Cut Like a Pro

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1. ObservedJul 26, 2026Conversation1 turnsPlacementAfter turn 01 turns · After turn 0Replay chat
   Observed conversationJul 26, 2026 · interface recreation

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   why do onions make you cry when chopped but green onions don't do it nearly as bad

   The difference comes down to how much of the tear-producing chemicals each plant makes and stores.

   Here's what happens when you chop a regular onion:

   1. Cutting the onion breaks open its cells.
   2. Enzymes mix with sulfur-containing compounds that were stored separately.
   3. This reaction creates a gas called syn-propanethial-S-oxide.
   4. When the gas reaches your eyes, it reacts with your tears to form tiny amounts of irritating acids.
   5. Your eyes respond by producing lots of tears to wash the irritant away.

   Green onions (also called scallions) are much milder because:

   • They contain much lower amounts of the sulfur compounds that lead to the irritating gas.
   • Most of what you eat is the immature stem and leaves, which naturally have fewer of these compounds than a mature onion bulb.
   • They haven't had as much time to accumulate sulfur as a fully grown onion.

   Not all regular onions are equally tear-inducing either:

   • Yellow onions usually make you cry the most because they're richest in sulfur compounds.
   • White onions are often moderately strong.
   • Sweet onions (like Vidalia) have less sulfur and are gentler on your eyes.
   • Red onions are somewhere in the middle, though they vary by variety and growing conditions.

   Ways to reduce the tears

   • Chill the onion in the refrigerator for 20–30 minutes before cutting (this slows the chemical reaction).
   • Use a very sharp knife to crush fewer cells.
   • Cut near a vent or fan to blow the gas away from your face.
   • Leave the root end for last, since it tends to contain a higher concentration of the tear-producing compounds.

   So the short answer is: green onions don't make you cry nearly as much because they simply produce much less of the irritating sulfur gas than mature onion bulbs do.

   

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