Luke makes you cry. What can I do to stop crying from onions? Why does a person cry from onions

Still don't know how to cut an onion without shedding tears? We have summarized in one list all the ways to deal with "onion grief": from the most popular to the most extraordinary. As practice shows, all of them work.

1. Before you start cutting the onion, put it in the freezer or refrigerator for 15-20 minutes (cooling the onion before cutting reduces the release of harmful substances). You can also cool the peeled onion under cold running water for several minutes.
2. Choose a very sharp and thin knife, without cloves, for cutting onions. Rinse your knife frequently with cold water before and during cutting.
3. Soak the onion in warm salted water for a few minutes before slicing.
4. Turn on the cold water faucet and cut onions next to the sink, rinsing your hands and wiping your eyes with a handkerchief soaked in water.
5. Light a wax candle (not paraffin!) next to a cutting board - this will oxidize the sulfur and change its composition so that it no longer causes tears.
6. As soon as you feel a burning sensation, sniff something that has a strong smell - coffee beans, for example.

Why do onions cry?

Since childhood, we know that the onion "makes" cry, and all because of the fumes that the onion emits when cut. Onions have a pungent odor due to sulfur compounds: diallyl disulfide, allicin and allipropyl disulfide. But these compounds are not in onions, but there are amino acids.

When the bulb is damaged, the cells are destroyed, and the contents are released from them into the air. Amino acids, mixing with enzymes, form odorous disulfides. Due to this, the onion has a pungent odor. It also forms thiopropionaldehyde-S-oxide, a lachrymator that irritates the mucous membranes of the eyes and nose.

Lachrymator is a substance that can dissolve in water, and therefore in tears. To reduce the concentration of acids, the eyes "turn on" a protective reaction and tears begin to flow to wash the membranes of the eyes from acids. And since there is also a mucous membrane in the nose, it is also irritated. There is nothing good about acid irritating the eyes. But tears wash away viruses and microbes.

Can you get rid of onion smell?

The smell of onion is almost impossible to get rid of, thanks to disulfides. They penetrate the walls of the intestines, then into the blood, and then throughout the body and lungs. And with the lungs, this unpleasant pungent odor is exhaled into the air. That's why brushing your teeth and rinsing your mouth doesn't help get rid of the smell. Scientists have proven that the activity of lachrymator decreases when frozen. From this it becomes clear why the most effective and well-known method is to cool the onion.

How not to cry when cutting onions?

If you constantly wet the knife with cold water, then the lachrymator will dissolve in water and not evaporate into the air. You can also just open the cold water tap and the action will be the same.

Some argue that if you take cold water into your mouth and change it as it warms up, your eyes will not burn. It’s just not clear how this dubious method works, because the fumes get into the eyes, and not into the mouth. Another dubious way is chewing mint gum or even plain. But chewing parsley, on the contrary, is useful, it oxidizes sulfur, changing its physical properties.

Another way will work more effectively: put the cut onions for 10 minutes in cold water.

Wearing simple goggles or swimming goggles can create a protective barrier to the eyes from fumes.

You can put the onions in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or in the freezer for 10 minutes.

If you have to chop a large amount of onions, use a blender. And protect your eyes and save a lot of time.

Pour boiling water over the onion, and then rinse in cold water, but with this method some of the vitamins will be lost.

Do not tilt your head too much so that the volatile compounds enter to a lesser extent.

They say that it helps to get rid of lacrimation if, before cutting the onion, sprinkle the board with salt or dip the cut onions in warm salted water.

There are people with eye hypersensitivity and can feel the fumes of not only onions, but also green feathers, even through the closed doors of the kitchen. But do not give up such a healthy vegetable, just choose the appropriate way to deal with fumes and enjoy a tasty and healthy vegetable.

The reason for the tearing of the onion lies in the lachrymator - a special substance that is released when the onion is cut and dissolves in human tears and water. With all this, sulfuric acid is formed, which causes irritation of the mucous membrane of the eye.
This discovery was made by the American chemist Eric Block.

Onions, garlic, leeks and shallots are members of the Alliums plant group. Since ancient times, these species have been at war with those who want to eat them. The defensive strategy of many onions is very complex. Their cells contain enzymes that can break down certain molecules, such as a particular type of amino acid.

