Onion overload: The (un)likely risk to liver health

The liver is one of the vital internal organs whose proper functioning ensures the health of the entire body. Regular alcohol consumption, improper eating habits, and the use of certain medications can seriously harm it. Interestingly, even one of the healthiest vegetables can have a negative effect on the liver, but only under specific circumstances. What is this vegetable?

Most of us are certainly well aware that regular, excessive alcohol consumption leads to the gradual deterioration of the liver. This progression can result in alcoholic fatty liver disease, hepatitis, or cirrhosis.

The last of the mentioned conditions, cirrhosis of the liver, is an advanced stage of liver damage that develops as a result of long-term alcoholism. In this state, healthy liver cells are replaced by scar tissue. Cirrhosis of the liver is irreversible and can lead to severe complications: portal hypertension, esophageal varices bleeding, and even hepatocellular carcinoma.

Maintaining proper dietary habits is crucial in the prevention of liver diseases. Therefore, it is worth avoiding or minimizing the consumption of certain products. These include, among others, products high in salt, fatty and fried foods, highly processed foods, sweets, fast foods, sweetened beverages, and carbonated and diet drinks.

It turns out that we can add onions to this list. This popular vegetable, often referred to as a natural antibiotic, contains such nutrients as vitamins A, C, E, K, B group vitamins, iron, calcium, zinc, silicon, selenium, magnesium, and dietary fibre. These valuable substances give onions antibacterial, diuretic, antioxidant, antidiabetic, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

Unfortunately, even such a healthy product as onions can harm the liver. They stimulate the digestive system and encourage bile production in the liver. Excessive digestive activity and an excess of bile can strain this vital organ. Therefore, people with liver problems should limit their onion consumption.

Of course, this does not apply to people who do not have such health problems. Healthy individuals should regularly consume onions to benefit from their flavour and health-enhancing properties.