Evils of winter: TikTok revisits an old trick from grandmother

An onion remedy infused in filtered water and stored in the fridge is going viral on social media. This trend shows how much the condiment has always been perceived as a natural remedy already praised by grandmothers.

“Onion Water”: the new trend of TikTok

Yellow or red. Above all, cut it as thinly as possible. On TikTok, the advice for making “onion water” is clear and precise. Identified by the hashtag “onion water“, this new digital fad is already viral with more than 23 million views. To date, the most popular post alone has been viewed more than two million times.

With each publication, tiktokeurs recommend the same recipe. Simply slice an onion and then plunge it into filtered water. The beverage must then be kept for at least twelve hours in the refrigerator or overnight. The goal: to relieve coughs, free the sinuses and get rid of a cold faster. For some authors of these videos, one could even recover from a flu even faster by sipping this elixir. And according to some enthusiastic comments, onion water can even lower a fever.

In order to better understand why so many videos ignite around this trend, a reminder of the current medical context is necessary. Just as France is facing an epidemic of bronchiolitis, the United States – where most of these videos were shot – must manage a triple health crisis combining cases induced by the respiratory syncytial virus (responsible for the bronchiolitis), as well as Covid-19 and influenza. According to CNN, the flu epidemic is at its highest level for the last ten years in the country of Uncle Sam. This situation which worries the American population has a name in the media: “tripledemic“. It is the contraction in English of “triple” and “epidemic”, referring to the association of three infections of respiratory origin which currently put the American health system on alert.

A grandma’s trick as old as the world

If there were already videos presenting how to prepare onion water, the posts especially multiplied at the end of October when bronchiolitis, the flu and Covid-19 began to combine. If the bulb has been chosen as the remedy for these videos, it is precisely for its decongestant powers, which can be useful in the three medical cases mentioned. Seeing the onion as a natural solution to get back in shape is absolutely nothing new. Grandmother’s tricks have already committed for decades to sleep near a cut onion. It should be placed on his bedside table or even in his socks, according to legend. We didn’t wait for TikTok to recommend some crazy tips… Onion tea or even onion syrup to relieve coughs, natural recipes based on this ingredient that can be found in any kitchen are legion for a very long time.

Whether it’s TikTok or those old tricks from grandma, these remedies feature different benefits of onion. Not only does it stimulate the immune defenses but in addition, its decongestant powers are claimed by homeopathy, with the Allium cepa formula based on fresh onion. In granules or ointment, this homeopathic treatment treats both hay fever and seasonal rhinitis.

As for the onion water recommended by TikTok, that’s something else. Internet users feel like their symptoms are relieved because they cough or cry when they mince the condiment.