In the normal state, these 2 substances are in different parts of the cell and do not come into contact. But cutting or biting off a piece of garlic or onion, a person destroys the cells, and the mixing intensifies. In this case, chemical reactions begin that lead to the formation of sulfur compounds. Initially, amino acids already contained several sulfur atoms, but when cells are destroyed, amino acids interact with enzymes.

As a result of the reaction, insecticides appear that give the plant an unpleasant taste and repel insects. Such protection is sometimes quite effective.

The chemical composition of the "weapon" depends on the type of plant. Meanwhile, the sulfuric acids of an ordinary onion are poisonous, unstable and quite easily interact with the enzyme, turning into thiopropanol-S-oxide (C3H6SO). The latter is a good insect repellant.

This substance is even better than sulfuric acid, since it is this compound that makes cooks cry. Since this substance is very volatile, it rises quite easily to the eyes, which are trying to defend themselves: they secrete tears and wash off the foreign mixture from the shell of the eye.

The most unpleasant is that a small part of thiopropanol-S-oxide, coming into contact with water, turns into sulfuric acid. Fortunately, this dose is negligible, but it is better not to neglect precautions, since we are talking about the strongest acid in existence.

How to cut an onion and not shed tears?

Here is a list of the most popular and extraordinary ways to deal with "onion" tears. Practice shows that they all work.

1. Hang onion peels over your ears.
2. Sprinkle the cutting board lightly with salt.
3. Light a wax candle next to a cutting board - this changes the composition of the sulfur so that it won't cause tears.
4. Choose a thin and very sharp knife, without cloves, for cutting onions. Rinse your knife frequently with cold water before and during cutting.
5. Smell something with a strong smell (such as coffee beans) as soon as you feel a burning sensation.
6. Cut the onion next to the sink and turn on the faucet. Wipe your eyes with a handkerchief soaked in water and rinse your hands.
7. Before cutting the onion, put it in the refrigerator or freezer for 15-20 minutes (cooling the onion reduces the release of harmful substances). You can also cool the peeled onion under running cold water for several minutes.
8. Soak the onion in warm salted water for a few minutes before slicing.
9. Place half of the cut onion on your head.
10. Ventilate the kitchen: use a table fan or open the window.
11. Take water in your mouth. When you feel a burning sensation, change the water.
12. Buy special goggles designed for cutting onions.
13. Do it with goggles: snowboarding, swimming. The kit can be supplemented with a clothespin on the nose.
14. Buy yourself a chopper.
15. Talk more - read excerpts from your favorite works or poems by heart. This way you will create air movement. Bulb vapors will not stagnate near the eyes and nose.
16. Try to breathe only through your mouth so that onion juice does not irritate the nasal mucosa. If you can’t breathe through your nose, tie your nose with a handkerchief or sing while cutting.
17. Wear a gas mask or snorkel mask. This method has quite a lot of fans.
18. Stick out your tongue while cutting onions. Moisture on the tongue absorbs the chemicals before they reach your eyes.
19. Chew parsley.
20. In the process of cutting, whistle or blow on the bow, driving away the substances of volatile sulfur from the nose and eyes in a similar way.

Choose the method that suits you best and cook your favorite dishes with pleasure and without “onion tears”.

Each hostess has several "crown" first and second courses. And hardly any of them do without onions. Cutting onions is the least favorite activity in the entire cooking process, pain in the eyes and tears can spoil the mood for a long time. Today we will talk about how to learn not to react to the "tear" of the onion.

Why does a person cry from onions

The unpleasant property of onions to cause tears has been known since ancient times. But the real reason for this phenomenon has been studied relatively recently. The flesh of the bulb, when cut, releases lachrymator - a substance that is highly soluble in water, including tears. When interacting with moisture, the lachrymator forms sulfuric acid, which irritates the mucous membrane of the eye.

Tears when cutting onions can ruin your mood for a long time

The most common plants of the Alliums group (onion family) eaten are:

• garlic;
• onion;
• shallot;
• leek.

It is they who have a complex protective system that discourages the desire to eat them. Onion cells contain enzymes that break down certain molecules and certain types of amino acids. Until the integrity of the onion pulp is broken, these enzymes are located in different parts of the cell. But as soon as you cut the onion, they immediately mix and react, forming sulfur compounds.

