Many claim that placing onion in the arch of the feet and leaving it to act overnight offers numerous healing properties. This remedy is said to be effective against fever, cold, poor blood circulation, proliferation of bacteria, and accumulation of toxins. But what is true in all this? Does putting onion on your feet while you sleep have real benefits , or is it just a myth that continues to be repeated today?
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Onion on feet: Myth or Fact
There is a very divided opinion on this. On one side are the people who claim to have seen results with this home remedy, and on the other, those who believe that it is only a myth and that these benefits are nothing more than a result of the placebo effect.
Although we will not take sides in this article, we would like to show you more details about each of these theories so you can formulate your own opinion later …
Sleeping with onion on the feet: an effective remedy
Lovers of traditional medicine strongly support this theory and claim that placing chopped onion on the feet overnight serves to prevent and treat numerous ailments.
The remedy is to peel an onion (white or purple ), cut it into thin, flat slices, and place them on the sole of the foot just before sleeping , securing them with a stocking so that they remain in place. You can place several slices on the arch of the foot or make a kind of platform along the entire sole. The onion is removed the next morning after leaving it to act overnight.
Article of interest: Red Onion – Properties and Nutrients That Make It So Special
In general, it is said that sleeping with onion on your feet serves to :
- Promote greater elimination of toxins and purify the blood
- Activate blood circulation
- Prevent the spread of the flu
- Lower fever and relieve coughing, among other cold symptoms
- Fight the proliferation of fungi and bacteria
- Eliminate foot odor
- Support the function of the immune system
What are these benefits due to?
According to Traditional Chinese Medicine, the soles of our feet contain direct access points that connect us with the internal organs of the body. The terminology refers to these points as meridians , and they are believed to be closely related to the nervous system.
In traditional Chinese medicine, there are approximately 7000 meridians located in the lower part of the feet. There is still a strong controversy about the existence of these access points to the interior of the body.
Placing slices of raw onion in this area is said to help open many of the meridians, promoting the extraction of bacteria, toxins and other debris. In the opinion, these meridians act as powerful electrical circuits within the body, however, are usually inactive because we cover our feet with shoes. That is why it is recommended to stimulate them, so that they promote a healthier internal functioning.
Another very popular recommendation for stimulating the soles of the feet is to walk barefoot whenever possible. Since the Earth has a negative ionic charge, going barefoot causes our body to become negatively charged as well. Negative ions have been shown to detoxify, calm, reduce inflammation, synchronize hormonal cycles, physiological rhythms, and internal clocks1 2.
Science versus myth
The scientific community maintains that the onion has excellent properties , and that its regular consumption favors a better general state of health; however, it does not support the idea that placing raw onion on the feet has real effects on our body.
According to a publication of the American Onion Association ( National Onion Association ), this belief dates back to the 1500s, a time when placing onion pieces inside rooms was thought to offer protection against the bubonic plague.3 . Formerly it was believed that contagion with this type of disease was due to the presence of harmful air, and that onions served as a protective shield thanks to their ability to absorb it.
Once knowledge of germs became known, this theory became obsolete, but many of those ancient beliefs managed to survive to the present.
There is one hypothesis in particular about the medicinal power of onion that scientists have tried at all costs to disprove. How many times have you heard that the onion acts like a magnet to attract bacteria? Different researchers have indicated that this is not true, and that contrary to what many believe, onions do not absorb bacteria4 . Thanks to its sulfuric compounds, onions and other bulbs of the allium family do have antibacterial properties. In fact, cutting an onion is known to increase its antimicrobial power due to the release of certain enzymes, which react to form propenesulfenic acid and sulfuric acid, two compounds that also inhibit bacterial growth. But while it is true that the onionprevents the proliferation of bacteria in itself, this does not mean that it can absorb the germs that surround it.
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Final thought
As you can see, it is not so easy to reach a final verdict.
Scientific evidence confirms that, indeed, the daily consumption of onion can provide excellent health benefits , ranging from strengthening the immune system to preventing heart disease, diabetes and cancer5 , but there is no concrete evidence that its external use helps cure the flu, lower fever or absorb bacteria.
It may interest you: 15+ Proven Properties and Benefits of Onion
Even so, thousands of people give their testimonies and believe that putting onion on the feet does offer stimulating , antimicrobial and detoxifying properties . What do you think? Would you try this remedy or not?
Learn more about onion and other bulbs!
References:
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6213340/
- https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/negative-ions-create-positive-vibes#1
- https://www.onions-usa.org/faqs/onion-flu-cut-myths
- https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-you-asked/it-true-onions-can-absorb-bacteria
- https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/c0fe/11a19b134b0c8a2e6be465f5a4a46c6bbdee.pdf
My name is Louise Hammond, and I am the creator of this website, a place to find information about tubers, bulbs and medicinal roots. In Dreamsship.com I show the properties, benefits, characteristics, photos and images, ways of growing and how to make delicious meals from starchy vegetables.