{"id":3410,"date":"2010-11-05T08:00:35","date_gmt":"2010-11-05T15:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/?p=3410"},"modified":"2016-10-04T00:42:04","modified_gmt":"2016-10-04T07:42:04","slug":"why-onions-make-your-eyes-water","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.todayifoundout.com\/index.php\/2010\/11\/why-onions-make-your-eyes-water\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Onions Make Your Eyes Water"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"sliced<\/a>Today I found out<\/a> why onions make you cry.<\/p>\n

Onions, along with many other plants in the Allium species (garlic is another popular one), absorb sulfur from the soil.\u00a0 When onions are chopped, it ends up breaking cells within the onion, which releases certain enzymes.\u00a0 These enzymes then react with the sulfur, creating amino acid sulfoxides.\u00a0 These, in turn, create the highly unstable syn-propanethial-S-oxide, which is a combination of sulfuric acid, sulfur dioxide, and hydrogen sulfide. \u00a0\u00a0 When this substance, in a gaseous state, comes in contact with the moisture in your eye, it triggers a burning sensation via the ciliary nerve.<\/p>\n

Tears in the eyes are regulated by the lachrymal gland, which is situated just above your eyelids.\u00a0 When the brain gets a message that there is an irritant in the eye, such as the above syn-propanethial-S-oxide, which gives a burning sensation, it then kicks the lachrymal glands into overdrive, trying to flush the irritant out of your eye(s) with tears.<\/p>\n

Cooked onions won’t produce this same effect because the process of cooking the onion inactivates the enzymes needed to make the syn-propanethial-S-oxide.\u00a0 So you can safely chew the cooked onions without getting teary-eyed.<\/p>\n

Best Ways to Stop Onions From Making Your Eyes Water<\/strong><\/p>\n