Food Theory: We Debunked the WORST Onion Cutting Hacks!

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Cutting an onion is NEVER fun! Why? Well, the tears, of course! That’s why we set out to find a way to STOP crying while cutting onions. Join us on our journey as we test wearing goggles, using nose plugs, and even chewing bubble gum. Prepare yourself for an onion revelation, Loyal Theorists!
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Credits:
Writers: Matthew Patrick, Santi Massa, and Eddie Robinson
Editors: Tyler Mascola, Pedro Freitas, and AbsolutePixel
Assistant Editor: Caitie Turner (Caiterpillart)
Sound Designer: Yosi Berman
Thumbnail Artist: DasGnomo
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#Onion #OnionCutChallenge #CookingTips #Onions #OnionCutting #OnionCutter #OnionCutChallenge #OnionRecipe #OnionRecipes #HowtoCook #Experiment #Theory #FoodTheory #Matpat

[@ChuncheeCat]

The difference between Mats desperate quest to cry, VS Santi's equally as desperate quest to not cry, is so hilarious to me.

[@ElDesvanDeDan]

Your spelling is like an onion to me. 😁

[@ChuncheeCat]

@@ElDesvanDeDan Thank you it's a unique talent.

[@evelyn8102]

​@@ChuncheeCat ive decided this comment is how im going to respond to criticism from now on. Very tumblr.

[@namantherockstar]

Matpat inspires me.. My parents said if i get 50K followers They'd buy me a professional camera for recording..begging u guys , literally Begging...

[@ilyas2825]

​@@namantherockstarAnother thing your dad said is I "need to get milk"

[@Wh1tti]

I used to think that this channel was a prank, or would fail. Now it is the only theorist channel with notifications on.

[@namantherockstar]

Matpat inspires me.. My parents said if i get 50K followers They'd buy me a professional camera for recording..begging u guys , literally Begging...

[@SamTaylorsVersion]

Same 😂

[@unknownedleaf]

same

[@ked49]

@@namantherockstaryou don’t need a nice camera to do well. Try getting a Samsung phone cheaper and a decent camera

[@Vampbl0cks]

Lol smae

[@theartisticweeb9492]

As someone who shares Matt’s immunity to onion tears I genuinely thought it was a myth that onions made you cry

[@im_dumb9808]

Oh no, I can say it’s very real. In fact, I am particularly sensitive to the onion gas. And by that I mean if onions are being cut in the kitchen, I could smell the gasses in the living room

[@lacytaylor1501]

I used to be fairly unfazed, then we got one particular batch from the store and one slice into it left me sobbing and snotting like I'd just watched the most heart wrenching movie ever. It felt like someone was dumping something caustic into my eyeballs with how badly they burned. This is in sharp contrast to my mother who pretty much always waters up to varying degrees cutting them so even those unfazed could potentially locate that one really nasty onion that causes it.

[@H........8]

I also share a Onion Sensitivity Immunity.

[@Audentior_Ito]

I grew into a sensitivity for 'em

[@f-104C_starfighter]

Same immunity here. I should try the goggle method to trap em

[@RockinAfr0]

Matpat saying that he's immune because "either I'm 1. awesome or 2. Dead inside" caught me off guard and was way funnier than I thought 😂

[@CCCookieTho]

i thought it was cause of the eye surgery

[@winkystinky]

Turns out, the real secret is to have matpat cut all your onions.

[@willemlind2704]

But thats just a theory, A FOOD THEORY

[@felixf3097]

I’ve found that refrigerating the onion helps to reduce tears while keeping the onion fresh tasting and easy to cut. It’s like freezing, but better.

[@GeatMasta]

+

[@perfectblueeeee]

Boosting! A bot copied your comment and got way up at the top 🫠

[@percabethlumity]

I agree! Refrigerating definitely helps. Only thing is you have to cut it kinda fast to get 0 reaction, because once it gets up to room temperature the fumes come up again.

[@eclipse4507]

@@perfectblueeeee Weirdly enough, it's clearly a copied comment, but not a bot since it doesn't match word for word.

[@honeyreyes4384]

Came to add this comment as well. I cry easily w onions but refrigerated ones don’t make me cry.

[@ellicurus]

I would watch an hour long video just of Matt and Santi making dinner together once a week.

[@elizabethwuehrmann3519]

Matpat and Jimmy O Yang…

[@certifiedstinkychicken]

real

[@TheAdvertisement]

That "Why are you like this" is the culmination of Matpat's personality.

