Document text
http://www.omniture.com --> Sections Home Page Local News AP News Archives Business Classifieds Event Calendar Forums Life Opinion Obituaries Photo Gallery Readers Photo Gallery Sports Tempo Weather Special Coverage 2006 Britt Festivals --> Shop Our Valley AutoFinder HomeFinder JobFinder Search Our Valley Special Sections Distinctly Northwest Readers' Choice Homelife Magazine Joy Magazine Holiday Guide Oregon Golf Info Oregon Wine Info Other Publications Local Links Ashland News eSouthernOregon Newspapers In Education Personals Moving Here Movie Listings TV Listings Volunteer Customer Service Advertise With Us Media Kit Place Classified Ad Contact Us FAQ's Home Delivery Site Map --> Email Story to a Friend January 14, 2007 Onions worth a good cry Why does peeling an onion make you cry? -- Amy K., Medford As you might have guessed, Amy, onions are incredibly moody vegetables prone to laying their trifling problems — layer upon layer of drama — on the nearest available unfortunate person. We've endured countless onion woes. Seriously, it's a death, Amy, a death! As reformed noneatarians, we weep for all our little green and yellow buddies of genus Allium every time one goes under the knife. OK, the real truth is, onion cells contain various enzymes and chemicals. When you cut an onion, you release chemicals that convert into a volatile gas. This gas turns into sulfuric acid when it meets the water of your eyes. How's that for an onion's defense mechanism? Advertisement In turn, our defense mechanism is to produce tears to dilute the acid, but then, if you're prone to doing dumb things like us, you rub your eyes and make it worse by applying sulfuric acid directly where it's least wanted. And just for the record, any sort of hot pepper juice that may also be lingering on your hands burns anything near your eyes like all get-out. Combine it with onion tears and the melange is not so sublime. A couple of suggestions to avoid the problem: Never cut onions again — get rid of the stinkers. Short of that unfortunate and ill-advised choice, stop breathing, wear swim goggles and hop on one leg with a sugar cube or lemon wedge in your mouth while you cut them. Alternately, you can peel and then cook or refrigerate your onion before slicing, rinse under water frequently while cutting, breathe through your mouth instead of your nose, or stand back as far as you can to avoid the fumes. If they get you, rinse your hands and step away from the cutting area to get fresh air, breathing through your nose to flush the vapors out. Or just curl up and have a good cry. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. Advertisement Copyright © 1997-2007 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback online casinos news Home Security Systems Online Casino Reviews Men's Clothing Fundraisers UK Homeowner Loans Discount Hotel Reservations Send Flowers Casinos Canada Texas Electric Choice Compare Electric rates in Texas Windermere Van Vleet Trunks, Footlocker Online poker at AbsolutePoker.com