Some effective tips for cutting onions without tearing your eyes

Onions have many benefits such as anti-inflammatory, flu prevention, good for the heart, controlling sugar levels and also reducing the risk of cancer. However, when cutting onions, it is easy to irritate the eyes and cause tears. Below are 8 tips for cutting onions without tearing your eyes that you can apply.

Causes of burning eyes when cutting onions

• Onions are bulbous vegetables, of the onion and garlic family. They have 3 parts: a thin outer shell, scales and roots. The main cause of the spicy feeling when cutting onions lies in the scales.
• The scales are white and succulent and are used in cooking. When onions are cut, they secrete an enzyme that reacts with the substances present in the onion, creating a gas. This gas comes into contact with tears, creating a biochemical reaction, forming a weakly acidic sulfur acid.
• Eyes are stimulated to secrete tears, soothing the stinging sensation caused by acid.
• These spicy and burning sensations can be completely eliminated or significantly reduced if you apply the tips below for cutting onions without being spicy .

Tips for cutting onions without making them spicyRefrigerate onions before cutting

• This tip for cutting onions without being spicy is very simple but quite effective. Before cutting onions, peel them and put them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Cooled onion cells react more slowly when cut.
• At low temperatures, less enzyme is secreted. Depending on the size of the onion, if the onion is large, leave it for about 15-20 minutes longer. When processed later, onions retain their flavor.

Cut onions under water

• Cutting onions under a basin of water or cutting them under running water is also a tip to try cutting onions without causing it to be spicy. Because water will immediately dissolve sulfur compounds before they come into contact with the eyes.
• This method has the disadvantage that the onions come into contact with a lot of water, which will reduce some nutrients and vitamins in the onions.

Use potatoes

• Easy to find a potato in your kitchen, use them as a tip for cutting onions without being spicy .
• The method is also extremely simple. Use a slice of potato to rub on the surface of the knife then cut as usual. There are several vitamins and nutrients in potatoes that can reduce the gas that causes stinging in the eyes.

Leave the onion stem

• The highest concentration of substances that cause eye irritation is at the base, near the roots of the onion. Therefore, to cut onions without stinging your eyes, after peeling off the outer layer, cut the onion from the top down to the base.
• The spiciness of onions will be significantly reduced.

Use a very sharp knife

• Before cutting onions, prepare a very sharp knife and dip it in water. Cutting with a sharp knife will limit the amount of enzymes released when onion cells are broken.
• While cutting, frequently dip the knife in water so that the water on the surface of the knife will react with substances that cause eye irritation.

Cut onions in a well-ventilated place

• Cutting onions in a well-ventilated place or turning on a fan while cutting onions also reduces eye irritation. If your home has a range hood, you can use it very well.
• Eye stinging substances exist in gaseous form so they are very mild. Therefore, when the fan is turned on or there is wind, turning on the hood will absorb and blow them away immediately. Note that you must sit in the same direction as the wind is blowing, avoid sitting in the opposite direction because it will sting your eyes even more.

Chew gum while cutting onions

• Although it sounds a bit absurd, this is a tip for cutting onions without burning your eyes. When chewing, the body will tend to breathe through the mouth more strongly. Thanks to that, you will accidentally breathe in substances that cause eye irritation before they come into contact with your eyes.
• You can chew gum, bread or any other food while cutting onions.

A few other notes

Along with the above tips for cutting onions without being spicy  , you should note a few more things:

• If your family often uses onions for cooking, cut them in large quantities at once. Then put them in an airtight container and put them in the refrigerator. Every time you use it, you take it out, saving time and limiting the number of times your eyes sting. If you put it in the freezer, the onions will still retain their delicious flavor.
• While cutting onions, you can use transparent glasses to protect your eyes.
• Whether dicing or cutting into wedges, every time you cut, you put the cutting part up and then down on the cutting board. Doing so also limits the surface exposure of onion cells to air.
• If onions stick to your hands, use salt and lemon juice to rub your hands before washing with soap. The onion smell and eye irritation will disappear completely.

Take note of the tips for cutting onions without being spicy that we just introduced so that preparing onions while cooking is no longer an obsession or discomfort for you!