Have you ever found yourself inexplicably craving onions, wondering what’s behind this sudden urge? It turns out that your seemingly random desire for this humble vegetable might reveal more about your health and well-being than you think.
In our article, “Understanding Your Onion Cravings: Top 3 Reasons Revealed,” we’ll explore the intriguing reasons why onions might suddenly become irresistible and what these cravings could be signaling about your body.
As you uncover these insights, the Eating Enlightenment Food Journal App can be your supportive companion. This app provides practical tools to help you manage cravings, tackle emotional eating, and address binge tendencies. With its guidance, you can practice mindful eating and cultivate a more balanced approach to your dietary habits.
1 – Liver Problems
You need your liver function to live! Your liver helps your body remove toxins from the foods you digest.
But what if your liver isn’t working well? It turns out your liver needs lots of sulfur, and if you don’t have enough, this could cause liver problems.
Luckily, onions are a rich source of sulfur, and you can get them at any grocery store!
This means you may be craving onions. Your liver struggles to break down toxins because your body is in short supply of sulfur.
Of course your liver may need more than onions because your liver requires more than sulfur to function!
You also can try to incorporate more onions into your diet through a variety of ways such as:
- Onions diced and added to scrambled eggs
- Onions with any meat
- Minced onions to enhance the flavor and taste of other dishes
If you’re not a fan of onions but want to improve your liver health, read my ‘8 best supplements for liver function’ review article here.
Signs of Liver Damage Problems Causing Onion Cravings
Liver problems are severe. If you are craving onions and show these other signs, your liver may struggle to break down toxins in your body.
- Yellowish tinge to your skin or around your eyes
- Very dark pee
- Very light or yellowish poop
- Inflammation and swelling in your legs and ankles
Now, you can also have dark pee if your body gets dehydrated. But if you’re craving onions, your pee is dark, your poop is yellow, and your ankles are inflamed …
You need to call the doctor soon. Your liver function may be compromised. Don’t believe those vegan myths and wait to eat onions to see if things get better. Just get your health checked out as soon as possible.
If getting to the doctor’s is difficult, you should get a blood test for inflammation. Information about inflammation in your body can help identify the overall state of your blood and liver health.
2 – Feeling Sick (& Craving Onions To Feel Better)
Some people crave onions when they are feeling sick. Why? It could be for a few reasons:
- It can remind them of home cooking since their mother or grandmother would make onion soup,
- It might ease nausea and vomiting, which can cause feelings of sickness
- Finally, it may also taste good to someone who is not feeling well (more on taste below!).
If these symptoms persist, you should check with your doctor. But the next time that craving hits and you’re not feeling well, try eating an onion!
It’s similar to why you might crave fruit or orange juice when feeling unwell.
Your body knows Vitamin C is good when you’re ill and crave it!
Is It Weird To Eat Raw Onions?
Whether it’s weird to eat uncooked onions is a matter of preference.
Some say eating an onion with the skin on makes them feel like they’re getting more benefits because they get all three layers.
But some people don’t enjoy this sensation and find it unpleasant. So you should try both ways and see which one agrees best!
And in case you were wondering, no, there isn’t anything wrong with craving something healthy! It could be as simple as your body telling you what it needs right now!
The health benefits are clear (including boosting immunity!), and the reasons for feeling sick are mentioned above.
Pro Tip: To avoid the eye-crying that comes with cutting raw onions, you may want to use a match!
Hold a match in your mouth so the unlit tip is by your nose. The next time you cut raw onions, it will help reduce the crying!
Onion Health Benefits (No Wonder You Crave Onions!)
- High dietary fiber helps in blood sugar regulation
- It contains antioxidants that fight cancer cells and are anti-inflammatory!
- Prevents heart disease
- Lowers cholesterol and blood pressure levels
- Prevents stomach ulcers
- Protects from strokes and regulates body weight by burning fat
- High in vitamin c
Phew! That’s a lot of benefits for one little onion! It might be time to give up the guilt about those tears you shed when cutting them over your dinner plate…or not 🙂
Either way, it doesn’t matter because onions are so good for you!
Read this Healthline article to learn more about the impressive health benefits of onions!
Then Why Does My Body Crave Raw Onions?
Craving uncooked onions can sound strange. Why would anyone crave an uncooked onion when it tastes so terrible?
