2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14
What are tears and where do they come from? We rarely think about such superficial and at the same time deep questions. From school, we know that tears are a protective reaction of the body to an aggressive environment. Tears can appear due to dust, strong wind, any kind of eye infection. They can be a reaction to anger, a manifestation of resentment, despair and even happiness. But sometimes tears can be such an obvious thing that we just don't take them seriously. However, at least once in a lifetime, the question of why we cry from onions came to everyone's mind.
An excursion into the history of the origin of onions
Onions began to be cultivated about 4 thousand years ago in Asia. Then the popularity of onions as a garden crop spread to Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece and India. Then people valued the onion not only for its healing properties, but also believed in its magical properties.
The ancient Romans believed that the onion contained in food saturates the body with energy, and the soul with strength and courage. In ancient Egypt, the bow served to scare away evil spirits, and in India it was believed that along with the tears that appear while working with the bow, negative energy comes out of a person. They had their own explanation for why onions make you cry.
Benefits of onions
No wonder the Egyptians idolized the bow because it had the power to scare away spirits. In a sense, it really protects us from evil - from harmful viruses and bacteria. Onions contain a huge amount of useful substances that help the body fight pathogenic microbes, as well as strengthen the immune system: vitamins B, C, PP, E, H, minerals and fiber.
In addition to the excellent composition, onions also have a high content of essential oils - these are phytoncides and allocins, which, in turn, have unique antioxidant properties. They protect not only the person who cuts the onion from the harmful environment, but also other people in the room.
The reason for onion tears: why do onions cry
In addition to the he alth benefits of onions, they are also known for one strange property, thanks to which this article exists. Why cry from onions? When we cut, crush, rub, chop onions, whole vegetable cells are destroyed, sulfonic acid molecules combine with proteins and cause a chemical reaction, turning into a tear ester, the name of which is lachrymator. It is very concentrated sulfuricacid and light, therefore it quickly penetrates into the delicate shell of our eyes, irritating the mucous membrane and dissolving in our tears. That's why people cry from onions. The lachrymator serves as a kind of defense mechanism for the onion from those who want to eat it or damage it, for example, from insects.
Fighting onion tears
While wondering why onions cry, people are trying to find a way to resist the lachrymator.
Today there are many developments of methods to combat tears caused by onion esters. The Chinese have developed a separate type of onion that does not cause tears. However, this species is significantly inferior to its father in taste and aromatic qualities.
Scientists have proven that low temperatures can slow down the reaction that occurs in onions, which consequently leads to a decrease in tear ether. Therefore, one option to get rid of tears is to put the onions in the freezer for a few minutes.
Another way is to wet the knife in water. In water, the gases released by onions lose their strength, becoming less concentrated. This method is very popular today and, according to numerous observations, is effective. Based on this hypothesis, it can be assumed that a tap of running water opened nearby or a handkerchief moistened with water will also help to correct the situation. Some also say that the water in the mouth option is effective.
In addition, you can chew mint gum, parsley or light a wax candle, the esters from which, when combined with the lachrymator, weaken the effect of the latter. Recommended alsouse goggles for swimming or snowboarding.
In the end, the best option is to buy a chopper or a food processor.
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