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4 min readNew research suggests people genetically predisposed to liking onions have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.Experts say onions have health-boosting effects. Still, eating onions alone is unlikely to lower your risk of developing these conditions.<\/p>\n
You\u2019ve probably heard about the gene that can cause an aversion to cilantro<\/a>. Now, a new study suggests that some are genetically predisposed to liking another common ingredient\u2014and that it could signal some positive qualities about your health.<\/p>\n The study, published in BMC Medicine<\/a>, found that having a genetic predisposition to liking onions was linked with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure. For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 160,000 people between the ages of 37 and 73 who participated in the UK Biobank, a long-running health study in the U.K. The database included participants\u2019 genetic information\u2014including gene variants linked to preferences for a range of foods, such as grapefruit, horseradish, wasabi, salt, and onions\u2014as well as their food preferences.<\/p>\n After crunching the data, the researchers found that people with a particular variant of the OR2T6 smell receptor gene were more likely to prefer onions. From there, the researchers examined a range of health outcomes in those with the OR2T6 smell receptor gene, ultimately determining that having this smell receptor gene variant\u2014and liking onions as a result\u2014was linked to a lower risk of being diagnosed with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes. (The study was not sponsored by a pro-onion organization, by the way.)<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Danielle Reed, Ph.D.,<\/a> study co-author and chief science officer of the Monell Chemical Senses Center; Daniel Liang-Dar Hwang, Ph.D.,<\/a> lead study author and genetic epidemiologist at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland; Richard Siegel, M.D<\/a>., co-director of the Diabetes and Lipid Center at Tufts Medical Center and endocrinologist at Tufts Medicine Weight & Wellness Center\u2013Stoneham; Jessica Cording, R.D<\/a>., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the biggest challenges in nutrition research is figuring out whether a food actually affects health or whether it simply happens to be eaten by healthier people,\u201d says Daniel Liang-Dar Hwang, Ph.D.,<\/a> lead study author and genetic epidemiologist at the Institute for Molecular Bioscience at the University of Queensland. \u201cWe wanted to develop a better way to answer that question. Because our sense of taste and smell plays a major role in the foods we choose to eat, we investigated whether genes that influence these senses could help us better understand the relationship between diet and health.\u201d<\/p>\n So, why is liking onions linked to a lower risk of high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes? There\u2019s no clear answer yet, but there are a few theories.<\/p>\n What\u2019s behind the link?<\/p>\n There are likely a few things happening here. Onions are vegetables, and they have certain properties that make them healthy, points out Jessica Cording, R.D<\/a>., author of The Little Book of Game-Changers.<\/p>\n \u201cOnions have a lot of really important compounds, including flavonoids, quercetin, and fiber,\u201d she says. \u201cThese are beneficial for cardiovascular health.\u201d Onions also tend to be found in nutrient-dense meals, including dishes with a lot of vegetables. \u201cThey\u2019re a big part of the Mediterranean diet, and often involved in healthier dishes,\u201d Cording says, adding that eating healthier foods can help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also possible that people who like onions also prefer other healthy plant-based foods, says Richard Siegel, M.D<\/a>., co-director of the Diabetes and Lipid Center at Tufts Medical Center and endocrinologist at Tufts Medicine Weight & Wellness Center\u2013Stoneham. \u201cIf they are more genetically likely to eat a plant-based, unprocessed diet, including onions, the foods may contain phytochemicals that may reduce the risk for high blood pressure and diabetes,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n