Right i have figured out how to stop crying when i cut and slice up an onion…as it really stings my eyes always has done…
I peel the onion in water, fully covering the onion, and cut in to half.Then i put one half in to a slicer dicer, a JML device that opens and closes, as you push it to close on to the onion it slices through it when it shuts and stays in the removable lid at the slicer on top. they are truely great and so quick to cut anything like potato, carrot, peppers… best for us onion cryers though.
Since it releases the magic onion cry gas (that’s the official chemical name–look it up) into the air and affects you when it hits your eyes, the water stops it in its tracks. You could also wear goggles or use a really sharp knife so you’re not tearing the onion as you cut it (and releasing more of the stuff).
I have been trying bruced’s recommendation to breathe through the mouth while chopping onions for a few days now and it’s working like a charm. For me it’s the most practical solution of all the ones I have read about.
From what I have read, it is because the olfactory nerves are located very near the tear duct nerves. When you breathe through the mouth, they are bypassed and therefore no tears. In fact if you forget and breathe through the nose(and I realized I did when swallowing for example) then you get tears.
I keep my onions in the refrigerator vegetable drawer. They don’t seem to give out as much of the gas when they are cold.
Another onion tip - to remove the smell of onion from your hands, rub a stainless steel spoon with your fingers & hands under running cool water. I have no idea why it works, but it does.
