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Doctor’s simple trick to ‘never cry again’ while cutting onions Credits: Social Media
By Ellissa Bain

Doctor’s simple trick to ‘never cry again’ while cutting onions

By Ellissa Bain

Onions form the base of loads of different meals and add so much flavor – but preparing them is such a pain.

While chopping, your eyes sting and stream with tears which is extremely unpleasant, but there’s an easy way to stop the crying.

Man's hands chopping onions
Man’s hands chopping onions. Credit: Johner Images (Getty Images)

Why we cry while cutting onions

When you cut an onion, you destroy the cell, which releases a compound called Syn-Propanethial S-oxide, Verywell Health explains.

This sulfur chemical is a gas that floats through the air. When it reacts to the moisture in your eyes, it forms sulfuric acid which causes that burning sensation.

Your eyes then naturally create tears in response to this external irritant, which is your body’s way of trying to get rid of the gas.

White onions will make you cry the most because they have the highest sulfur concentration, but yellow and red are also bad.

Doctor’s trick to ‘never cry again’

In a viral TikTok video, qualified medical doctor Dr. Joe Whittington explained one simple trick you probably haven’t heard before that will help stop the tears.

“I’m going to teach you how to never cry again cutting onions,” he said, before telling viewers to wet a piece of paper towel.

Then, you need to lay it next to the onion. As you’re chopping, the paper towel will draw in the irritant gas like a magnet.

This means less of the chemical will be going into your eyes, so you won’t cry as much.

@drjoe_md

Cutting onions releases a chemical compound known as propanethial S-oxide. When this compound comes into contact with the moisture in your eyes, it forms sulfuric acid, causing irritation and stimulating the eyes to produce tears as a defense mechanism to flush it out. To minimize this effect: 1. Lay a wet paper towel next to the onion – The wet paper towel can help absorb some of the irritant gases released by the onion. 2. Chill the onions in the fridge before cutting – Cooling the onions slows down the chemical reaction that releases the irritating gases, reducing their impact on your eyes. 3. Use a sharp knife – A sharper knife causes less damage to the onion’s cells, resulting in fewer irritants being released into the air. #kitchenhacks #tipsandtricks #healthtips #medical

♬ original sound – Dr. Joe, M.D. 🩺

Other onion chopping tips

He also recommended chilling your onions in the fridge before cutting, because cooling slows down the chemical reaction that releases the gas.

Using a sharp knife helps too, as this causes less damage to the onions cells, resulting in fewer irritants being released into the air.

You could soak your onions in water before chopping, as the gas will be absorbed into the water.

Wearing goggles or glasses is another alternative, stopping the gas from getting into your eyes.

Keeping the root of the onion intact while cutting will reduce tears too, as this contains most of the sulphuric properties.

Dr. Joe Whittington is a board certified MD in Emergency Medicine, who gained his medical qualifications from UCLA and St. Louis University School of Medicine. He is currently out of residency, but uses his online presence to share his knowledge and experiences in the Emergency Room.