Cutting An Onion Causes One Of The Three Different Types Of Tears You'll Cry

by N/A, 10 years ago | 1 min read

You know how some people, when they see somebody vomit it triggers them to vomit as well? Well, I (hi, it's me, Taylor Sade) have a similar chain-reaction that effects me in a very real way: when I see somebody crying, I begin weeping uncontrollably. I literally just can't help it. It seems that would fall under one category of tears that humans cry, emotional, but there are other reasons we cry that aren't just to let out an emotion. The others are bodily defenses against the world around us.

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1) Basal Tears

• Thin coating of three layers
• Keep dirt and debris away

2) Reflex Tears

• Wash away harmful substances
• Released in much larger amounts
• Contain antibodies to stop microorganisms

3) Emotional Tears

• Contain higher levels of stress hormones, such as ACTH
• Contain an endorphin and natural pain killer enkephalin

That's just a brief overview of the three types of tears, but if you're more interested in why these different tears are triggered, let the narrator of TED-Ed walk you through each one in this quick animated video.

The video caption explains:

"Whether we cry during a sad movie, while chopping onions, or completely involuntarily, our eyes are constantly producing tears."

So, essentially, there is no reason to feel like a cry-baby, because we literally all are, all the time. It's natural, so let's those tears out!