Why does cutting onions make your eyes sore?!
Question: Why does cutting onions make your eyes sore!?
Just wondering because my eyes always hurt for ages afterwardsWww@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
As onions are sliced, cells are broken, allowing enzymes called alliinases to break down amino acid sulphoxides and generate sulphenic acids!. Sulphenic acids are unstable and spontaneously rearrange into a volatile gas called syn-propanethial-S-oxide!. The gas diffuses through the air and eventually reaches the eye, where it reacts with the water to form a diluted solution of sulphuric acid!. This acid irritates the nerve endings in the eye, making them sting!. Tear glands produce tears to dilute and flush out the irritant
Supplying ample water to the reaction prevents the gas from reaching the eyes!. Eye irritation can, therefore, be avoided by cutting onions under running water or submerged in a basin of water!. Rinsing the onion and leaving it wet while chopping may also be effective!. Another way to avoid irritation is by not cutting off the root of the onion, or by doing it last, as the root of the onion has a higher concentration of enzymes!.[12] Using a sharp blade to chop onions will limit the cell damage and the release of enzymes that drive the irritation response!. (Having a sharp knife and keeping the root of a halved onion on until the end also reduces the risk of cutting yourself if your knife slips)!. Chilling or freezing onions prevents the enzymes from activating, limiting the amount of gas generated!. Having a fire, such as a candle or a burner, will help as the heat and flames will draw in the onion gas, burn it, and then send it up with the rest of the flame exhaustWww@Answer-Health@Com
Supplying ample water to the reaction prevents the gas from reaching the eyes!. Eye irritation can, therefore, be avoided by cutting onions under running water or submerged in a basin of water!. Rinsing the onion and leaving it wet while chopping may also be effective!. Another way to avoid irritation is by not cutting off the root of the onion, or by doing it last, as the root of the onion has a higher concentration of enzymes!.[12] Using a sharp blade to chop onions will limit the cell damage and the release of enzymes that drive the irritation response!. (Having a sharp knife and keeping the root of a halved onion on until the end also reduces the risk of cutting yourself if your knife slips)!. Chilling or freezing onions prevents the enzymes from activating, limiting the amount of gas generated!. Having a fire, such as a candle or a burner, will help as the heat and flames will draw in the onion gas, burn it, and then send it up with the rest of the flame exhaustWww@Answer-Health@Com
Since Sidd did all the hard work, I will just tell you that I either chop onions under running water or with sunglasses on!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
It sounds weird, but if you chew gum whilst chopping onions your eyes wont sting!. I don't know the science behind that but it always works for me - I promise!.Www@Answer-Health@Com