What if onions raise uric acid levels?
Introduction
In our kitchens, onions are the undisputed “king”. They add flavor to almost every dish: soups, stews, omelets, meat, fish, salads… We chop them, fry them, bake them, caramelize them. Yet behind their pungent aroma and familiar “tears” lie persistent rumors: some claim that onions increase uric acid levels, others that they actually help lower them.
So, who is right? And, more importantly, which foods actually pose a risk to the health of our vessels?
Before pointing the finger at a specific product, we need to understand what uric acid is, why its levels can become excessively high, and how it is associated with serious risks such as stroke.
1) What is uric acid?
Uric acid is a substance that our bodies naturally produce. It is formed when purines break down, molecules found in many foods: meat, some types of fish, legumes, and also in our own cells.
Normally, some uric acid is excreted by the kidneys. When its synthesis becomes excessive or excretion is impaired, it accumulates in the blood, a condition known as hyperuricemia.
This is not harmless:
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It can lead to gout, a painful disease caused by crystallization of uric acid in the joints.
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It may contribute to the formation of kidney stones.
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And above all, it is often a sign of a general metabolic imbalance: unbalanced diet, overweight, diabetes, hypertension, low physical activity…
In other words, uric acid is like an internal thermometer. When it rises, it often means that something in our lifestyle is wrong.
2) The Onion: Unfairly Accused or Real Culprit?
2.1) Why do they blame the onion?
In some blogs and culinary conversations, the thesis that “onions increase uric acid” has become established.
The likely reason: onions often accompany heavy, spicy, meat-rich or fatty dishes — which themselves contribute to hyperuricemia. So the problem is not necessarily the onion, but the entire dish.
2.2) Nutritional profile
Chemically speaking, onions contain very few purines and are considered a low-purine food.
On the other hand, it is rich in:
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powerful antioxidants;
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flavonoids (such as quercetin), which reduce inflammation;
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and fiber, beneficial for digestion.
In other words, there is no scientific evidence that onions increase uric acid levels.
However, for people sensitive to fermentable sugars, large amounts of onions may cause digestive discomfort. However, this is not related to uric acid.
