If you find yourself wiping away tears in your kitchen several nights a week, then we bet you are a certified onion lover! These mighty veggies sure do pack a flavor punch, but they can also do a heck of a lot for your overall well-being.

Here are 7 amazingly unexpected things that onions can do.

1. They can calm colic.

   If you have a colicky baby, then we bet you have tried everything you can to ease the constant crying. One age-old remedy calls for giving your infant about a teaspoon of onion water. (You can simply boil an onion in a pot of water to extract it.) It’s a bit of an odd idea, but plenty of mothers out there swear by the miracle tonic.

   As always, consult your pediatrician before you make any changes to your baby’s diet.

2. They can soothe a sore throat.

   Sick of depending on side-effect-riddled, over-the-counter meds to help you get through that scratchy throat? Instead, try eating a few slices of raw or pickles onion. As onions are known for their antibacterial powers, the veggie generally work best if you have an infection of some sort. If it’s just a minor sore throat, add some vitamin-packed lemon water to the mix.

3. They can cool a sunburn.

   Forgetful when it comes to sun protection? If so, then we bet that you generally end up with a burn or two around this time of year. To experience the fastest healing, apply a generous layer of onion juice to the affected area. You can either extract the juice by blending up an onion into very fine pieces, or you can just go ahead and buy a bottle of it at your local health food store.

4. They can reduce a fever.

   Ancient Chinese medicine dictates that onions are natural fever reducers. Sounds good, right? Well, the thing here is that you won’t receive the benefits just from eating the onions. It’s actually best to keep them as close to your FEET as possible. Simply throw a couple of pieces in each sock overnight—by morning, you should feel a difference.

5. They can help you sleep better.

   Insomnia can truly be a crippling condition, especially if you rely on risky medications to get you through the night. If you are looking to take a natural route to falling asleep, cut up an onion and place it in a glass jar beside your bed. Every time you wake up or find yourself sleepless, take a whiff of the onion. It’s definitely worth a try!

6. They can help relieve bee stings.

   There’s nothing like getting stung by a bee while out on a camping trip, right? If one of those buzzers ends up getting you or a loved one, simply slice up an onion and hold a portion of it to the mark. The onion’s natural antibacterial properties will help remove the toxins (and the pain!) from the sting, lickety-split!

7. They can ward off mosquitoes.

   Not only can mosquito bites be just plain annoying, they can also end up leading to health crises. Unfortunately, many popular spray repellants contain ingredients that can be just as harmful as the bugs themselves. So, instead of relying on dicey chemicals to keep the skeeters away, just rub some onion juice onto all exposed areas. Those little bugs HATE the smell!

Have you tried these onion remedies? If so, which one worked best for you? Do you believe in alternative medicine? Tell us all about your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below!