[@reganclark5626]

Matpat saying "unless you're building up an emotional attachment to your onions" made me laugh and choke on my cereal

[@darkindy]

The editor missed an opportunity to use Onion from Cooking Companions being stabbed. That is about the only Onion I would come close to forming an attachment to.

[@kiracomments-chca2747]

XD

[@epicgamernoisesintensifies6238]

*Puppies*

[@INTstincts]

I always thought I was immune to onion tears... turns out, growing up, we always kept onions in the fridge, and cold onions DEFINITELY help! All the benefit of method 7 without needing a frozen iceball onion haha

[@ellymyths]

Same thing but we mostly used less juicy onions most of the time, and when we got different kinds of onions I was more prone to cry, I still don’t cry too often but my eyes do get watery sometimes

[@annistar9693]

I only put two and two together recently when I realized the leftover onion I put in the fridge never ever makes my eyes sting

[@veronicamckenzie3711]

please make sure you're putting onions in air tight containers in the fridge, onions absorb the surrounding atmosphere and can spoil when stored next to fresh meat or slightly rotting vegetables.

[@Sinovian]

At work we tend to pre-soak in an ice water bath for a bit which helps too. Gets the temp lowered, but does require a bit of thinking ahead.

[@dylanzrim3635]

Turns out chemical reactions occur slower when cold

[@olivercane4018]

Oh man, Mattpatt and Santi was such a funny duo, I hope we see more of them in the future

[@viviana-vietnguyen9570]

if only you knew........

[@robhogate2312]

If you want to not cry while cooking onions I got you, an old chef I worked with told me this. Skin it and cut it in half, then soak it for a while in cold water and then you're good to go. Use in cooking or use it raw, because it still has its crunch and flavor.

[@snowy2749]

I love how there were two things happening, Matt trying TO cry and failing, and Santi trying NOT to cry, and failing. I've never seen anything more perfect 😂😂

[@Waldnuss19]

My theory is that the contact lenses themselves, and not desensitization to the nerves, is what gave MatPat his immunity. This is based on my own experiences with wearing contact lenses, in which I never cry while wearing them when chopping onions, but if I'm not wearing them I always cry

[@silent_midnights6285]

Same! If I’m cutting an especially volatile onion, it will irritate my nose, but never my eyes. Contacts for the win!

[@tishapaul8435]

Wearing contact lenses hasn't stopped me from cry when cutting onions

[@vinesz7784]

Same! And when I wear my glasses I’ll cry a bunch.

[@marihawley]

Same Contacts- no tears... glasses- tears.

[@johnathanoutland9453]

Right here, contacts work!

[@chloeross4080]

who's here after the gum episode? Ollie got his wish :)

[@utatoners]

so happy for him it was the cutest thing ever:)

[@TesloGuy]

I looked for you after i saw that part

[@Singing_Architect_Kiki]

what I always do before cutting an onion is: peel it, cut it in half, and rinse it under cold water to remove the juices.

[@chavitanwar2126]

YES!!! Why didn't they try this?

[@Ian_Ignacio]

THATS WHY I DONT CRY!!! I always WASH the onions after I PEEL THEM!!!!

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

as a chef the swimming goggles trick absolutely works but yeah you must make sure to create a perfect seal, in the same way that you need to create a perfect seal to prevent pool water from getting inside the goggles

[@replicant7076]

I use swimming goggles myself when I cut onions at home and find them to work 100%. As you mentioned you have to make sure there is a perfect seal if anyone else is looking to use this method.

[@saidam-w245]

I use the chemistry goggles with the closeable vents while cooking. Mostly out of fear of splashing oil while frying but also onions

[@yellingintothewind]

Ski goggles, the comically large ones with a closed-cell foam seal, work even better. First, it's easy to keep a good seal. Second, your field of view is better. Third, they protect more area around your eyes, so oil that gets on your hands or face is less likely to affect you once you remove them.

[@potapotapotapotapotapota]

@@yellingintothewind yeah I can see how they might work even better, maybe I'll try getting some

[@LtSorrel]

i used this a lot when i was working Prep and my GOD people judged me but it worked. Specially when you're rought chopping, dicing, and cutting rings bags at a time

[@ShaingTV]

Gotta be honest, i am surprised that while lots of "hacks" have been tried out here, nothing was done about changing the what was used to cut the onions. For me personally, a massive difference came once i actually started taking care of my knifes and kepts them razor sharp, while at my parents house with their knifes, its teary eyes all over again.

[@AevallX]

I keep telling my mother that if she does not want to cry every time she cuts Onions that she needs to sharpen it but my advice gets ignored lol

[@landro9829]

well if it is sharp it vil break less of the pockets so less of the enzyme gets let out

[@funtechu]

Yep, this is the real key.

