Mayo Clinic Minute: Why do onions make you cry?

Cut up an onion, and you’ll likely cry a few tears. It’s the result of chemical reaction you start with the first slice of your knife – a reaction that researchers continue to explore.

Jen Welper, executive chef with the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, says the sting is part of the onion’s survival mechanism, and a stiff upper lip is the best way to beat it.