Cooking is part and parcel of everyday life, but for some people it can be more of a chore than fun. One tumultuous task is cutting onions without being left with streams of tears running down your face.
However, one home cook swears by a simple trick which uses only a match stick. As onions grow underground they come equipped with a “defence mechanism”, according to Healthline , which are designed to help protect themselves from animals.
Onions release enzymes and sulfenic acid when their skin is broken. These compounds combine to produce propanethial S-oxide, an irritating gas. If this gas touches the eyes, it can cause people to tear up.
As there are many different types of onions, those which generate more tears contain more sulfur-containing compounds. These include yellow, red and white onions.
So to combat the impending tears, home cook Kathleen Burton shared her match stick hack which she uses to get rid of any irritation while cooking. In a video posted by The Feed Feed last month, Kathleen explained the simple steps she takes to avoid crying while cutting her onions.
Kathleen wrote: “Pro tip: If you don’t want to cry cutting onions, light a match, blow it out, and hold it between your teeth.”
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A number of home cooks shared their thoughts on the hack, with @kristabella27 saying: “The only benefit of wearing contacts other than being able to see is that they protect from onion cries.”
@genevievebydesign suggested: “How about just sharpening your knife so it slices through onion cells without bursting them aggressively spraying the juice of the onions into the air then making your eyes water… but what do I know?”
@kelly_marie219 advised, “Put the onion in the freezer for 20 mins. No tears,” while @cooking.coffee.cats wrote, “Putting a wet paper towel near the onions can also mitigate the effects. Not perfect, but it works.”
The theory behind using a match or a candle is that the flame works to neutralise the onion’s gas on its way through the air, according to Epicurious . Bon Appetit also suggested that while the match stick hack could work, there is not much scientific fact behind it.
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