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- Why Do Onions Make You Cry? 🧅
Why Do Onions Make You Cry? 🧅
Morning Onion Breath!
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/e0bd14ad-6d86-4837-935b-8c7ab159a9c4/1.gif?t=1702989400)
Heyyy, what’s the matter Durd?
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/7a321096-6c29-439b-a828-09bece530a3d/2.png?t=1702989431)
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/71fe31d7-f3ae-43ae-9380-1f9da09f58f6/3.png?t=1702989457)
Durd, nobody needs that many–
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/ccc4c50b-d1e9-44e0-bf9f-425b9f104c82/4.png?t=1702989487)
Okay. We’ll just do onions today.
Because, why do onions make you cry?
Basically when you start chopping an onion,
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/942e53e3-fb99-4b18-9e07-5dc73f9bc57e/5.png?t=1702989524)
You begin breaking up cells inside the thing.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/f4c504dd-8fb5-4194-9e5d-de6dc73c7786/6.png?t=1702989558)
This releases enzymes called alliinases.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/81d07191-e87c-4895-a3e6-896a998466b4/7.png?t=1702989574)
Lol. Fine.
If that helps you remember.
These alliinases then mix with amino acids containing sulfur inside of the onion.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/eda8499a-07cd-4f66-a5b1-de808eb77abb/8.png?t=1702989621)
Now, when these two things mix, they form an unstable sulfenic acid.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/2e7c41e9-463a-4d78-a06f-91d44f90f3ba/9.png?t=1702989636)
And this unstable sulfenic acid wants to become…stable!
So it quickly rearranges itself into a chemical called syn-propanethial-S-oxide:
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/52839a04-0b16-4608-b61b-ff8bacbc76b0/10.png?t=1702989654)
Okay, no more big words lol
We have a problem.
That syn-propanethial-S-oxide is volatile as F*CK!
So it immediately evaporates into a gas.
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/e7536873-7894-4996-8ddf-accbf9a12422/11.png?t=1702989676)
And stabs you in the eyeballs!
![](https://media.beehiiv.com/cdn-cgi/image/fit=scale-down,format=auto,onerror=redirect,quality=80/uploads/asset/file/6b09f7f7-0785-4f8e-b187-4c5cce2be4df/12.png?t=1702989689)
You’re crying to try and wash away the chemical.
But the onion’s just trying to defend itself from being eaten by predators and insects!
Stay Cute,
Henry & Dylan 🌈
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