[@kryptking6202]

I was going to recommend this as I have been sharpening knives for about 3 years and every since I have been keeping my knives super sharp I have never had a problem with onions making me or anyone else in my house cry.

[@marie-andreec5164]

Not to mention that well-maintained and sharp knives are safer to use - they are less likely to slip and you don't have exert as much force to use them - and make all the prep work much faster. Stop looking for hacks people and get your knives sharpened!

[@MidnightsChaos]

I'm in a culinary class as a school program and it's licensed as a restaurant. Our onions are stored in the walk-in fridge and that has the same effect as freezing while they stay easy to cut and preserves the flavor

[@mica4977]

"Thank you for joining me on your show" aged differently now that he is quitting

[@Koikoi9]

New food theory idea : can a life sized gingerbread house actually function as a sturdy, real house, and if not what type of baked good can we use that can work better than gingerbread

[@-karma-2426]

Now THIS I wanna see

[@ked49]

Fruit cake. They are basically bricks. And the taste will prevent creatures from eating it

[@TheL-vc4od]

UNDERRATED

[@Norah_The_Silly]

@@-karma-2426love your pfp

[@-karma-2426]

@@Norah_The_Silly tyyyy yours is cool too

[@maskedmajorasr]

Matt and Santis chemistry was great! It honestly felt really natural compared to some of the other episodes, like yall are just buddies hanging out cutting onions. Keep doing stuff with santi!!

[@cherricake1796]

Santi always sorta came off as a sensitive emotionally conscious soul to me (not in a bad way, just the type that wants to make ppl happy and stuff) He's definitely gonna appreciate this comment I feel like :D

[@Meshamu]

I really hope Santi invites Matpat over to Food Theory again sometime.

[@yyby_]

@@Meshamuik ur joking but i dont quite get why, matpat does voice over for every food theory video, right?

[@Meshamu]

@@yyby_ I'd clarify but, as they say, "don't explain the joke". Thank you for your comment, though!

[@sofiac1814]

@@Meshamusomehow you guessed it ahead of time

[@dagcristal8195]

I actually tried the fan thing, but I also had about twice the size of the fan as you guys did and you have to get it at the right angle and it really did work

[@ringlhach]

I was always told to run the cut under running water to reduce crying. That said, the types of onions you choose to cut can also have a massive impact- there's a varietal of onion, Vidalia or sweet, that has been bred to possess markedly less of that chemical.

[@chyenne211]

i absolutely love sweet onions and for this reason! they aren’t strong to just eat straight up either which is great since i can’t get enough of onions

[@mica4977]

Considering all the foods humanity has altered like Bananas, broccoli & so on I would have been surprised if we hadn't done this to Onions too XD

[@pika_dusk]

​@mica4977 eh, humans are masochists. If anything, we would make onion with higher sulphur lvls to see if we can cut the most dangerous onions.

[@ctomsky]

Advice from a restaurant chef of 8 years who cuts and hand-breads several hundreds of onion rings every day: if you can cut your onions under running water it'll keep the gases from getting to your eyes and keep the onion juices from building up on the cutting board which also release the gases. Goggles and nose-plugs can help a little but the gases can still get into your sinuses through your mouth as you breathe. Also, some people are just more sensitive to it than others.

[@rdmfeyna]

Dietary cook here, I soak mine first. Seems to help me, since I'm normally really sensitive.

[@themagicknightress7132]

When would you cut your onion under running water

[@barethor5869]

@@themagicknightress7132 Any time you want to not cry while cutting your onions.

[@LittleZbot]

​@barethor5869 I'm trying to imagine a situation where you have a sink that is wide enough and shallow enough where you can cut vegetables in it, a portable cutting board shaped well enough to fit in that sink without tilting in any way, and still far enough below the faucet where you would feel comfortable slicing an onion. Outside of in a professional restaurant with industry sinks, I just can't see it.

[@WeedNoTobbaco]

just use a fan

[@Traveller281]

As a person who gets the waterworks to the point of being unable to see when in the same room as someone who is cutting onions (like, it physically hurts. A LOT. There is a reason I only ever use onions pre-chopped and pre-roasted or frozen...), I sympathise with Santi 105%. But really it's just nice whenever we can see a glimpse of the crew so Santi: thank you for suffering for the content. Allow me to wish you a lovely and colourful autumn and thank you for your hard work.

[@isaiahtorrezao7461]

This me, and I work in a kitchen, it literally feels like my eyes are burning when we have to cut onions I literally can't even open them in that room once they finish a sack.

