Onions provide a base for many dishes, transforming bland dishes into elegant dinners. Grilled, sautéed, pickled, boiled, fried: the list is endless. Recognised by the Ancient Egyptians, the believed medicinal properties of onions were used to combat headaches, body weakness, throat disorders amongst other physical ailments. Recent research has shown beneficial effects of onion in the diet for heart disease and cancer; attributions of these effects have been made to the substance ‘quercetin’, a power antioxidant. Onions also contain adenosine which helps to thin the blood and lower levels of unhealthy low density cholesterol (LDL). Osteoporosis too is believed to be combated by onion intake: current research is analysing the use of dietary onions as an inexpensive (as well as tasty) prophylactic treatment in the reduction of this degenerative bone condition.