Subject: ONIONS Is This Real?

Got this in email and don't know if it's true or not. Thought the better minds here could inform me. Thanks.

My question is, is this fact or fiction???????? Does anyone out there know themselves if this is a reality???????


Subject: ONIONS PLEASE READ

Wow- very interesting....Everyone should read

ONIONS! I had never heard this!!!
PLEASE READ TO THE END: IMPORTANT

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu...
Many of the farmers and their families had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser. She said that several years ago, many of her employees were coming down with the flu, and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

Now there is a P. S. to this for I sent it to a friend in Oregon who regularly contributes material to me on health issues. She replied with this most interesting experience about onions:

Thanks for the reminder. I don't know about the farmer's story...but, I do know that I contacted pneumonia, and, needless to say, I was very ill... I came across an article that said to cut both ends off an onion put it into an empty jar, and place the jar next to the sick patient at night. It said the onion would be black in the morning from the germs...sure enough it happened just like that...the onion was a mess and I began to feel better.

Another thing I read in the article was that onions and garlic placed around the room saved many from the black plague years ago. They have powerful antibacterial, antiseptic properties.

This is the other note. Lots of times when we have stomach problems we don't know what to blame. Maybe it's the onions that are to blame. Onions absorb bacteria is the reason they are so good at preventing us from getting colds and flu and is the very reason we shouldn't eat an onion that has been sitting for a time after it has been cut open.

LEFT OVER ONIONS ARE POISONOUS

I had the wonderful privilege of touring Mullins Food Products, Makers of mayonnaise. Questions about food poisoning came up, and I wanted to share what I learned from a chemist.

Ed, who was our tour guide, is a food chemistry whiz. During the tour, someone asked if we really needed to worry about mayonnaise. People are always worried that mayonnaise will spoil. Ed's answer will surprise you. Ed said that all commercially-made mayo is completely safe.

"It doesn't even have to be refrigerated. No harm in refrigerating it, but it's not really necessary." He explained that the pH in mayonnaise is set at a point that bacteria could not survive in that environment. He then talked about the summer picnic, with the bowl of potato salad sitting on the table, and how everyone blames the mayonnaise when someone gets sick.

Ed says that, when food poisoning is reported, the first thing the officials look for is when the 'victim' last ate ONIONS and where those onions came from (in the potato salad?). Ed says it's not the mayonnaise (as long as it's not homemade mayo) that spoils in the outdoors. It's probably the ONIONS, and if not the onions, it's the POTATOES.

He explained onions are a huge magnet for bacteria, especially uncooked onions. You should never plan to keep a portion of a sliced onion.. He says it's not even safe if you put it in a zip-lock bag and put it in your refrigerator.

It's already contaminated enough just by being cut open and out for a bit, that it can be a danger to you (and doubly watch out for those onions you put in your hotdogs at the baseball park!). Ed says if you take the leftover onion and cook it like crazy you'll probably be okay, but if you slice that leftover onion and put on your sandwich, you're asking for trouble. Both the onions and the moist potato in a potato salad, will attract and grow bacteria faster than any commercial mayonnaise will even begin to break down.

Also, dogs should never eat onions. Their stomachs cannot metabolize onions.

Please remember it is dangerous to cut an onion and try to use it to cook the next day, it becomes highly poisonous for even a single night and creates toxic bacteria which may cause adverse stomach infections because of excess bile secretions and even food poisoning.

reply to post by TheSpanishArcher


Having come from a family who were heavily into agriculture I have heard and seen this as well. I still visit from time to time and find onions in their house.

I wouldn't say that they are completely healthy at all times, but most live to a ripe old age.

Old wives tale or scientifically proven...it does seem to work.

I don't ever recollect feeding my dog an onion, but he did love Jalapenos. Though the next day the farts were atrocious. My ex would scream bloody murder at me whenever she caught me feeding him some. That was usually right prior to a drill weekend where I wouldn't be home. LOL

Great thread, article. Im curious if it is a specific onion or any onion. I'd love to try it, but not sure if I can stand the thought of my house smelling like onions as some have a very strong Body Oder smell to me.

