I love onions, but I always cry when I cut them, is there a remedy to prevent crying?

Answer 1

I totally agree with the protective eyewear and refrigerating.

But if you NEED to chop a lot of onions...

Use a food processor.
It contains the fumes.

Answer 2

I love onions too, and have the same irritation. There really isn't a good way of chopping onions without releasing the scent that makes you cry. However, you can lessen it to some extent. First, you can use red or sweet onions (walla wallas are my favorite), they don't seem to cause me to weep quite as much.

Second refridgerate them prior to cutting. This will slow down all the molecules in the onion so as not to weep as much. Washing them is good, but just to get the onion clean.

Thirdly, try and stay away from the bottom of the onion (the bushy part) as this is where most of the scent comes from. Just cut around it.

The Fourth thing you could do is not to chop them. If you need diced pieces, make slices horizontally and vertically (careful not to slice into the bottom part) while the onion is still all together, and then chop them off the bottom. It is kind of like making a giant tic-tac-toe board on the onion if you look at it from the top.

The final thing you can do is choose onions that are flat, these tend to have a sweeter flavor (even within the sweet onions)

Answer 3

Many of the things previously said here are true and based on the scientific fact that:
1. "Crying" comes from aetheric oils fuming from the fresh onion, as you cut it. The lacrimal gland, responsible for secreting tears, tries to protect your eyes from those fumes, by covering their surface. Thus, the crying part is actually the good thing. If it weren't for that, the pain and irritation would be unbearable after a short while.


The easiest way to avoid that (without using funny utensils like diving or sun glasses) is to thoroughly wash the onions in COLD water and then leave them for another at least 15 minutes in a bowl with cold water that you can also change from time to time. If you add a bit of lemon juice to the water-bowl, after changing the water for the last time, and leave them there for at least 5 minutes, you will not shed a tear, since most of the irritating substances will be either eliminated with the water, or prevented by the temperature and the chemical exchange with water and lemon juice to reach your eyes.

Enjoy your onions!

Answer 4

If you run them under very cld water before you cut then this is one way to stop them from making you cry. It has worked for me and some times it depends on the kind of onion, most regular onions this will work for. You can also use a chopper device which will help you to cut down the strength of the onion. Good Luck

Answer 5

none of the urban myths of running faucets, lighting candles, moonlit night work... there is sulfuric acid in onions and once they are chopped the gases are emitted into the air and will make you tear... the best remedy albeit not practical is to wear goggles, but of course, you want a more practical solution.... try refrigerating the onions before hand, this will make the onion weep less when sliced, also red onions have less sulfuric acid.... also, the distance between your eyes and the cutting surface makes a difference so if youre short youre more likely to cry, stand on a stool to create more distance between your eyes and the onion, The most failproof method is to have someone else cut them for you!

- if you cut them under water like others here have said, you will dilute taste for the recipe you are using and therefore need to add more and also will sacrifice some texture,,, not to mention it must be the most challenging thing to do, chopping underwater

Answer 6

You are crying from the fumes raising off the onions. Wear glasses,,,,turn on the ceiling fan to move the fumes away from you. Don't stand directly over the onion when you are cutting it.

Answer 7

Go to a hardware store and buy a $6 dollar pair of goggles with the elastic band. They kind of look like diver's goggles.

This will not only protect your eyes from the onions, but any carpentry your spouse might be doing nearby.

Answer 8

Put them into the freezer for a little bit before chopping. 2nd idea is to use a food chopper or processor and chop up a lot of onions. Take out small amts and wrap in plastic and freeze so that they are already done and ready for when you need some.

And don't rub your nose or eyes during chopping!

Answer 9

Always refrigerate them.....the cold keeps the noxious gases that cause eye irritation from escaping as quick...be sure to chop and cover as fast as you can!
Also, keep the cold water running....take your eyes off of the onion when you feel them beginning to water, and stare into the stream of water...hold the onion at arms length away , or turn on a fan to blow the irritating gases away from your face.
Seriously.....been using the cold water trick for as long as I've been helping grandma in the kitchen...30+ years.

Answer 10

Cut them under running water from a tap..i do it like that. Or else you can peel the outer layers and keep them soaked completely in water for 10-15 minutes before cutting them. This also works and takes out the strong odour as well.

Answer 11

keep a damp cloth next to you so that you can use it to wipe your eyes clean. and don't cut all the onion at once (if you don't need to). For me, as long as I only use half an onion I won't cry, as opposed to when I use a whole onion.