In fact, this has been proven with garlic, which shares similar compounds.Įxperiments have found that people can taste garlic by putting it in their socks thanks to a molecule called allicin, which is responsible for the pungent garlic and onion smell. There is some evidence that your skin can absorb the sulfur-based compounds found in onions, although not efficiently enough to make a difference. The idea that a raw onion does something when pasted on the sole of your foot for hours isn’t actually all woo-woo, according to Michael Havey, a professor emeritus of horticulture at the University of Wisconsin and former onion breeder and geneticist. Can onions actually absorb germs from your skin? However, reviews of published studies on the practice conclude that the evidence isn’t strong enough to prove it works, although its use is relatively safe given it doesn’t involve any drugs or invasive procedures. Practitioners apply pressure to specific areas of the body to try to help chronic diseases, stress, strokes, and muscular disorders. So why your socks? The idea may have come from the ancient medical practice called reflexology, which is the theory that certain parts of the body, like the hands and feet, are connected to internal organs. The myth persisted into the 19th century, when onions were used during smallpox and influenza epidemics, according to the NOA, although there was no real evidence doing so prevented people from getting sick. This was back when people thought diseases were spread via miasma, or bad smells. The idea that onions can soak up germs dates back to the 1500s, when it was believed that cut raw onions could protect people from the flea-borne bubonic plague, according to the National Onion Association. Moms in Canada are also willing to try anything to help their kids feel better amid a shortage of children’s ( and now adults’) pain and cold medications. So now that people are interacting more, the search for home remedies feels more urgent.įor one thing, we’re seeing the highest hospitalization rates for influenza in a decade the CDC estimates that there have been at least 2.8 million infections, 23,000 hospital admissions, and 1,300 deaths (including five kids) from flu so far.ĭoctors are also reporting alarming spikes in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children much earlier than usual, and COVID cases aren't declining despite the availability of vaccines and boosters. And year after year, a wide variety of experts repeat that there’s no scientific evidence that says the “treatment” actually works.īut non-COVID respiratory viruses are surging back as mask-wearing and social isolation have declined. Recommendations for the home remedy usually make their rounds every year as temperatures drop and viruses circulate more. “If nothing else, having onions in the house will make your food taste better! However, there are some more effective ways to prevent the spread of respiratory viruses.” “ often asked about a wide variety of home remedies, ranging from the effective to the bizarre,” Mandy De Vries, a respiratory therapist and director of education for the American Association for Respiratory Care, wrote in an email. Their premise is that onions might help congestion, cough, headaches, and other symptoms some even claim the remedy helps with asthma and “ negative energy.”Īs groundbreaking as that would be, there’s just no evidence to support this, according to experts who spoke to BuzzFeed News, including a pediatrician, respiratory therapist, and former onion breeder. However, swarms of natural medicine buffs are trying it anyway in the hopes the vegetable will cure or alleviate respiratory symptoms.ĭozens of TikTok videos show people claiming that raw onions in your socks or a sick person’s bedroom can absorb viruses, bacteria, fungi, and possibly other “toxins” from the skin or air. Being sick stinks, but sleeping with raw onions in your socks probably stinks even more.
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