Nutritional Value Of Onions

The Globe and Mail

Few jobs in the body are as important as what the immune system does to protect you from sickness- and disease-causing agents. Yet medical research shows that “immunocompetence” – the readiness of your body to cope with invaders – often starts to decline by age 35 to 40.

Keeping up with the nutritional requirements of the immune system is hard work. Nutrients named after the whole first section of the alphabet - vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E – as well as folic acid, iron, zinc, copper, and selenium – are all required to maintain the production of millions of immune cells on a daily basis.

Even a slight deficiency can tip the balance of the entire system, leaving the body vulnerable to infection. And most people’s diets are short of one or more important immune system micronutrients.

There is one nutrient-dense superfood you could consider, though: beef liver.

Chris Kresser, licensed acupuncturist and author of the popular Healthy Skeptic blog, is among many health professionals starting to educate people on the value of eating liver on a regular basis.

“When you look at the actual nutrient content of vegetables and fruits and other plant foods versus beef liver,” says Mr. Kresser by phone from his office in Berkeley, Calif., “you'll see that beef liver in particular – but other kinds of liver, as well – has orders of magnitude more of each micronutrient in almost every case.”

Gram-for-gram, for example, cooked liver has six times the iron of kale. Liver is also one of the best food sources of vitamin B12, containing almost 30 times the amount in cooked ground beef. Famously high in vitamin A – and a good source of folic acid, zinc, copper, and selenium – liver has the potential to be a powerful booster of the immune system.

Mr. Kresser also points out the economic argument for eating liver.

“A pound of grass-fed beef liver will give you five weeks worth of super nutrient content,” he says. The total cost of that bundle of micronutrients at your average grocery store? About $5.

When Mr. Kresser recommends that people eat three to four ounces of organic, grass-fed liver every week, he says the difficult part is overcoming some common misconceptions about the food.

“Often when I tell people to eat liver, they say, ‘That's gross! That's like eating the toxic dump of the body!’” he laughs. “The liver does process toxins, that's true ... but the liver doesn't store toxins. Toxins are stored in the fat tissue.

Yellow Onion Nutrition Facts – How Many Calories Are In A Yellow ...

When you’re looking for a way to add flavor to your favorite dish, like spaghetti or soup , the calories in a yellow onion are far more friendly to weight loss efforts than generic seasoning. Sometimes known as Vidalia onions, yellow onions enhance the flavor of many dishes and they’re available year-round in most areas.

There’s much more to the yellow onion however, than a low calorie count. Keep reading to see if yellow onion nutrition facts entice you to try something new!

Looking at yellow nutrition facts lets you know one important thing immediately; yellow onions have all the right stuff for weight loss and none of the junk. Let’s start with fiber and protein because they are the nutrients most prevalent in yellow onions, and they both happen to be essential for successful weight loss.

With almost no sodium to speak of and a few carbs for energy, you can see why the yellow onion is a staple in many healthy meal recipes. The nutrients and calories are for an entire medium onion, so imagine the calorie count in just a few slices (2 medium slices have just 12 calories)!

When choosing a yellow onion to enhance a meal be sure to pick one with yellow—not brown—skin to ensure maximum flavor. It is best to buy whole onions rather than already cut onions, to ensure you get all nutritional value from yellow onions, as well as flavor.

Yellow onions should be stored at room temperature in a cool dark place. Make sure your yellow onions are not piled on top of each other; stored in a single layer yellow onions can last up to 4 weeks! Store yellow onions on their own to prevent early decay.

The best thing about the calories in a yellow onion is that it’s friendly enough to go in just about anything. Add a few slices to your burger or sandwich for extra flavor, or chop a few in a salad or your special spaghetti sauce for additional depth.

Cooked or uncooked yellow onions are low in calories, which means good for fat loss !

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