Onion, Cardiovascular Risk Markers and Gene Expression

In a randomized controlled crossover design, participants will receive 2 daily meals with or without onion powder for 2 weeks. Between the two 2-week period is a 4-week wash-out period. One week before and during each intervention period, the participants will be instructed to avoid consumption of onion, garlic and all foodstuffs containing the same bioactive components (polyphenols, sulfur-molecules)as in onion. This includes a number of vegetables and fruits, condiments, tea, chocolate, red wine etc.

Fasting blood samples will be drawn before and after (on 2 separate days) each intervention period, where also weight and blood pressure are measured.

Participants will collect 24-hour urine and feces samples twice before and at completion of each intervention period.

After the fasting blood sampling on the first blood sampling day in each period, participants will receive a test meal (with 10 g onion powder or placebo, i.e. 8.5 g sucrose+ 2 g soy protein isolate). The acute effects will be studied by blood sampling and urine sampling 0, 2, 4 and 24 hours after the test meal.

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy
• BMI 25-40
• No daily medication (except thyroid hormone, stomach acid lowering drugs, mild blood pressure lowering drugs and anti-depressants)
• Not strenuous exercise >10 hours/week
• No blood donation 3 months before or during the study

Exclusion criteria

• Diabetes, CVD, hepatitis, HIV/AIDS
• Cancer or cancer treatment within last 6 months
• Smoking
• Simultaneous participation in other research projects