Book author and chemist Eric Block has the definitive answer why onions make us cry based on his new book, where he identified the substance as syn-propanethial-S-oxide.
A Mouthful For A Substance That Answers Why Onions Make Us Cry.
This substance, according to Block in his new book Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and The Science, which has evolved through time as a defence mechanism to prevent it from getting eaten.
“See, the onion is a perennial bulb that lives in the ground with lots of critters who are looking for a snack,” says Block. “So it has evolved a chemical defence system.”
A cross-sectional examination of the onion, according to Block, would show us that the onion’s bulb shape is a work of genius. In each cell you will find a glob called a sealed vacuole, that is filled with enzymes. When these cells get torn through teeth bites of knife cuts, the blobs break up to release the enzymes and mix together with other substances of the onion to generate that irritating concoction.
Because these substances are very tine, it gloats in the air and find their way to the eyes or nostrils of the one nearest to the sliced onion.
How to avoid from shedding tears?
Slicing onions with a fan blowing air against it and away from the face would divert the flight of the irritating substances and keep it away from the slicer. Another way is to pop the onions inside the fridge for a few minutes before slicing them, as the substances are less volatile when cold.
Using goggles may not be helpful either, since the molecules could still go up through the mouth and nostrils, eventually leading up to the eyes to cause irritation.
However, don’t try to shun onions away from your diet as the very same irritants are the ones that give onions its tasty flavour.
Before you get too sentimental, try using what Block is recommending and stop focusing too much on why onions make use cry and instead, enjoy the good tasting pleasure that you can get out of it,
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