The eyes tear and burn: cutting onions can be quite painful. You can find out what tricks you can use to avoid this in the article.
Gases that rise when cutting and irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes are responsible for the watery eyes. These occur when the cells are destroyed when the onion is crushed and the enzymes released react with sulfur-containing compounds. The tears are a protective reaction of the eye. At the same time, it is the basis for the trick to stop the onion’s irritating gases.
Water: The secret to chopping onions without tears
Water prevents the chemical reaction that occurs during cutting and ensures that the irritating gases do not rise in the first place. Follow these tips to stop shedding tears while chopping the onion:
- Peel the onion under running water and then cut it under the same circumstances.
- Dampen all of your kitchen utensils with water. So knife, cutting board and the onion itself.
- Lay the onion flat on the wet board, wetting the knife with water from time to time.
- Additionally, you can keep a sip of water in your mouth while cutting the onion to avoid tears.
Other useful tips that will make cutting onions easier
If the tricks with water aren’t enough for you to easily chop the vegetables, there are other options you can try. It is important that you use a very sharp knife. If it’s blunt, the extra pressure will release even more gases. Since the concentration of irritating substances is greatest at the root, you should cut or separate them last. It can also help to open the window and activate the extractor hood so that the fumes can escape more easily and the eyes don’t get as irritated.
You might also be interested in: