Onions could help ward off osteoporosis,osteoporosis, the thinning of the bones that often comes with age.
If so, the popular vegetable could bolster bones while perking up taste buds, suggests a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Before you order a bowl of French onion soup, consider this.
So far, the evidence just comes from tests on bone cells taken from rats.
There's no reason not to eat onions, but it's too soon to say if they'll help your bones or how much onion it takes.
Some people with osteoporosis may also take medications to hold the line on bone loss.
Being small-boned or thin and having a family history of osteoporosis are also risk factors.
A bone mineral density testbone mineral density test can check for osteoporosis.
Swiss researchers say a compound in white onions reduced bone breakdown in the rats' bones.
The compound isn't calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, or other must-have minerals and vitamins for bones.must-have minerals and vitamins for bones.
Scientists from the University of Bern in Switzerland fed dried white onion flakes (or extracts made from onion flakes) to young male rats.
Judging by levels of that chemical in the rats' urine, the onion-eating rats lost less bone.
Next, the researchers harvested bone cells from rats.
Then, the cells were exposed to parathyroid hormone, which increases bone breakdown.
GPCS was the only onion compound that curbed bone loss, say the researchers.
They want to test GPCS further and search for any related compounds.
They have the highest total antioxidant activity of all onions; that might help fight cancer cells, says a study in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry's November edition.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise: "Osteoporosis - Topic Overview."
WebMD Medical News: "Pungent Onions Make Potent Cancer Fighters."