You know those bulbs that make you cry every time you chop them up? Yeah, you should be eating lots of those. Eating plenty of vegetables is the first step to living a Paleo lifestyle, after getting rid of all the industrialized foods. Onions are particularly important because of their high phytochemical content.
The Benefits of Phytochemicals
Phytochemicals are chemical compounds that plants use to protect themselves against predators. Unfortunately for them, these compounds impart numerous health benefits to us when we eat them, including possible anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and cancer fighting effects. There is also evidence to suggest that they help regulate our cholesterol and our metabolism, preventing dangerous conditions such as oxidized LDL and insulin resistance.
The Importance of Sulfur
Onions contain fair amounts of vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, but their real value may be in their high sulfur content. Mark Sisson has a whole post about the importance of sulfur in the health of our muscles, as well as our cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Terry Wahls also recommends eating at least three cups of sulfur-rich vegetables every day.