Note! Amino acids initially contain small amounts of sulfur atoms. When cells are destroyed, amino acids interact with enzymes.

The resulting reaction releases insecticides to the surface, which give an unpleasant smell and taste to the plant. Such protection repels many insects well. The chemical composition of the insecticide depends on the type and variety of the plant.

For example, the sulfuric acid produced by common onions is poisonous, unstable, and easily reacts with the enzyme to form thiopropanol-S-oxide (C3H6SO). It is this caustic substance that makes us sob while cooking. Being very volatile, it easily rises to the eyes, which, in turn, secrete tears for protection, washing away the caustic mixture from the mucous membrane.

Some of the thiopropanol-S-oxide becomes sulfuric acid on contact with moisture. Of course, the dose of the substance is extremely small, but since we are talking about one of the most potent substances, do not forget about the precautions.

How to cut onions and not cry

Over the years, housewives have developed ways to get rid of tears while cutting onions. Some of them help unambiguously, others - selectively (not for everyone and not always). Whether this or that method suits you, you can find out only experimentally. Do not be surprised by the extravagance and unusualness of some methods.

1. Professional chefs recommend cutting onions as quickly as possible. So volatile substances do not have time to reach the surface of the mucous membrane of the eyes. True, few housewives can boast of such a speed in cutting vegetables.
2. Use only a sharp knife without cloves: it should cut, not crush the onion, otherwise you will release much more volatile caustic substances from the onion pulp. Remember to rinse your knife often with cold water.

   Use a flat, very sharp knife

3. Hang onion peels over your ears. Of course, it looks ridiculous, but it helps a lot in our problem. You can also put half an onion on your head while cutting.
4. Sprinkle a little salt on the cutting board: it absorbs moisture, and with it it retains other substances.

   Salt sprinkled on a cutting board will trap the onion juice

5. You can put a burning wax candle next to you while cutting onions. Fire burns some of the active substances in onion juice, making it safe for the eyes.
6. As soon as you feel a burning sensation in your eyes, sniff coffee beans or some other product with a strong, bright smell. Parsley helps a lot: chew it thoroughly during the process.
7. Chop the onion next to running water, as close to the sink as possible. Wipe your eyes often with a wet handkerchief, rinse your hands.
8. Hold the onion for about 20 minutes in the freezer or refrigerator. You can lower the bow under running cold water. The low temperature minimizes the release of caustic substances.
9. Put the onion in warm, slightly salted water for a few minutes before cutting. Due to this, most of the caustic volatile substances will come out of the pulp.
10. Ventilate the kitchen while cooking: open a window or turn on a fan.
11. Fill your mouth with water and change it as soon as you start to feel a burning sensation.
12. Wear goggles that completely cover your eyes: swimming or snowboarding. You can even put a clothespin on your nose or use a diving mask. So the mucous membrane of the eyes and nose will be completely protected from exposure to volatile compounds.

    Use a swimming mask to cover your nose and eyes

13. Talk while cutting onions. You can sing, read poetry or talk with guests and even whistle melodies or just blow on a bow; the main thing is that the air is constantly moving, not stopping at the nose and eyes.
14. Breathe only through your mouth so that onion juice does not irritate the nasal mucosa. You can tie a scarf around your nose or insert cotton swabs into your nostrils. Soak them in salt water to enhance the effect.
15. Stick out your tongue while cutting onions. Moisture on it will hold and absorb volatile compounds before they rise to eye level.

What is the best way

Most of the considered methods may not be suitable for everyone, and not only technically, but also physiologically. For example, not everyone has a gas mask, a diving mask or the appropriate goggles, and ordinary ones are unlikely to fit because they do not block access to the nose and eyes. But if you have these items, be sure to use them: this method has many fans.

It is not always possible to wash onions under cold running water or keep them in the refrigerator. For example, if you decide to go to nature with friends, such methods will not be available. But you can talk and sing songs in the process as much as you like!

In winter, it is undesirable to open windows for ventilation too often, and you have to cut onions regularly, especially if you have a large family or guests often come. And the fan can not save. Therefore, chewing gum, fresh parsley or sniffing coffee beans will be the most convenient way (although, unfortunately, not for everyone).

And yet, experienced chefs say that the most effective methods are running water and placing the onions in the freezer.