Best Methods for Preventing Tears While Chopping an Onion

Best Methods for Preventing Tears While Chopping an Onion

4 great tips to keep you tear free.

I never fail to produce an excessive amount of tears every time I even think about peeling an onion. Keeping onions in my diet, however, is important because onions contain such nutrients as vitamin B1, fiber, vitamin C, and potassium. Since many other individuals also have trouble chopping onions, I decided it was worth investigating. Sure enough, there are some tride and true methods you can incorporate in order to prevent the next avalanche of tears from emerging.

1. Place your onion in the refrigerator 30 minutes before you intend on chopping it. The gases that cause your eyes to become irritated are slowed down. If you are quick with the knife, you should be able to dice the onion before it makes you cry. Of course, if you are in a hurry, use the freezer for 10 minutes instead of the refrigerator.

2. Turn on the fan above your stove, and cut the onion on a cutting board directly underneath of it. The fan will draw the gasses up into it instead of having them make their way into your eyes. If all you have is a ceiling fan, however, than use that to help redirect the onion gasses away from you.

3. Peel the onion and cut it in half. Immediately set the onion halves inside a food chopper. Automated food choppers dice the onions so quickly that they don’t have time to make you cry like a baby.

4. Put a pair of safety or swim goggles over your eyes to prevent the gasses from being able to reach your eyes. This is necessary for me because I have such a high sensitivity to the onions. Others may not have to take such a drastic step.

Whichever method you choose, it is best if you wear a pair of food service gloves. Without gloves, some of the onion juices may remain on your hands, which can cause you to cry when your hands get to close to your face.