Why do onions make you cry?

Mrs_Weasley

angeltreats - yes leeks do make me cry although not half as bad as onions!

My local butcher sells enormous onions and i mean HUGE, they are a nightmare - only need 1 though compared to 10 little ones

mrsc w xx

ladykath

If you hold an ordinary teaspoon between your teeth whilst chopping onion that will help. (Just don't forget and answer the door) :-)

Spendless

Hi, my 9yo saw this on Brainiac. Basically the reason is as explained earlier due to the enzyme being realeased so it goes to the nearest 'wet' surface it finds ie your eyeballs. On the programme they said to wet a tea-towel/kitchen roll and put it close to where you are cutting the onion the enzyme then goes to the alternative wet surface instead. Since I was told this, I've done it with about a 90% success rate.

Stephen_Leak

angeltreats wrote: »

This is how I've always chopped onions and they don't make me cry, but (just to be weird) leeks make me cry! Does anyone else cry when they cut leeks?

I would never do anything to make you cry, even if you cut me.

heavenleigh

Ok i really shouldn't be admitting this but the kids are in bed and i am sat drinking a [STRIKE]bottle[/STRIKE] glass of wine (left over from christmas)
I read this thread earlier and decided to combine the wooden spoon in mouth approach with the only breathing through mouth approach.....
Results....... IT WORKED.....(If you dont mind the heavy breathing from open mouthed spoon holding whilst not sucking in through nose) slaver dripping all over the onions you are chopping :eek: )

slowandsteady_2

I have given up trying to cut them, either dh does it who doesnt seem to suffer as much, but usually i take the lazy and not very OS way and buy frozen chopped onions! The extra amount of makeup and therefore extra cost when i have to replace it after my streaming eyes have ruined it kind of balances out the extra cost of frozen onions! Yesterday, i even found in Mr A a packet of frozen chopped garlic! No more smelly fingers either im a happy bunny!

angeltreats

Well until today I hadn't cried from chopping onions for years (probably the result of working as a commis chef for a while and chopping so many onions I became immune to them) but today I chopped up a couple of onions and I cried so much I literally couldn't see. My eyes are still red and puffy and stinging about half an hour later! They were from a bag of Sainsburys Basics and I didn't even chop them by hand, I just peeled them and put them in a food processor - can't believe how bad I was. I only managed two onions and had to give up.

As much as I hate to do it, I'll probably have to throw away the rest of the bag because I just can't cope with them. It's absolutely bizarre.