[@pblade]

Dunno if this works for yall, but whenever I need to prep onions, I submerge the onions underwater, in a basin or a sink, to get the peel off. Then I proceed cutting the thing real quickly for whatever I need. I never tried actually cutting onions underwater, but that might work too? (if you don't mind watery onions)

[@nekoboygames7786]

This is the reason why I only use onion powder (don't know if that is the English word for it)

[@elizabethbrown5537]

@@nekoboygames7786it is a thing so I assume it’s right my internet friend XD

[@backonlazer791]

Breathing only through my mouth helps for me. The moment I breathe through my nose I become a mess and can't even keep my eyes open.

[@KevinZ.000]

Working in commercial kitchens for about 12 years I found that mouth breathing and refrigerator / ice water bath temps were the 2 most effective and practical ways (also does destroy the cell walls like freezing). If you have a hard time mouth breathing sticking something in your mouth like bread or a raw carrot like a cigar, is what we did, helps you to focus mouth breathing. I have a feeling it has a lot to do with the nose and smell. If I can smell it, I'm crying. If I can't smell it, no tears here.

[@meepmop1535]

I formally request more Sanit content, simply because he is very funny

[@MeredithWilliams-dn4bh]

That aged like fine wine

[@meepmop1535]

Yes, yes it did

[@TheOneAndOnlyJesseGibson]

Fill either a big bowl or a (clean) sink with water, submerge the onion fully in said water and cut away. The oils won't be able to escape the water, therefore they won't affect your eyes, so you're safe to cut to your heart's content. The onion will stay fresh and maintain it's crunch (and you can freeze whatever you don't use too). I learned this years ago from a chef, and it's been remarkably helpful ever since.

[@GreparsYT]

That's exactly what I do as well. I was surprised to not see them try this in the video.

[@scottmader8793]

An alternative to this, is to simply sprinkle some water over the onion as you cut it.

[@ctomsky]

Yup, water really is the best way

[@simsim4910]

From Germany here, I usually wash them with hot water, it seemed to work for me at least

[@Blahydra]

Water on the knive also does wonders for this as I have found, just a quick rince and you're set.

[@ACasualTrevor]

Former Subway worker here. We would peel and chop onions in half before putting them through a slicer. It creates a lot of tears normally. The method that I use has completely prevented tears and stinging since I started. Running the onions under cold water after their chopped and before they’re sliced works super well. Additionally, always breathe through your mouth. Nose breathing makes it worse and probably draws gases toward the eyes. The last tip is to never blink, therefore stopping the chemicals from staying.

[@kingnoob8667]

bose breathing lol

[@ACasualTrevor]

@@kingnoob8667 oops

[@juancarloszapata7136]

Same. Glad I'm not the only one that does this.

[@dwittingslow]

Or halving them and leaving them in a glass of water for a minute or two.

[@AriaYau]

Exactly what I do at home 🤣 run them in water is effective

[@GrayDeath66666]

Yosi's cc is hilarious right around the bread bit

[@kimberlyyyyy44]

Watching Santi’s reaction to the onions makes me feel better. I can’t even handle being in the next room over to the kitchen when my husband cuts onions. I have to look myself in the bedroom or my eyes will hurt forever. I feel his pain🙃

[@HorioaloveRon]

My mother cut onions on the kitchen, I feel in my bedroom. And just like Santi, just watching this video make my 'eyes wet'.

[@Skelebot]

6:09 Huge props to Yosi for the hard work he did for the Closed Captions at the bread segment. Honestly incredible.

[@user-te2xi7ew6i]

Who is yosi

[@Cute_Corpse103]

My grandma taught me to freeze the onions for half an hour before chopping them and I never understood how it worked but now I do 👍🏽

[@piscezthewifeyy]

Praise GMA!!!! She saved u!

[@gabrielkawa3477]

This ^

[@user-zn8fm8kw5v]

I’ve just always kept onions in the fridge and never had any problems with crying.

[@peteryanes3413]

That make since because if u put under cold water works when u freeze it it cold n wet so yeah

[@nickpettibone]

Someone should put your grandma in a box floating down the river

[@Square_Peg]

I've heard cutting them under water can help, that seems difficult to do though and you end up with onion soup, but it could be worth testing.

[@killimajig]

This is the correct answer! I used to work at Papa Johns, and I would fill a foodsafe tub with a few inches of water, drop the cutting board in, and cut them underwater. My manager was REALLY susceptible to onions and started doing it that way himself, and he swore by it after that. It completely eliminates the problem.