I know one thing, I wont be doing the pre slice and save anymore. Thanks for sharing this tidbit.

You may be on to something here. I have also heard that you shouldn't feed onions to chickens or put onions into compost bins. As for the potato salad, my sister did a degree in science and I remember her saying that potato salad attracted bacteria very quickly and should not be kept for long. Cool avatar by the way.

reply to post by onehuman


Cooking frozen onions to 180 should kill any types of bacteria. If your not comfortable with that saute them at 200 in butter and garlic. But boy will the house smell that day.

reply to post by TheSpanishArcher


I never knew.... That is awesome... i will be looking into this...

The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

The flu is not caused by bacteria, nor are colds. The flu virus cannot be seen with an optical microscope.

BTW, www.truthorfiction.com...-MAn8pjfY

www.snopes.com...

aside from making your eyes water and stinking up the joint, it won't work.

reply to post by TheSpanishArcher


Here is the original source that you didn't include.

urbanlegends.about.com...

As the article points out, there is no scientific basis for the belief that onions absorb anything out of the air. Virus and bacteria do not simply float around they are passed by contact such as sneezing or coughing in the vicinity of another who inhales the germs. It can also be transferred from an infected person touching something, leaving germs, and someone else coming by and completing the transfer process to themselves.

Its why we are told to always wash our hands.

I learned from a nurse that an onion will draw out the poison from a bee sting. I was stung on the bottom of my foot back in the carefree childhood days of running without shoes in the grass... The nurse who lived next door told me to get the stinger out, then cut an onion and hold it on there for 10 minutes.

After that treatment, there was a small purple discolouration on the onion, and vastly decreased sting effect.

reply to post by Phage


From your link:

There is no medical evidence that onions attracts viruses. Onions have been mythically thought to ward off diseases since the days of the bubonic plague in the middle ages. The Vetinfo.com web site does warn that onions are unsafe for dogs and included the tasty vegetable on their list of toxins for dogs.

Right, then. I knew not to feed them to my dogs but the rest is new info to me and as there is no scientific evidence, at least as of yet, I'll go with that. Thanks.

Don't believe the onion haters!

Onions really do work to kill off colds and flu!
It might be placebo ( I strongely doubt ), but it really does work.

Vitamin C also is great since in enhances the production of white blood cells which in turn, help our body defeat sickness.

reply to post by CrikeyMagnet


You can also use baking soda, salt, vinegar, lemon, lemon juice, or garlic for the same effect.

Years ago, I read a thread here on ats about this very topic.

If I recall correctly, it entailed boiling a few onions in water and setting the pot next to your bed or on a table close to where you are sitting/lying.

I think it was a thread regarding homemade remedies for pneumonia or bronchitis.

Thanks for the reminder....I have a tendency to get sick around this time of year so, if it happens...I'll give it a go. It beats having to go to the doctor if it does actually work.

reply to post by TheSpanishArcher


That has been going around on f/b for a year, or more.

I did a thread on it when I found it, but for some reason, it is not showing up in my threads to link it here with the new ATS system.

To answer your question, after many pages of responses on my thread, we discovered it was not true that onions make people sick.

reply to post by theMediator

Vitamin C also is great since in enhances the production of white blood cells which in turn, help our body defeat sickness.

Since we're at it, check this awesome video on how white blood cell chasing bacteria.

We should have White Blood Cells Day to celebrate front line warriors!

reply to post by TheSpanishArcher


These stories have been around for a while. While I'm not completely disputing their effectiveness, they have both been debunked by Snopes.

www.snopes.com...
www.snopes.com...

Sometimes I wonder how things like witch trials could have possibly happened.

Then I read a thread like this and I'm reminded that some people will believe literally anything.

reply to post by TheSpanishArcher


I like the idea of using onions to help with the flu, whether it works or not who knows? I say don't knock it til you try it.

As for used onions, i had a 6 day old half of onion in my sandwich last night, and feel perfectly fine toda#&&£££#####ð&&ð####...

we cut onions in half and store them with fresh foods as they attract all the bacteria. Always have one cut in half in the fridge too. Never eat them having done this though. In Italy it is very common practise.