Why Do I Crave Onions? There’s A Good Reason For It!

If you have ever experienced an intense desire for a particular food, that’s a craving. Unlike the common yearning for missing a specific food, craving is uncontrollable and makes one feel as though nothing else satisfies them.

An onion craving means developing an uncontrollable urge to eat an onion raw or cooked, whether mixed in other foods or on its own.

Why Do I Crave Onions?

An onion craving results from a deficiency in certain nutrients demanded by the body. Chromium is a nutrient found in onions and required in the body for blood sugar regulation and glucose metabolism. Besides the nutrients, the body might also have a deficiency in minerals such as magnesium and zinc or an amino acids deficiency. The deficit forces the mind to demand a food item it has known to contain nutrients, minerals, or amino acids. In this case, those are onions.

Can I Be Okay If I Eat A Lot of Onions?

Onions are only safe if eaten in moderation. However, excessive consumption of onions could lead to severe health risks for an individual. Eating a cup of chopped onions or one medium-size onion daily is the most recommended by health experts.

That’s because it is considered not too little to cause cravings and not too much to bring about health risks. Some notable health risks of consuming too much of onions are;

• Increased acid refluxes,
• Appearance or irritable bowel syndrome, and
• Increased gastrointestinal distress.

What Minerals and Nutrients Cause Onion Craving?

While the onion smell and flavor are very much inviting for an individual, they are not the only reasons your body requires them. Our bodies consciously or unconsciously know how to demand beneficial nutrients and minerals. That’s one of the many reasons we crave onions, whether raw or cooked.

Onions have several amino acids, nutrients, and minerals the body demands to have for its functioning. Here are some essential minerals, amino acids, and nutrients present in onions and required by your body.

• Vitamin C: Onions contain vitamins, which are strong antioxidants. Thus, helping in protecting body cells from unstable molecules. Besides, vitamin C is also significant in absorbing minerals such as iron and repairing body tissue.
• Vitamin B: Onions are vitamin B rich. The best part is that it contains vitamin B6 and B9, which is beneficial in metabolism, production of red blood cells, and nerve function.
• Potassium: Vegetable potassium is beneficial to your health, especially in water retention and blood pressure control. Potassium has also been deemed significant in regulating muscle contractions, sending nerve signals, and regulating other body fluids.
• Manganese: The mineral is vital in ensuring the formation of bones and connective tissues. Again, it is also suitable for blood sugar regulation, carbohydrate metabolism, blood clotting, and calcium absorption.
• Copper: The mineral is a significant component in the formation of red blood cells. Additionally, copper is essential in ensuring a healthy immune system, nerve system, bones, and blood vessels. Further, it is also helpful in the absorption of iron.
• Iron: One of the most significant minerals in the body is iron. The mineral is a key component of hemoglobin, thus essential in delivering oxygen. Iron has also been known to help in body temperature regulation, gastrointestinal process, energy generation, and boosting the immune system.
• Amino acids: Raw onions contain several amino acids, including glutamic acid, glutamine, asparagine, and arginine. Each of the amino acids has several benefits to the body. Some advantages of amino acids include the breakdown of toxic ammonia and the enhanced neurotransmitter process.

Body Changes That Could Lead to Onion Craving?

Onion craving can be depicted by several changes in body functioning due to various circumstances. With onion craving, it could be possible health or underlying bodily issues are leading to it. However, it is always advisable to seek a medical opinion before starting self-medication.

That’s because it is not always the case that onion cravings will mean either of these things. Nevertheless, here are some body changes that could cause onion cravings.

• Liver malfunctioning: The liver’s proper functioning depends on minerals such as sulfur and iron, which are available in onions. As such, craving onions could mean liver malfunctioning due to deficiency in these minerals. However, confirm the liver problem with a doctor.
• Body toxicity: Body functioning depends on oxygenated blood distributed all over the body. The oxygen is delivered through a protein known as hemoglobin which is made up of iron components. With onion as a source of iron, toxicity in the body could mean one has deficiencies in iron, which may cause onion cravings.
• Pregnancy: Pregnancies are known causes of onion cravings. According to scientists, this is not just a normal craving but the need to balance body hormones. Onions are among the best items in providing the necessary balance for hormones. Pregnant women encounter hormonal imbalances, thus leading to onion cravings.
• Stress and Anxiety: Besides physical health, onions have also been known to have significance in emotional health. Onions are good in forming a blockade against compounds that interferes with serotonin levels. Serotonin is the hormone giving your body the “feel good” moment. Hence, it helps fight off depression, stress, or anxiety.
• Unhealthy LDL Cholesterol: Blood clots in blood vessels could lead to heart problems. The body tries to fight excessive LDL cholesterol to protect itself, which may lead to onion cravings. That’s because onions are great for blood thinning.

Frequently Asked Questions to Why Do I Crave Onions?

Conclusion to Why Do I Crave Onions?

Onion cravings could signal that your body is deficient in certain nutrients that onions can provide. Our bodies are wired to crave foods we are deficient in, so it is important to listen to our bodies and equally important to be mindful of not taking in too much of what’s recommended.