The answer should not be: wear a glasses ok ?
2006-06-22 12:39:27 · 16 answers · asked by missybitsy 1 in Food & Drink ➔ Other - Food & Drink
This works for me...cut your onions on a cutting board near the sink. Have the tap on as you cut the onions... see below for why...
When you slice through an onion, you break open a number of onion cells. Some of these cells have enzymes inside of them, and when they are sliced open, the enzymes escape. The enzymes then decompose some of the other substances that have escaped from sliced cells. Some of these substances, amino acid sulfoxides, form sulfenic acids, which then quickly rearrange themselves into a volatile gas.
The gas reaches your eyes and reacts with the water that keeps them moist. This changes the chemical's form again, producing, among other things, a mild sulfuric acid, which irritates the eyes. The nerve endings in your eyes are very sensitive and so they pick up on this irritation (this is why our eyes sting when we slice onions). The brain reacts by telling your tear ducts to produce more water, to dilute the irritating acid so the eyes are protected. Your other reaction is probably to rub your eyes, but this will actually make the irritation a lot worse, of course, if you have onion juices all over your hands.
2006-06-22 12:47:35 · answer #1 · answered by Scott D 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
There is a very simple cure... chew gum while cutting the onion. You won't cry. I was amazed the first time I tried it, but I swear it works. I am very sensitive to onions, and would tear up so bad I couldn't cut them. Never again!
2006-06-22 19:45:21 · answer #2 · answered by Georgia 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Martha Stewart says: Chopping an onion near a burning candle; that's a good thing.
2006-06-22 22:44:35 · answer #3 · answered by Becca 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally rinse the onion in cold water after peeling it and while cutting it
2006-06-22 19:50:30 · answer #4 · answered by artist1974 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I found out just by trial and error, if you put the onion in the refridgerator for a while first, you won't cry. It has to be good and cool though.
2006-06-22 19:43:15 · answer #5 · answered by eloquent_stl 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have done a couple of things. We got a food processor and wow.. thats perfect. The other thing we've done is bought a bag of precut onions at Trader Joes. Then you really don't have the issue at all.
2006-06-22 20:18:31 · answer #6 · answered by Elizabeth 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the day before I know I,m going to use an onion I take all the skin off,
put it a baggy & put in the fridge overnight, works for me.
2006-06-22 19:46:02 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I believe that cold onions are easier on the eyes.
2006-06-22 19:44:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Keep onions in the fridge.....you won't cry if the onion is cold.
2006-06-22 19:43:47 · answer #9 · answered by alisluv 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rinse in cold water after peeling but before cutting.
2006-06-22 19:43:03 · answer #10 · answered by Kittie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