Tearjerker Facts
Sunday
Onions are old. Current evidence suggests they’ve been grown by humans for at least 7,000 years and are among the oldest known cultivated vegetables.
Monday
Onions make you cry because of a sulfur-based compound called syn-propanethial-S-oxide. That chemical is the final product of a chain reaction which starts when the bulb is cut or bitten into, and is thought to have evolved as a deterrent against hungry animals.
Tuesday
Ancient Egyptians worshipped onions, seeing eternal life within the continuous layers and circle-in-circle structure. Onions were placed on altars, pictured with pharaohs and priests, mentioned in funeral rites, and buried with mummies.
Wednesday
Onions come from an accomplished culinary family. Close relatives in the allium genus include chives, garlic, leeks, scallions, and shallots.
Thursday
Believed to be a source of courage and later a known antiseptic, onions have played a role in military campaigns. Alexander the Great fed them to his army in quantity, believing they brought vitality, and during the US Civil War, General Ulysses S. Grant told federal authorities: “I will not move my army without onions!” He was answered with 3 traincars full of onions.
Friday
Onion layers are actually modified leaves sometimes called “scale leaves.” During growth, these leaves surrounding the onion’s center bulb become more nutrient-dense and succulent. As the nutrients are used up in the outer layers, these become the papery onion skin. The number of layers can depend on water and nutrient availability.
Saturday
Among natural varieties, an onion’s tearjerking power generally ranks with yellow onions at the top, then red, then white, then sweet. However, varieties like the “sunion” have been meticulously bred to be tasty yet tearless.