[@coltonadams6936]

My girl wears contacts, she has no issues with onions. However she used to wear glasses and had issues with onions. Take your contacts out Matt, I promise you tears 😂

[@Lady_kreative_studios]

Part 2 should definitely include a nose plug test, and you should try washing the onion before cutting as it takes out some of the harsh flavor of an onion

[@Notamiamaya]

THAT'S WHAT I WAS SAYINGGGG!!

[@ariyune7007]

But what if you want the stronger flavors of the onion?

[@jaggerra7]

Seriously. That's what I do. I stick the onion under running water with every big cut I make. It saves me until I have to chop it fine, at which point I hold my breath as long as I can and then just suffer through the rest of it.

[@kenziehurlock]

Washing the onion does nothing. I washed my onion before cutting and it was still horrible.

[@TheComelyLads]

My wife has designated me the onion cutter in our house. This episode helped us realize why I am seemingly immune to the effects others feel! When I was growing up, to weird people out I would open my eyes wide and touch it with my bare fingertip. Apparently I just killed the nerve endings! Thank you Food Theory!

[@esmeraldagreenwire4791]

I used to do that until I got pinkeye 😅

[@jsstories9577]

​@@esmeraldagreenwire4791💀

[@matas9758]

my eyes hurt just reading this

[@user-ei4uy4hj5b]

Lol you were that kid

[@ericrulles2]

Matt you definitely need to try the goggles again, but one that includes a nose piece. A Quarter of an onion will make me cry waterfalls. And when I cut a bag of onions for French onion soup, im perfectly fine.

[@Trent_The_Trainiac]

15:05 I just love that zoom into the face of pain

[@writingdork3951]

Mat: I’ve been crying a lot more since my surgery. Also Mat: *no reaction to anything, even after shoving his face in onions*

[@Edward-we9dl]

I mean my mum taught me to cut the onion in half and soak them in a bowl of water for a while, afterwards you won't cry when you cut it and it still tastes great, works every time and I have no idea why.

[@RogueButler]

I recently started doing this because I wanted to wash my onions before I cooked them and ever since I've always out my onions in a bowl of water before cutting them

[@zannrazor8569]

Maybe the water is taking in the compound

[@oakenshadow6763]

Clever!

[@design-flux]

I came here to say the same thing. Works well for onions, scallions, or any of the alliums! ❤

[@minipop1032]

I just cut them in the bathtub

[@michaelnelson1127]

5:02 is my favorite part. The “Matthew DANICA Patrick” makes me laugh every time.

[@erichanson1678]

Huh, interesting that I, merely a fairweather viewer of the Theorist KZbin channels, seemed to know that Matthew Patrick's middle name is "Robert" before one of his own associates did... (To be sure, I originally watched this video only a few weeks after it became viewable on KZbin and was aware of MatPat's middle name then, as well. I just wasn't able to comment at that moment.)

[@SunnyPea]

I love reading everyone’s own experiences! So interesting that we all have different levels of tolerance!

[@St0rmDrag0n]

Personally, I think part of the reason MatPat wasn't suffering was because he has implanted contacts as I find wearing my contacts has given me immunity to the pounds of onions I slice at work but when I wear my glasses then I get affected

[@ReTranslated]

Best way to not cry when cutting onions. Do not give it a name. You'll just end up getting attached and when you reach the inevitable, it's just going to make the whole thing much harder. I miss you Steve, Lucas, Mark and Steve 2. You were delicious. :(

[@dianapennepacker6854]

Ah that is why my ex didn't tear up when she cut onions. She had no heart.

[@ilyas2825]

What if Steve 2 was Steve's child and he will know he will inevitabley die in the same fate as his father 😢

[@Jo_easy]

My parents put the onion in the refrigerator instead of the freezer. Could you do a follow up episode to see if refrigerator is as effective or less effective than freezer and whether or not it has the same downsides as the frozen one for cooking?

[@tims1407]

You can also just refrigerate the onions - doesn't affect the flavor or make it harder to cut, and works great for me

[@hollyhartwick3832]

One thing to bear in mind is the nasocrimal duct (tear duct) connects the nasal passage and sinuses to the eyes, so goggles alone won't completely do the job. The gas from the onions can still get to your eyes when you breathe it in.

[@tominieminen66]

Depends how sensitive you are towards the chemical, for me only a downhill ski mask does the job

[@hollyhartwick3832]

@@tominieminen66 - Sensitivity is certainly a factor, as we saw in the video. A pair of swim goggle alone won't stop the fumes reaching the eyes, though. It might be enough to stop from crying if you have low sensitivity, but fumes still have access.

