Onions have long been known to mankind not only as a food product, but also as a useful, effective vegetable in the treatment of many diseases. Many have known since childhood about its healing qualities, but there are situations when it can do more harm than good to the body. One of these is gastritis with high acidity. How does onion affect digestion and whether it can be eaten with gastritis - further in the article.

What effect does onion have on the stomach?

The main function of the stomach is the digestion of food. The indicators of this process are the chemical and enzymatic activity of the constituents of the gastric juice. The main component of this juice is hydrochloric acid. Its activity is unstable and depends on some factors (for example, the use of salt) and can vary.

Did you know? The ancient Egyptians ate onion and garlic 5 thousand years ago. From the works of the ancient Greek historian Herodotus (approx. 484 BC - approx. 425 BC), it is known that one of the inscriptions on the Cheops pyramid read: 1.6 were spent on radishes, onions and garlic for builders thousand talents of silver.

Food, when it enters the oral cavity, is subjected to preliminary mechanical processing, after which its main processing, chemical-enzymatic, occurs in the stomach. But not all products equally affect the activity of the constituents of gastric juice. It is well known about the properties of savory foods and seasonings (for example, adjika, mustard, pickled vegetables, etc.) to increase appetite. Increased appetite - this is an increase in the activity of the stomach and an increase in the amount of gastric juice secreted.Onions are just those products that affect the acid balance in the digestive tract. This is due to the essential oils contained in the vegetable and active volatile compounds that are harmful to pathogenic microbes - phytoncides. If the above substances have not been subjected to heat treatment, they irritate the gastric mucosa. In turn, irritation stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid and increases the activity of the stomach.

Is gastritis allowed to eat onions?

Gastritis with high acidity (hyperacid) is an inflammation of the walls of the main digestive organ with simultaneous increased release of hydrochloric acid. This means that the walls of the stomach are already in an unhealthy environment, in a state of constant stress, which can cause ulcers.

Important! With gastritis, onions can be eaten only if the acidity is lowered, or in the remission phase.

Therefore, it is not recommended to eat untreated thermally onions and green onions with hyperacid gastritis - the vegetable enhances the secretion of acid and increases its activity. And given the fact that this activity is already stronger than necessary, you can understand how great the risk is that your own gastric juice will begin to dissolve your stomach.

Useful properties of onions

This vegetable has long been known for its unique beneficial qualities. You can write a separate article about them, but here we are not talking about that, so we will focus only on the main properties of green and onions.

Green

• The useful qualities of onion greens include the following:
• effective for frequent overwork, with a deficiency of vitamins;
• contains vitamins A, E, C, K, group B, folic acid, minerals Mg, Ca, Mn, Cu, K, Zn, etc .;
• enhances appetite, is useful for problems with digestibility of food;
• the presence of potassium in the vegetable has a beneficial effect on the state of the cardiovascular system;
• It is an excellent antimicrobial agent due to phytoncides;
• zinc, together with vitamins K and E, has a beneficial effect on hair and nails;
• calcium is good for teeth and bone;
• fiber and low calorie content allow you to use the vegetable as a component of diet food.

Onion

• A few words about the properties of the onion variety of the vegetable, useful for the human body:
• is a natural soft diuretic;
• has an anthelmintic effect;
• possesses antimicrobial action, is an anti-influenza agent;
• increases appetite;
• prevents sharp changes in blood pressure;
• helps normalize the state of the nervous system;
• possesses pronounced antioxidant properties, helps to eliminate "bad" cholesterol;
• is an effective tool for removing various papillomas;
• good for age-related problems in men;
• a vegetable will help women overcome menstrual pains and improve the reproductive system.

Eating onions after heat treatment

As already mentioned, with hyperacid gastritis, eating raw onions, despite its many useful qualities, is undesirable. But do not despair - in this situation, it can well be included in the diet, after having previously subjected some types of heat treatment.

Did you know? Use three times a day after meals A tablespoon of a mixture of freshly squeezed juice of onion and honey helps to clean the vessels and keep them in good condition. And if you take onion juice without honey in the same mode, this will contribute to the removal of stones from the urinary system.

Fried onion

As such, this vegetable is also not very suitable for eating with gastritis, like other fried foods. In combination with refried oil, it is a sufficiently strong irritant for the walls of the stomach and can cause the disease to progress in the acute phase. The same applies to stewed pre-fried vegetables.

Baked onion

If you bake the onion in the oven or on the grill, it, unlike fried or stewed, will be an excellent solution for eating. In this case, the vegetable does not just not harm, but rather becomes a useful product that has beneficial effects on the walls of the stomach.

Boiled

Boiled onions are most useful, which is expressed in the following:

• in a boiled form optimizes acid-base balance;
• beneficial effect on blood formation processes;
• vitamins and enzymes that are part of the vegetable stimulate metabolic processes;
• carbohydrates are the main element of nutrition and provide energy;
• phytoncides retain most of their qualities, while losing their irritating effect;
• in the composition of the bulb, and especially its husk, there is a special flavonoid - quercetin, which has a beneficial effect on the state of the immune system and has an anti-inflammatory effect.

Important! In order to neutralize the beneficial qualities of onions as little as possible by heat treatment, it is recommended to cook it very little, 2-3 minutes, adding to the dish just before readiness.

When is it not recommended to eat onions?

This storehouse has useful properties and a number of contraindications.

In addition to the described gastritis with high acidity and ulcers, these include:

• most gastrointestinal diseases;
• hypertension, in which onions can only be eaten in small quantities;
• pregnancy, starting from the second half - in this case, the vegetable can cause fetal allergies;
• asthma;
• individual intolerance, allergy.

Onions, both onions and green, are a healthy product rich in vitamins and minerals. However, you should remember about its irritating properties and use the product with caution, especially if you have digestive problems. But even in this case, you can afford a small amount of this vegetable, if you first boil it or bake it.