Choose a Sharper, Stronger Onion

When it comes to onions, think stinky.

Bitter, strong, pungent onions tend to have more cancer-fighting compounds than milder, sweeter bulbs. Here are the varieties that recently tested best.

Truly, you'd do well with any kind of onion on your sandwich -- they're not only cancer-fighters but also proven artery protectors. But a Cornell researcher declared that out of the onion varieties he tested, shallots -- that member of the onion family often described as a cross between onion and garlic -- had the most potential to do good things for people's bodies. The mighty shallot's off-the-charts phenolic content gave this bulb the edge.

Here are the four onion varieties that tested best for antioxidant power:

1. Shallots
2. Western Yellow
3. New York Bold
4. Northern Red

Recipe Corner
Get your love affair with shallots started by trying this Broccoli with Caramelized Shallots recipe from EatingWell.com.

Varietal differences in phenolic content and antioxidant and antiproliferative activities of onions. Yang, J., Meyers, K. J., van der Heide, J., Liu, R. H., Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 2004 Nov 3;52(22):6787-6793.