[@matthewmills5786]

So you're saying the real solution is a gas mask

[@kyuketsukisan19]

If anybody wants a few extra chuckles, turn on the closed captions for this one, especially at the part with the bread.🤣

[@Frogzilla_king_of_the_frogs]

Yep, shotout to yoshi the captions designer

[@joer1901]

Thank you for that. Totally made me smile and worth going back for.

[@gcherfzthequietone]

it was indeed worth it

[@stevdor6146]

Thank you Yosi for 'MufflePat for dramatic effect'

[@karolinaw1928]

6:19 and 6:25 i would like to thank whoever caption this video , especially in this moment , made me chukle loudly

[@tannie375]

Mat not crying kind of scares me. Also he looks really good in this video 💀

[@libraryoflilylol199]

Honestly the most effective way to prevent tears for me has been wearing my old chem lab goggles (which I need to buy new ones). People always question why I have them, but they've worked for me. The second best was chopping fast and putting the onions in water as fast as possible so there's just less gas in the air.

[@warriorwithin44]

Same. Chem lab goggles and slap chop for me

[@richguy32]

I run a fan blowing across my face, so all the onion juice mist that comes out goes elsewhere. Has worked no problem for the 5 years i've worked in food prep.

[@iKarrott]

Same same. They work like a treat.

[@Khunark]

time to chop them underwater. freeze them beforehand

[@theshadowhuntress5645]

When I was a child, I would always my chem lab googles for cutting onions!

[@trout512]

See, I remember being taught in an Italian cooking class that if you're dicing onions, you cut almost all the way through the onion from the base to the top, leaving the base connected. Then you cut perpendicular to the initial slices, dicing them all at once. This works because it prevents most of the onion irritants from getting into the air. At least until they're diced and you're ready to use them.

[@lhynieartz6235]

God, when Mat said that when he got eye surgery and has an air hole in his eye. That FILLED ME WITH PAIN 😭 like just imagine you’re gettin eye surgery and your surgeon tells ya that they need to poke through your eye. Just. 😨😭

[@tprofi452]

For me, the most effective and practical way to stop tears is to only breath through my mouth and not blink. If I blink, it immediately gets 5 times worse and will just cause me to blink again which will make it even worse. You even mentioned that the secret might be to block your nose, so I was very disappointed that you didn't try that, as it has helped me for years now.

[@KatR264]

16:39 MattPatt talking onion biology, Santi dying from the onion and trying to humour him!

[@zoltantapai3716]

I think dry eyes also gave Mat an advantage. The irritants of the onion start affecting you when they dissolve in your tears. Mat's eyes are mutch less sensitive because of the constant prodding of contact lens use so they generate less tears that would be the body's response to the nerves being stimulated in there. Less tears means less gas can be dissolved witch adds to his already existing resilience to stimulus of the nerves in his eyes.

[@j.a.shawkins7640]

So what I'm hearing is, if Santi wants to be successful, he needs to make sure Mat doses himself with something like an eye lubricant, right?

[@thebanman2293]

That's a really good observation

[@thebanman2293]

also...

[@thebanman2293]

Which*

[@AutisticBoardGamer]

I'm like Mat, I thought it was a myth for the longest time until I actually saw someone do it.

[@carlsoll]

15:54 Oh my goodness O.O When I thought it couldn’t get any funnier 😅 You’re poor co-worker Matt

[@lunacatzlilcat3285]

Considering their doing this in mats own kitchen all can I imagine is late in the evening Steph is like in the kitchen either grabbing herself dinner or desert and just seeing an onion in the freezer like "yup.....this is normal."

[@IceMetalPunk]

I think there's another factor to the microwave attempt that you didn't consider. The heat could easily have broken a bunch of the onion's cell walls before you even started cutting, causing a larger and more uniform release of gas. The frozen version also would lyse the cell walls, but they also freeze the water in the cells, which would prevent most of the reactions from taking place (and honestly, would additionally prevent a lot of the enzymes from even making their way to their targets in the first place).

[@minecrafter1322]

I’m pretty sure they said that in a more simpler way and they ment what you said in the second sentence

[@IceRiver1020]

I'm so sensitive to onions that sometimes I can feel it when someone else is cutting and cooking them in another room.

[@taddontwatchanime3088]

"welcome to food theory, the show thats not gonna make you cry" audience today: "...are you sure?"

[@Dreadjaws]

What I always do is peel the onion, cut it in half and then immediately run it through tap water, then cut it into pieces. I'm not sure if this just washes the acid juices away or contributes to getting the onion colder, but it has always worked for me.

