A cold and wet sensation pulsed through the bottom of my feet while I walked around my apartment. However, believe me when I tell you that the smell of onion juice won’t leave your nose for 24 hours if you try this. Others, like Amanda, try the old wive’s tale before they’re sick to aid exhaustion and clear the body as a preventative measure.

Some studies have even shown improved lung function in asthmatics who consume lots of onions. So there is certainly no reason to fear onions, just make sure you exercise the usual safe food handling techniques. Onions also contain antioxidants and compounds that, when eaten, help to work against inflammation, decrease triglycerides and lower cholesterol levels.

However, there are some reasons why this hack may work towards purification of blood and may cleanse the body. According to the folk remedy, if you come down with a cold or the flu, all you have to do is slice a red or white onion into rounds, place them on the bottoms of your feet, and put on a pair of socks. The post says that during the flu pandemic in 1919, an unnamed doctor discovered a healthy family that had set out unpeeled onions that “absorbed the bacteria,” keeping the family healthy. The post claims that more recently, an unnamed hairdresser used unpeeled onions successfully in her shop. The post talks about a friend using onion to treat pneumonia.

However, some people may experience a slight difference in how they feel after consuming onion water, Nagata notes. After all, raw onions have some very noticeable side effects. If you’ve ever chopped them, you know it can be a teary challenge. “Onion as a treatment for colds and flus is a home potato slice in sock remedy that’s been around for centuries actually,” Dr. Kitty O’Hare, senior medical director for pediatrics at Duke Primary Care, tells TODAY.com. As these respiratory viruses continue to spread, many people are looking for ways to relieve symptoms like coughing, sneezing, and congestion.

For example, onions are one of the richest sources of dietary flavonoids, which may decrease your risk of cancer and inflammatory diseases. Onions are also great source of vitamin C, a vitamin that plays an important role in immune function. Regular consumption of the organosulfur compounds found in onions and garlic may also prevent the development of cardiovascular disease, according to a 2010 review. Also, no studies have been done specifically to assess the benefit of putting onions in your socks or anywhere else on your body. While dozens of articles pasted all over the internet advocate the use of onions in your socks, they cite no experimental evidence.

Some people go so far as to say to never reuse an onion because it will collect germs and bacteria and then you’re eating that. I am not sure if this is true or not because it’s a percentage of people that say it is, and some that say it isn’t! Despite the abundance of that anecdotal evidence, our Verify team could find no study or medical literature to support the remedy.

Recommendations for the home remedy usually make their rounds every year as temperatures drop and viruses circulate more. And year after year, a wide variety of experts repeat that there’s no scientific evidence that says the “treatment” actually works. Onions are rich in sulphuric compounds, which make it anti-fungal and anti-bacterial. This property kills germs and bacterias, which cause foot odor. Practicing this habit will prevent you from smelly foot and will not let bad smell revive. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations.

That’s because onions contain a variety of compounds that have health benefits. Fructo-oligosaccharides, for example, stimulate the growth of bifidobacteria which suppress the growth of potentially harmful bacteria in the colon. Eating onions has also been linked with a reduced risk of stomach cancer and flavonoids in onions can lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of blood clots forming.

And now, adding to this rich history, social media is chock-full of present-day anecdotes to support the onion/potato remedy. To fight the flu, they say, put either a potato or onion in your sock overnight. And this year’s vaccine is not nearly as effective as we’d all like it to be. So it’s no wonder that a lot of folks are turning to old home remedies they’re finding on social media. Onions are a root vegetable and a part of the “Allium” family of flowering plants.