Here's why cutting onions make you cry and how to avoid it
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Loading... - Veronique Ndzana
- 12 Aug 2022
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Usually, the tears appear a few seconds after you peel your onions then it slows down after about five minutes of cutting. As hard as we try, we usually can't control the flow of tears caused by the fumes of the onions.
Here's why this happens and the best way to prevent it:
What does science say?
According to studies, the reaction is due to chemicals present in onions that react during the chopping or cutting process.
Onions contain amino acids called sulfoxides, and when you cut into them, you damage the skin.
This skin damage converts the sulfoxides into a super-annoying chemical. The onion releases it into the air, and it then wafts into your eyes. The windows to your soul respond by stinging and producing tears to wash the chemical away.
Essentially, an onion revenge-farts at you so powerfully when you cut it that it reduces you to tears.
How to stop yourself from tearing
Some few steps can help you avoid tearing or crying when cutting onions. Here are some effective ones:
Freeze your onions
When the onion is cold, it doesn’t release that chemical compound as easily as it would when it's not frozen.
Studies say freezing onions freeze the enzymes and stop them from mixing with the sulfenic acids which diminish the production of propanethial S-oxide. As a result, sulfuric acid is reduced when you chop the onions.
Soak the onions in water
Soaking onions in water for a while before cutting slows down the production of the chemicals. The gas is simply absorbed into the water and may prevent you from tearing. Read More...
