Purple onions are a flavorful and nutritious ingredient, and they contain plant compounds such as flavonoids and sulfur-containing compounds. Because of this, onions have long been used in traditional home remedies for coughs and colds.
However, social-media posts often go much further, claiming that a homemade purple onion remedy can “clean the lungs,” cure infections, regulate blood pressure and blood sugar, or replace medical treatment. These claims are not well established by clinical evidence.
Onion-based drinks may be comforting when you have a cough, but they should be viewed as a traditional soothing remedy rather than a cure.
Why Are Purple Onions Interesting?
Purple, or red, onions contain naturally occurring plant compounds, including anthocyanins and quercetin. These compounds have antioxidant properties and are one reason onions are commonly included in a healthy diet.
Eating onions as part of a varied diet can be a nutritious choice, but that is different from proving that an onion drink can treat a specific disease.
Can Onion Help With a Cough?
Onion syrup is a traditional home remedy used in some countries for coughs. There is limited clinical evidence specifically supporting onion preparations, so it should not be presented as a proven treatment.
There is somewhat better evidence for honey as a short-term soothing option for acute cough in children over 1 year of age, although research quality varies. A systematic review found that honey may reduce cough symptoms compared with placebo or no treatment in children. (PubMed)
That doesn’t mean an onion-and-honey mixture cures the underlying infection.
A Simple Traditional Onion Drink
If you’d like to try a homemade drink for comfort during a mild cold, here’s a simple version.
Ingredients
- 1 small purple onion
- 1 cup water
- 1–2 teaspoons honey, optional
- A small squeeze of lemon, optional
Instructions
- Peel and thinly slice the onion.
- Place it in a small saucepan with the water.
- Bring to a gentle boil.
- Reduce the heat and simmer for about 5–10 minutes.
- Strain the liquid into a cup.
- Allow it to cool slightly.
- Add honey if desired.
The result is a mild onion infusion that some people enjoy as a traditional cold-weather drink.
Important: Honey should never be given to children younger than 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism.
What About “Detoxifying” the Body?
This is one of the claims that appears frequently in viral posts.
There is no need to use an onion drink to “detox” the body. Your liver and kidneys already perform important functions involved in processing substances and maintaining the body’s internal balance.
A food or homemade drink should not be marketed as a substitute for treatment of liver, kidney, or other medical disease.
Can It Lower Blood Pressure or Blood Sugar?
Although onions contain compounds that researchers have studied for possible metabolic and cardiovascular effects, drinking an onion remedy has not been established as a treatment for high blood pressure or diabetes.
People who take medication for these conditions should not replace their prescribed treatment with onion tea or another home remedy.
What About Infections?
Onions contain compounds with antimicrobial activity in laboratory studies, but laboratory activity does not prove that eating onion or drinking onion tea can treat an infection in a person.
If you have a persistent fever, worsening cough, difficulty breathing, chest pain, or other concerning symptoms, seek medical advice rather than relying on a homemade remedy.
A Few Simple Ways to Enjoy More Onions
You don’t need a special recipe to include onions in your diet. Try adding purple onions to:
- Fresh salads
- Soups and stews
- Omelets
- Roasted vegetables
- Sandwiches and wraps
- Salsas
- Grain or bean bowls
This gives you the nutritional benefits of onions without making exaggerated health claims about them.
The Bottom Line 🧅💜
Purple onions are a nutritious food and can certainly be part of a healthy diet. A warm onion drink may also be a comforting traditional beverage when you’re dealing with a mild cough or cold.
But there is no good evidence that a purple onion remedy can cure lung disease, infections, diabetes, high blood pressure, or other medical conditions.
Use home remedies for comfort, not as replacements for proven medical treatment. For an ordinary cough, hydration and rest can be helpful, and some evidence suggests honey may provide short-term symptomatic relief in certain children over 1 year old. (PubMed)
