\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Approved. This keeps the fumes from getting to your eyes. So I decided to test an array of 15 of these methods and products. Unfortunately, this trick did absolutely nothing. However, this method may be a little more dangerous, and it is not easy by any means. People with a food intolerance have difficulty digesting certain foods. Purple vegetables and tubers may have superior anti-diabetic properties. Goggles can prevent the gas from reaching your eyes while cutting onions, but they aren't really necessary, he added. One method is to freeze the onion for 30 minutes before cutting it, which can slow down the release of the compounds that cause eye irritation. To be clear, I'm not saying that cooling your arm will stop your eyes from burning, exactly. Will fruits and veggies be affected if I keep onions in the refrigerator? Wash your hands thoroughly after chopping the onions to prevent exacerbation of the irritation. 2 September 2021. article and sent a few solutions to help her. By using a sharp knife, you will reduce the amount of time spent cutting the onion. Basic food items like sugar and salt are in shortage. Onions are an essential ingredient in so many recipes, and while we love them, they somehow always leave us in tears. If a person notices any allergic symptoms, such as swelling, trouble breathing, itching, and hives, they should immediately seek emergency care. If a person is allergic to onions, symptoms can appear up to 2 hours after ingestion. The second enzyme, known as a lachrymatory-factor synthase, then turns this into the troublesome propanthial s-oxide. Why do onions make us cry? nasal congestion. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. "My friend is cutting large amounts of onions at her work, and she texted me telling her her eyes hurt. You can get rid of an onion burn by rinsing your eyes with clean and cool water. Use a very sharp knife to chop the onion. If you missed these preventive measures and are a blubbering mess, you have options. Use lubricating eye drops to flush out the eyes. Dry eye can make it feel like your eyes are burning up in their sockets. I devised this method on my own while working at a French restaurant and slicing 100 onions several times a week for French onion soup. I chose Extra peppermint gum, since they're longer sticks, and I thought a bigger wad might help prevent the waterworks. Preparing onions often causes a chemical reaction that results in tears for most people. Consider using these instead. Onions cause irritation but is not known to cause long term damage. According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI), every time a person is exposed to the food, an allergic reaction can occur. This photo represents less than half the total onions I diced. When you cut the basal plate or shoot, they release an enzyme. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Cutting chilled onions quickly using a sharp knife is the best way to prevent your eyes from getting watery. This volatile chemical is whats known as a lachrymatory factor. Content on HealthTap (including answers) should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and interactions on HealthTap do not create a doctor-patient relationship. If you have good knife skills, cutting the root last makes a big difference. You may have even tried several methods to avoid it. 10 Kitchen Hacks To Prevent Watery Eyes While Cutting Onions, 2. Chewing gum before, during or after cutting onions promotes production of saliva. Your email address will not be published. Find out here about them, including the causes and symptoms. None had. Onions cause a temporary burning and watering of the eyes but cause no permanent damage. It is also better to peel the onions and cut them in half or quarters before soaking them. Tear glands produce tears to dilute and, out the irritant. . ", "Kept me interested through all the clearly written steps. By using our website, you consent to our use of cookies. November 6, 2022. This could be done by using a cooker hood or running water, stopping the compounds making their way to your eyes. Some people would also go to a steady and safe place near a gas stove to slice their onions. Popescu, F.-D. (2015). To cut an onion, first, make lengthwise cuts with your knife. The odds of them fitting aren't 100%. I do like the taste of onions. A potentially deadly reason to seek preventive health care. Unless you want to multitask by combining snack time and meal prep in one, skip this method altogether. Why do onions burn my eyes? Symptoms should disappear relatively quickly and at least within a few hours. If a person consumes an onion, and they start to feel unwell, they may be allergic to onion. Your eyes burn for a few seconds to at least a few hours after cutting onions because they contain eye-irritating chemicals. The first step in relief is prevention -- not exposing yourself to the gas or minimizing its release. Watch Exactly How to Peel and Chop an Onion, Method #3: Chilling the Onion in the Refrigerator, Method #5: Cutting the Onion Under Cold Water, Method #6: Running Your Arm Under Cold Water, Kitchen Tricks and Tips From Our Expert Cooks, How to Save Hours Preparing Thanksgiving DinnerPlus Tips on How to Plan Ahead, What to Do If Your Thanksgiving Turkey Is Still Frozenand 3 Ways to Fix It, Dealing With Jaw, Neck, or Face Tension Lately? wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. No burning! My eyes felt strange.. When a person is allergic to onions, their immune system reacts as if the onions are a dangerous substance. Antihistamines can help with mild symptoms, but it is essential that a person has epinephrine auto-injector devices on them in case they experience severe allergic reactions. There is lots of debate about this. Symptoms of an onion allergy may include: nausea. All content on this website is for informational and educational purposes only. This method is used when freezing many vegetables but it may not be practical to boil your onions before chopping them. Almost like everything i looked at was floating . I'm afraid it has damaged my eyesight. Can visine permanently damage the eyes? It lasted about 5 minutes i then had a mild headache. Onions use sulfur in the soil to create amino acid sulfoxides, which are sulfur compounds that readily turn into a gas. Full disclosure: I was eating a double stuff Oreo while dicing this onion, so I can't say for sure if the cold onion or the Oreo did the trick here. In this case, several readers have written to tell us that this article was helpful to them, earning it our reader-approved status. A cold compress can help to eleviate the symptoms of tearing and burning when cutting an onion. Saliva absorbs the vapors emitted by cut onions, preventing them from condensing on the eye and causing tears. wearing a pair of tight-fitting safety goggles to protect your eyes. difficulty breathing . Onions can also, The volatile chemicals released when cutting onions can irritate, . Although you will have less control when using a food chopper, it is still a good alternative if you aim for smaller pieces of onion. Antihistamines may also help. Other approaches involve drawing the volatile chemicals away from you as you are chopping the onion. 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