Last update July 16, 2025

Onion

Compatible

Safe product and/or breastfeeding is the best option.

The plant's bulbs are used which contain fructans, polysaccharides, flavonoids (quercetin glycosides), saponins, sterols and sulfoxides. Properties that were approved by the Commission E of the German Ministry of Health (Blumenthal 1998) are: antibacterial, fat-lowering, antihypertensive, platelet aggregation inhibitor. It is used to treat loss of appetite and topically for bedsores and contractures.

At latest update no published data on excretion into breast milk were found.

Some of its components, such as quercetin, are excreted in breast milk. (Romaszko 2014)

It is a widely used plant in preparing food and also in Phytotherapy as herbal extracts or essential oil.

Given its lack of toxicity, a moderate consumption as herbal-based medicine during lactation would have low or no risk. Its consumption as a food is devoid of risk.

It has been used as a topical treatment for pain or inflammation of the nipple. (Akcan 2012)

There is insufficient evidence to support the widespread belief that a mother's consumption of onions or other plant-based foods causes colic or feeding refusal in infants. (Kidd 2019, Lust 1996)

Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.

Jose Maria Paricio, Founder & President of APILAM/e-Lactancia

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Other names

Onion in other languages or writings:

Groups

Onion belongs to these groups or families:

Tradenames

Main tradenames from several countries containing Onion in its composition:

References

  1. Kidd M, Hnatiuk M, Barber J, Woolgar MJ, Mackay MP. "Something is wrong with your milk": Qualitative study of maternal dietary restriction and beliefs about infant colic. Can Fam Physician. 2019 Mar;65(3):204-211. Abstract Full text (link to original source)
  2. Romaszko E, Wiczkowski W, Romaszko J, Honke J, Piskula MK. Exposure of breastfed infants to quercetin after consumption of a single meal rich in quercetin by their mothers. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2014 Abstract
  3. Akcan AB, Ozkiraz S. An unusual traditional practice for damaged nipples during lactation. Breastfeed Med. 2012 Abstract
  4. WHO. World Health Organization. Geneva. WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants. Volume I. WHO monographs 1999 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  5. Blumenthal M, Busse WR, Goldberg A, Gruenwald J, Hall T, Riggins CW, Rister RS, editors. The American Botanical Council. The Complete German Commission E Monographs. Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines. 1st ed. Integrative Medicine Com; Boston, MA, USA: 1998
  6. Lust KD, Brown JE, Thomas W. Maternal intake of cruciferous vegetables and other foods and colic symptoms in exclusively breast-fed infants. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996 Abstract

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e-lactancia is a resource recommended by Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine - 2015 of United States of America

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