefits for men listed above, so get creative and find a recipe to your taste!