[@TotallyGaming1]

Bruh just cut it in water

[@Squeeky]

I do the same, works like a champ

[@Shadowluigi-pj9nq]

I honestly love the fact that 2 grown men are having fun with bread 😂, sounds exactly like me when i was a child "feeding" the ducks at the park

[@ryudragonuv]

I was waiting for a joke with TF2's Pyro making an appearance, as the sounded like Pyro with all that bread.

[@blackboxes6734]

I had tried the bread one before with that misunderstanding. Just had a mouthful of bread while i cried

[@brxtndog]

I cry a ton when chopping onions except when i do two things: googles or put it in the fridge, the fridge doesnt affect texture as much as i would guess freezing does. And the googles i use are the chemistry googles that fully seal over the nose and eyes which is probably why i never had any issues wearing googles, probably need to make sure the vents are sealed just in case tho

[@iGhostx0123]

You could also just put the onions in ice water. It does the same thing as freezing it, but you don't lose flavor or texture :)

[@fantastnicole]

100 percent with that. Sometimes I just dunk a freshly cut half onion in a bowl of water or under the facet. Doesn't even have to be iced. I'd like to add that if youre already affected by the onions bringing your eyes close to a source of water (running faucet or even a cup of water) helps relieve the tears faster.

[@Vi_Vi_1]

Poor Santi XD he was really fun to see in camera with Matt though! Their energy together was great. Awesome episode as always guys!

[@IndianaJoe0321]

I used to cook in a restaurant. The head chef taught me that when cutting/slicing/dicing onions -- if I'm crying too much, then walk into the freezer and it will immediately stop. It works ... but I don't know why. At home, just sticking my face in the freezer for a few seconds does the trick.

[@Serenity27not]

Santi: Yeah my eyes are immediately starting to water that’s really bad it stings so much more! Matpat: Oh really?

[@Me-gz7us]

I hope I’m not the only one who thinks this was one of the funniest videos yet. While Matpat was trying to get any reaction, Santi was trying so hard to get his eyes to stop reacting and he definitely gave matpat a few “how insane are you” looks

[@pondsauceome9712]

Hello Matpat!! Thank you and your theorist team so much for all these wonderful and informative videos! Recently I got my parents hooked on your food theory and style theory channels, and we’ve been rewatching your older videos during dinner time together, and recently your video about PRIME and Gatorade has helped us in the real world! My grandfather was in the hospital and I’m not sure what they gave him but whatever it was sheds potassium, and they didn’t give him any potassium supplements to make up for it, so my parents went to the store and bought him some prime instead of having him eat like 3 times the amount of bananas and he’s doing better now, thanks!!

[@Mightype]

Hmmm

[@namantherockstar]

Matpat inspires me.. My parents said if i get 50K followers They'd buy me a professional camera for recording..begging u guys , literally Begging...

[@elgato_susie]

​@@DJILMarioBrosOfficialI know who you are DJ cook made a video about you to anyone who sees this don't do what it is saying

[@thegreenbeast5178]

​@@DJILMarioBrosOfficialgo drink clorox, it's healthy for you and Noone else

[@Slushyman_theslushynest]

​@@elgato_susieWhat dj cook video was it?

[@vtheory7531]

So far the trick that worked best for me was to NOT cut the bottom part (root) off until the end. It's worked most consistently for me so far! And of course learn to cut onions quickly so you don't spend too much time exposed to the gas

[@Somedude018]

Having your mouth full of water while cutting onions is the best counter to the fumes in my experience

[@winconfig]

I remember cooking with onion for several years, without crying. Years later, I cried and realised I had been using weak onions all along!

[@banana_365iguess]

Villain orgin story

[@HylianPhoenix]

As someone who has worked food service for more than a decade and cut thousands of onions, I loved this episode! Cold for the onion is spot on, I am super sensitive to onion and have been putting them in the fridge (not freezer) for 20-30min before prep for years. If you really don't want to cry, do NOT cut the root, those chemicals are more concentrated there. Now, if you really want to make MatPat cry, I can speak from experience here. Cut them on an electric slicer, one of those big boys you see at deli counters, in a space with poor ventilation. I was crying for nearly an hour after, every time. 😂

[@hollyhartwick3832]

There's also the ice water bath method to chill them more quickly if needed. Personally, I store my onions in the fridge by default, and I cut off the bottom decently short of the root as the first cut and throw the root out immediately. If you work fast while it's still cold, and make clean cuts to slice, dice or mince to do minimal damage, it's generally not too bad (depending on the type of onion). The haphazard messy chop job they were doing during some parts is exactly what you don't want to do.

