why do avocado make you cry
The Short AnswerAvocados do not typically make you cry; this reaction is unique to onions. Onions release specific sulfur compounds and enzymes that, when airborne, irritate the eyes and trigger tear production. Avocados lack these lachrymatory agents entirely.
The Science Behind It
Avocados do not possess the chemical compounds responsible for inducing tears, unlike onions. The tearing sensation from cutting onions is due to a complex biochemical reaction. When an onion is cut, its cells release an enzyme called lachrymatory-factor synthase. This enzyme converts sulfenic acids, which are sulfur-containing amino acid sulfoxides, into syn-propanethial-S-oxide. This volatile sulfur compound evaporates and reacts with the water in your eyes, forming sulfuric acid, which irritates nerve endings and triggers tear production as a protective reflex. Avocados, however, do not contain lachrymatory-factor synthase or the specific sulfur compounds that produce syn-propanethial-S-oxide. Therefore, any perceived eye irritation or tearing while preparing an avocado would likely be due to external factors, such as rubbing eyes with contaminated hands, an allergic reaction, or possibly irritation from other substances on the fruit's surface, rather than a direct chemical effect from the avocado itself. Their chemical makeup is entirely different.
Fun Facts
- Avocados are botanically classified as a single-seed berry, not a vegetable, and grow on trees.
- The enzyme responsible for onion tears, lachrymatory-factor synthase, was only identified in 2002 by Japanese scientists.