Onions are an excellent addition to many dishes, but chopping them can be frustrating when they make you “cry” all the time. Fortunately there are some tricks to help minimise the tears when chopping onions.

See 7 effective ways how to cut an onion without crying:

1. Chill the Onion.

Chill the onion in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes before cutting it. Doing so will reduce the amount of the acid enzyme released into the air and has zero effect on taste.

2. Light a Candle Before Chopping.

Light up a candle right next to you while you are chopping onions. The flame will burn most of the evil tear-creating onion juices out of the air.

3. Use a Very Sharp Knife.

A sharp knife will make a cleaner cut, bruising the onion cells less, so all of the juices stay inside the onion.

4. Cut the Onion Underwater.

The water prevents vapours from rising.

5. Chew Gum.

Chewing gum while cutting onions prevents tears by forcing you to breathe through your mouth, which should help suck away the noxious chemicals before they hit your eyes.

6. Wear Ski or Swimming Goggles.

Very effective, although it makes you look like a kitchen burglar.

7. Use a Fan to Blow the Gases Away From You.

A small fan next to you blowing horizontally should do the trick.

What do you do to stop the tears?