[@Alpha1200]

I think he just didn't use the diving goggles correctly because for me it totally works.

[@razer6476]

0:00 Santi is me when Matpat released "Goodbye Internet"

[@OrcaneVault]

The one that always works for me, is to cut the onions next to a open flame. I was under the impression this was a very common hack, surprised you didn’t cover it. I hadn’t heard of any of the others you tried.

[@LizRealGirlBeauty]

My mother tried this when I was a kid but it never worked so we stopped doing it.

[@LocalMaple]

If the smoke covers the gas, that makes sense.

[@76tennboy]

I’m surprised they never tested putting an onion near an open flame. I’ve heard that one in my entire life and done it most of my life.

[@janinewarrington2612]

One of the TikToks highlighted at the beginning showed that. Maybe they'll test it in the next round.

[@saraacarolina]

That and holding an (unlit) match sticking out of your mouth

[@stevebishop5323]

All of mat's tears are probably in the fnaf theory scripts😂😂😂😂

[@atlantiadragonwing]

Thank you for doing this episode as I am allergic to sulfur and this showed me how I may be able to enjoy onions and garlic again.

[@banana_365iguess]

I cant be the only one who loves how at 12:22 santi just slow motioned his way onto the floor

[@AmaraJordanMusic]

12:12 When I tell you I was UNCOMFORTABLE- 🤣

[@Catking9765]

0:16 after watching the goodbye video that just is wrong

[@cupofnoodles1840]

Matpat saying hes motorboating onions caused made me go into shock

[@bibibirdie]

When I was in middle school, my friend and I started chopping onions to try to get ourselves to cry and we just couldn’t. We even held a quarter of an onion under our noses, but we just couldn’t cry. Our faces were turning red but there were no tears. My other friend was laughing at us so much

[@EditDeath]

If you don't want to freeze the onion, the fridge is a great option, too. Also, as Santi brought up at the beginning, try cutting the onion with the root still attached. If you're dicing, cut towards the root first then cut horizontal to the root. It reduces how much time the onions have to impact your eyes, and also keeps the process simple. Unrelated, try using the ridges in the onion as guides for the first cuts, aiming for the onion's center. It helps keep your diced onion evenly sized

[@harleysauceda5401]

Glad to see the goggles one, I try to use safety goggles like in chemistry class, and they also worked until it was just worse by being trapped in there! The vents in them made it not stay good.

[@ranimmaaradji6666]

The way I was screaming „PLUG YOUR NOSES!!!“ in the beginning

[@sortasamm]

I was taught to avoid cutting the root for as long as possible to reduce the amount of gas, but I’m not sure how this holds up. Would love to see a test!

[@TeckTheBlooded]

I bet its because its reducing the amount being cut at once, so if paired with another test that "somewhat" works, itd turn into a better result. Probably still not as good as fridging the onions, but at least comparable

[@zeedavis5176]

The contact thing is super interesting! My sister and mother never wear contacts, for my mom it’s literally just painful for her, but both of them don’t react that much to onions, I can wear contacts and really don’t mind poking my eyes getting them in and out but onions drive me insane. Then there’s my dad who’s a veteran who got his eyes damaged in a combat tour and has been wearing contacts daily ever since. He does not react to onions like at all. Duh.

[@lol-uz8by]

When I'm cutting onions nothing happens but if someone is cutting onions beside me my eyes start burning and running.

[@juniperjellyfish]

20:22 okay but I’ve never worn contacts, and I’ve never cried while cutting an onion

[@bistb7467]

One of the things that work for me is to not only keep the knives razor sharp, which makes the onions release way less juices (it's also generally safer than having dull knifes), but to also breathe through my mouth. It doesn't prevent the reaction, but definately delays it. Dunking the onion in water helps as well, as the juices dissolve in the big bowl of water rathen than evaporate into your eyes

[@joegamergaming]

I always heard cutting them under ice water prevented tears completely, surprised they didn't try that before freezing it.

[@RR-yq5uo]

I haven't tried cutting them in the water, but I have tried cutting top and bottom off and then slicing in half and swishing in water. And that method works great for me!

[@thire7432]

I’m not sure if it even needs to be cold. I bet it would work with room temp water.

[@jessicaanderson8683]

Me yelling at the screen "Just freeze it" my grandma taught me when I was real little so I always roll my eyes at the onion cutting hacks lol

[@kenjikkbp]

i love how this video is just 2 dudes cutting onions and doing silly atuff while minimum science happens