Little kids sometimes wonder why their mothers usually cry more often in the kitchen. There were no sad movies or heartbreaks that made them cry-except maybe for a piece of onion. Most probably, you have your share of tears whenever chopping onions. If this bothers you, you can actually avoid shedding tears when slicing onions. Using real, fresh onions is still better than sprinkling onion powder, but how can you enjoy preparing dishes without getting teary-eyed? Below are some effective ways to prevent you from crying when chopping onions:

1. Shield your eyes.

Shielding your eyes is probably the most effective way to avoid tearing when chopping onions. When onions are sliced open, it generates a certain gas released by enzymes which irritates your eyes and nose. If there is a barrier between you and the onions, the gas will not reach the mucous membranes of your eyes and nose. If you can create a device that can ward off the gas of the onions from entering your eyes, it would be great. Otherwise, you can conveniently wear clear eyeglasses to help shield your peepers from the irritating enzymes from the onions.

2. Stand and breathe through your mouth.

If you stand and extend your arms while you slice the onion, you will notice that you actually have enough space and distance from the chemical gas of the onion. Slicing an onion while you sit will only make your eyes teary because you are too close. You can also breathe through your mouth at the same time, allowing the gas to enter your mouth instead of your nose.

3. Chill the onion.

Allowing the onion to cool somehow works. The change in temperature of the onion from warm to cold minimizes the enzymes from spreading in the atmosphere. You can place the onion in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes which will be enough to chill it. Do not freeze the onion as it might get tough as ice and difficult to slice.

4. Slice onions with a sharp knife.

It is best that you use a very sharp edge knife instead of a dull one when slicing the onion. This will avoid the gas from reaching your eyes. Make sure that you first slice the roots and then slice the onion in half. Place the onions with its sliced part face down, and then proceed by slicing it into small pieces. This method will make it easier for you to prepare them.

5. Use an onion chopper.

Another way for you to avoid teary eyes is to use an onion chopper. This is a unique kitchen tool made exclusively for the purpose of chopping onions. Using this helpful tool will prevent your eyes from tearing. After the onions are chopped, just be careful not to open the onion chopper to close, since the gas is still in the container. Also make sure to read the product labels, as you do not want to use it improperly. There are actually different types of onion choppers that you can choose, and there is bound to be one perfect onion chopper that should suit you.

Author Bio: Danny loves writing about High cholesterol foods at his blog. If you are worried about your cholesterol then you should also check out this article deadly cholesterol foods to see if there are foods you should be giving up.

Category: Food and Drinks
Keywords: onions, cooking, crying, knife, kitchen, recipe