Vegetable
Onion
A common kitchen bulb, eaten or made into a simple syrup, traditionally used to loosen a cough and support the heart.
⤢📊 How it ranks (our editor score) — 90/100Tap to see the breakdown
👶 Safe for children?
This remedy carries age-related cautions. Please read them before giving it to a child, and check with your pediatrician or pharmacist first.
- Onion-honey syrup is not for babies under one year (because of the honey).
🌱 What it is
Onions are layered bulbs in the same family as garlic. The same sulfur compounds that make your eyes water are part of what makes them good for you.
📜 Where it comes from
Onions have been eaten and used as home remedies for thousands of years, from ancient Egypt through Greco-Roman kitchens and medieval European herbals, where cooks and healers alike turned to them for coughs, colds, and chest complaints. A simple onion syrup, made by layering sliced onion with sugar or honey and letting it sit overnight, was a common household remedy passed down through generations of family cooks. It remains a familiar folk approach in many kitchens today.
✨ Why it's good for you
- Contain plant compounds that may support the immune system
- Often linked with heart and circulation health
- Add rich flavor to almost any savory dish
🥗 Nutrition
Per 1 medium onion (110g) · about 44 calories
- Vitamin C 12% DV
- Fiber 2g
- Vitamin B6 10% DV
- Antioxidants (quercetin)
Source: USDA FoodData Central
🥄 How to use it
Eat onions regularly in food, or make a traditional cough syrupA sweet, thick herbal liquid that soothes the throat. How to make a syrup → by layering sliced raw onion with honey, letting it sit for a few hours, and taking spoonfuls of the resulting liquid.
How much: Regular use in food; for a cough, spoonfuls of onion-honey syrupA sweet, thick herbal liquid that soothes the throat. How to make a syrup → as needed.
Why it works: Draws out swelling and reduces pain; antioxidantA helpful substance in colorful fruits and vegetables that protects your cells from everyday wear and tear. More → that protects against cancer
Show full details & how to prepare it
The everyday onion, a cousin of garlic, is more than a flavor base — it's a heart-friendly food rich in sulfur compounds and antioxidants, and its juice is the heart of an old-fashioned cough syrupA sweet, thick herbal liquid that soothes the throat. How to make a syrup → that grandmothers have sworn by for generations.
Eaten regularly in cooking, onions support healthy circulation and cholesterol. For a cough or cold, the classic remedy is to layer raw slices with honey, let the syrupA sweet, thick herbal liquid that soothes the throat. How to make a syrup → draw out over a few hours, and take it by the spoonful (for adults and children over one).
Ways to prepare it
⚠️ Cautions
- Very safe as a food; raw onion can cause heartburn or gas in sensitive people.
- A rare allergy is possible.
📚 Learn more
🌿 Deeper natural detail
🩺 The conventional view
💬 Ask Remy about Onion
📚 Resource confidence
Based on mentions in health references
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