But let’s pause and think for just a second! What about hamburgers with uncooked onions? Or have you ever put chopped-up diced onions on foods like:
- Baked potato with sour cream
- Chili hotdog
- Fish
Yes, onions in their natural form, straight from Mother Earth, have a place in your diet!
Some cultures and different meals (like having a baked potato in the Midwest) enjoy the taste and crunch of raw onions.
Read here for more information on why you’re craving other foods.
3 – Onions Make Food Taste Better
Humans have a long history of associating the taste and smell of onions with home cooking. This means these tasty vegetables can make our favorite foods taste better!
This is the most crucial reason you’re craving onions, raw or cooked!
Onions make things taste better!
In fact, throughout human history, we have valued and craved things that make our food taste better.
In ancient times, salt was worth as much as gold because it made food taste better and helped preserve it!
An onion, in this respect, is no different. Both salt and an onion make your food taste better.
We develop cravings because our brain releases endorphins when we eat something that smells good (like an onion). These chemicals make us feel more relaxed or happy!
This can be especially true with soups containing onions, as onions contain many different ingredients that release aromas simultaneously while cooking.
Adding an onion to your favorite dishes will make those taste better! It’s kind of like cheese!
And remember, there’s nothing wrong with adding raw onions to salads, too. Uncooked onions can add a nice crunch and contribute to endorphin release!
But what happens if you eat onions every day?
If onions are nutritious and make your food taste better (and if you’re googling ‘why do I crave onions’), what if you eat and crave onions daily?
Onions contain many vitamins and minerals (like vitamin C) and are great for your immune system, so getting cravings for them daily is not a problem.
The only natural negative effect is that the odor from onion can cling to your breath and clothes/hair, which might lead to people avoiding socializing with you!
Ewww, onion breath! And garlic onion breath is even worse!
Eating or chopping an onion also creates burning sensations in the mouth and throat. Ever wonder why freshly chopped onions make you cry? It’s because raw onions release hydrogen sulfide gas, which irritates your eyes.
And lastly, why do I crave onions and garlic?
Chocolate and milk. Peanut butter and jelly.
I’m listing some examples of two foods that go great together! Let’s add garlic and onions to the list, shall we?!
Garlic and onions together taste amazing.
This is because the compounds in garlic and onions react to produce even more flavors!
Some people report that they crave these foods together for their comforting flavor.
And if you think about it, chocolate without milk or peanut butter without jelly would be a bit weird, too. You often can’t have one without the other!
The same goes for garlic and onions – we love them together!! Try adding these two veggies to your favorite recipes today!!! 🙂
Listening to what foods give you satisfaction and pleasure is vital to intuitive eating and weight management.
Here are some great ideas on how to cook up garlic and onions together:
- Cook the garlic and onions together in a pot with olive oil. Once they are soft, add your favorite protein (such as chicken breast or ground beef).
- Add spices to this mixture for extra flavor—like salt and pepper, cumin powder, turmeric, and paprika! You can also add tomato sauce if you want it to be saucier. Before adding water, let this cook on low heat until everything is well combined. This will help mix all those flavors even better without getting too mushy!!
- Sautéing them both at the same time is another tasty option—make sure not to burn either one so that they keep their great taste! Then add hot pasta for a great dish!
But the best way to add garlic and onions is in a sauce or soup.
I love cutting up some onion and adding it to my tomato-based pasta sauce with ground beef. Not only does the flavor of that recipe come alive, but so will your room!
Let’s say you’re making tacos. Slice fresh onions on top of your meat before putting them into a taco shell.
Or if you are cooking rice, sautéing half an onion with butter and then adding the uncooked rice until coated might be just what you need. A little bit goes such a long way!
You can also do this by throwing chopped veggies like broccoli stems or carrot tops into a soup pot or boiling them with some oil. Then, wait for the veggies to soften and become tender.
Please remember cooking food is a great safety tip as well.
Why Do I Crave Onions Summary!
With all these great ideas in mind, there’s no reason why you should be eating bland food!
- Onions have many health benefits and can be great for your liver.
- You may crave a nice relaxing soup with onions if you feel sick.
- Onions – raw or cooked – make food taste better!
There are so many ways that onions can be used in your recipes without overpowering them—even if it is only because they give the dishes depth and dimension. They’re not going anywhere anytime soon, either!
If you feel like your cravings for onions are out of control, please see my post on cravings here.
Please comment below or email me for more information about this topic. I’d love to hear from you!
