Onions - Can flu virus be absorbed in onions?

I heard if you put an onion in a bowel in each room of your house it will absorb any flu virus that would be in your home see below:

Worth a try... we've got nothing to lose by trying ..

In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died.

The doctor came upon this one farmer and to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different, the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, keeping the family healthy.

Now, I heard this story from my hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work.. (And no, she is not in the onion business.)

The moral of the story is, buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu.

If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If you do get the flu, it just might be a mild case..

Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions!!!!!!


Megan replies...

Do onions absorb the flu virus, colds, infections and odors?

My mother told me once that anything you read, hear or see in the media you should divide by 2 and you are halfway to the truth.

Now this onion story hasn't come from the media quoting a politician... so there could be a grain of truth in it!

But I do believe that unless there is a scientific analysis of whether onions do absorb viruses, or whether onions ward off colds and flu, then the whole caboodle is anybody's belief.

Let's ask a few questions? Can a virus get into an onion, when really it needs a living host? Can a virus be detected under a microscope or does it have to be cultured or similar in special conditions? Were powerful microscopes available for this Doctor back in 1919?

Possibly if onions seem to absorb odors from the air and even bacteria, viruses and other nasties, it is because of the onion's sulphur content that kills the microbes or neutralizes them somehow?

I know there is a widespread belief that households that hung onion halves over their doorways and in their rooms escaped the great plague that ravaged Europe.

The best defense against the cold, flu and viruses is having a strong immune system and eating onions gives you a powerful healthy boost.

See How to grow onions for more on onions.