Happy & Healthy

CHOPPING oNIONS WITHOUT TEARING UP

Sometimes it happens and then you’ll find me sobbing in the kitchen and other times nothing happens at all. It has to do with whether you’re chopping up a shallot or a big white onion and what kind of knife you’re using. Whatever it is: it’s incredibly annoying when you start tearing up when your chopping your onions. It hurts, you’re unable to see anything and for some reason you automatically start feeling sad. You grab your dishcloth, wipe off all your mascara, and get back to business. You can avoid it by doing these tricks:

–       Use a razor sharp and big knife. Not a measly little potato peeler.

–       Put your onion in the freezer for 10 minutes. It helps.

–       Chop your onion underneath streaming water, helps too.

–       Light a candle next to your chopping board, this way your (tear)enzymes won’t stand a chance.

–       Turn the kitchen exhaust on.

–       They say that people who wear contacts never tear up when they’re chopping up onions.

–       Put on a pair of googles. Hahaha.

Why is it that we start tearing up when we’re chopping onions anyway?

Okay, a long story with tricky words, but it does explain it: the cells of onions contain various sorts of components, including enzyme alliinase and a sulfur containing component. When you chop onions, you break the cells which allows them to breathe. The alliinase then responds to the sulfur. An acid arrises which is then converted into a gas by another enzyme. When this gas comes in contact with the moisture of your eyes, a sulfuric acid compound builds. This compound agitates your eyes and your tear ducts build up tears to wash it away.