Why does cutting an onion make you cry or sting you eyes?
Onions cells contain traces of sulfur, that are broken and released into the air when cut. These sulfured compounds react with the moisture in your eyes forming sulfuric acid, which cause the burning sensation you feel. The defense mechanism of the eye is to create tears to dilute the acid. So your tears protect your eyes from damage.
So to answer both your questions:
1. The stinging feeling is caused by sulfer from the onion cell
2. The tears are a defense mechanism to protect your eyes from potential damage.
***********************************************
* Adivce on how to cut an onion and not cry? *
***********************************************
Best Answer -
1.After peeling the onion keep it in the freezer for 5 minutes. No tears and it cuts finely.
2.do it in a tub of ice water
*************************
*Get Rid Of Onion Breath*
*************************
Onions, like garlic, break down into volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) when consumed. Onion breath is actually a result of sulfur escaping the body. VSCs do not go through your digestive system like all of the other foods you eat. Instead, these compounds go straight into your blood stream.
Click Here to Get Rid Of Onion Breath!Your blood delivers the VSCs to your sweat glands and to your lungs for elimination. When you have onion breath, you are breathing out the compounds to get rid of them. It can take up to 24 hours for your body to properly process an onion. Even if you brush your teeth, you will still smell like an onion until your body has entirely eliminated the VSCs.
How to Quickly Get Rid of Onion Breath?
One of the best ways for you to get rid of onion breath while your body disposes of the VSCs is to chew a strong mint-flavored gum.
The gum will reduce the smell until your body can get rid of the onion compounds.