Have you seen your mom cry when she is cutting onions?

She can’t help it .. and it’s not because she is sad at the thought of cooking a meal for the family.

Did you know that there are 3 types of tears?

Basal tears are always there in our eyes

• They keep our eyes from drying out completely.
• They come into our eyes every time we blink.

Reflex tears are produced when the eye gets troubled by an irritant like smoke, dust, gas.

• They protect the human eye by watering and cleaning it.

Emotional tears happen when we feel sad or hurt.

So why does chopping onion make mom cry?

Chopped onions produce a gas. When this gas reaches her eyes, it gets mixed with water in her eyes and forms sulphuric acid.

Sulphuric acid stings and irritates the eyes and causes more tears. So we see the chef’s face flooded with tears!

How can chewing gum help?

When we chew gum, we tend to breathe through our mouths. The irritant gets dissolved. Only a small amount of gas chemical reaches the lachrymal glands of our eyes.

This way, the gland cannot produce tears and we do not cry.

Next time, when you help your mum in the kitchen or take ownership of cutting the onions, reward yourself with a gum.

 

Credit: Anu Paul Philip

 

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