What Happens When You Stop Eating Onions and Garlic?

October 4, 2025 •

4 min read

According to research on dietary triggers, millions of people experience uncomfortable symptoms like bloating and gas from high-FODMAP foods such as onions and garlic. Understanding what happens when you stop eating onions and garlic is crucial for those seeking digestive relief, as well as for cultural or spiritual reasons.

Quick Summary

Eliminating onions and garlic can ease digestive discomfort for sensitive individuals by reducing gas-producing fructans. It may also lead to milder breath and body odor, though it requires attention to replacing lost nutrients and flavor in cooking.

Key Points

Digestive Relief: Eliminating alliums can reduce bloating, gas, and stomach pain for individuals sensitive to fructans, a type of carbohydrate they contain.
Nutrient Considerations: Stopping consumption means losing antioxidants like allicin and quercetin, as well as vitamins and minerals like C, B6, and folate.
Fresher Breath and Body Odor: The sulfur compounds in onions and garlic that cause pungent odors will dissipate, leading to fresher breath and milder body odor.
Flavor Substitution Required: Removing the aromatic base of many dishes requires creativity with other herbs, spices, and infused oils to prevent bland food.
Spiritual and Ayurvedic Implications: Some traditions consider these foods stimulating or dulling to the mind, and their removal can promote mental clarity and calmness.
Individual Outcomes Vary: The overall effect depends on personal health, dietary needs, and the ability to find suitable replacements for lost nutrients and flavor.

The Digestive Impact of Eliminating Alliums

For many, the most noticeable change after removing onions and garlic is an improvement in digestive comfort. These alliums contain a type of carbohydrate called fructans, which are poorly absorbed by some people in the small intestine. As a result, they travel to the large intestine where they are fermented by gut bacteria, leading to common symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) such as bloating, gas, and stomach pain.

Fructans and FODMAP Sensitivity

Fructans are a type of FODMAP (Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols). For those with a sensitivity, excluding onions and garlic, along with other high-FODMAP foods, can be a cornerstone of a low-FODMAP diet to identify and manage triggers. However, fructans are also prebiotics, which nourish beneficial gut bacteria. The long-term impact on the gut microbiome from eliminating these prebiotics can be mixed and varies by individual. Reintroducing these foods in controlled amounts is a key part of the low-FODMAP protocol to test tolerance.

Potential Nutritional Deficiencies and Considerations

While eliminating alliums can be beneficial for some, it is important to be mindful of the nutritional contributions they provide. Onions and garlic are rich in various beneficial compounds, and their removal can lead to a reduced intake of these substances.

Loss of Antioxidants: Both are potent sources of antioxidants. Onions contain quercetin, and garlic contains allicin, both of which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. These compounds help protect against cellular damage and chronic diseases.
Reduced Vitamin and Mineral Intake: Onions provide a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, and folate, while both alliums contain minerals like manganese. A lack of these nutrients could lead to issues like increased fatigue or a weakened immune system over time if not replaced.
Impact on Cardiovascular Health: Garlic's compounds, including allicin, have been linked to heart health benefits, such as supporting lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Removing them may slightly affect these natural benefits.

Culinary Adjustments and Alternatives

Onions and garlic form the flavor base of countless recipes across global cuisines. Their absence requires creative culinary substitutions to prevent dishes from becoming bland or tasteless.

Flavor Alternatives

Garlic- or Onion-Infused Oil: This is a popular low-FODMAP option because fructans are water-soluble but not oil-soluble. This allows the flavor to infuse without triggering digestive symptoms.
Herbs and Spices: A vast array of alternatives can add depth. Experiment with herbs like basil, oregano, parsley, and rosemary, and spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, and ginger.
Asafoetida (Hing): A small pinch of this powder can mimic the savory, pungent flavor of onions and garlic.
Other Allium Parts: The green tips of spring onions or chives can often be tolerated by sensitive individuals as they contain fewer fructans.

Beyond Digestion: Other Physical and Psychological Effects

In addition to digestive health, abstaining from onions and garlic can lead to other physiological changes.

Milder Body Odor and Breath: The sulfur compounds responsible for the pungent aroma and flavor also contribute to bad breath and body odor. Eliminating them can lead to a fresher personal scent.
Psychological and Spiritual Beliefs: In some cultural and spiritual traditions, such as Ayurveda and certain branches of Hinduism, onions and garlic are avoided. They are classified as rajasic (stimulating) and tamasic (dulling), believed to disturb the mind and hinder spiritual focus. People in these traditions report a feeling of calmness and mental clarity after removing alliums from their diet.

Comparing a Diet With and Without Onions and Garlic


Aspect	With Onions and Garlic	Without Onions and Garlic
Digestive Health	Can cause bloating, gas, and IBS symptoms in sensitive individuals.	Relief from digestive issues for those with sensitivities. May reduce prebiotics for beneficial gut bacteria.
Flavor Profile	Forms a flavorful base for many dishes, adding depth and pungency.	Dishes may taste blander, requiring the use of other herbs, spices, or infused oils for flavor.
Antioxidants	Provides beneficial antioxidants like allicin and quercetin.	Intake of these specific antioxidants is reduced or eliminated.
Vitamins & Minerals	Good source of Vitamin C, B6, folate, and manganese.	Potential for deficiencies if not replaced with other food sources.
Physical Odors	Contributes to stronger breath and body odor due to sulfur compounds.	Leads to milder breath and body odor.
Spiritual Impact	Considered rajasic and tamasic in some spiritual traditions.	Aligns with spiritual practices focused on purity and mental clarity.

Conclusion

Deciding to stop eating onions and garlic is a personal choice driven by various factors, from managing digestive discomfort associated with fructan intolerance to adhering to spiritual or cultural practices. While sensitive individuals may experience significant relief from symptoms like bloating and gas, it's crucial to acknowledge the potential nutritional trade-offs, such as a reduced intake of antioxidants and certain vitamins. On a culinary level, the loss of these flavor powerhouses necessitates creative experimentation with alternative seasonings to maintain palatable meals. Ultimately, the outcome is highly individual, but it's clear that careful consideration and balanced dietary adjustments are key to a successful transition. For those dealing with severe digestive issues, working with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian is always recommended to ensure nutritional needs are met and to explore a structured elimination diet like the low-FODMAP plan. A good resource for understanding fructan sensitivity can be found at FODMAP Friendly.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most common side effects for sensitive individuals include reduced bloating, gas, heartburn, and milder breath and body odor. For others, a bland taste in food and a reduced intake of antioxidants may be noticed.

Not necessarily, but it requires mindful planning. Onions and garlic provide antioxidants and certain vitamins, so you will need to replace these by consuming other antioxidant-rich foods and varied fruits and vegetables.

Yes, infused oils are often tolerated by those with allium sensitivity. Fructans, the carbohydrates that cause issues, are water-soluble, not oil-soluble, so the flavor can be extracted without the digestive triggers.

Great alternatives include asafoetida (hing), ginger, cumin, coriander, and using the green parts of spring onions or chives. Many herbs like basil, oregano, and rosemary also help add depth.

Some people with high sensitivity may notice digestive improvements within days, while other effects, such as changes in body odor or overall health, may take a few weeks or more to become apparent.

For those with IBS or FODMAP sensitivity, it may be a temporary elimination phase to identify triggers. Many can successfully reintroduce small amounts over time, or at least tolerate alternatives like infused oils.

In practices like Ayurveda and certain Hindu beliefs, alliums are considered to produce stimulating (rajasic) and dulling (tamasic) effects, potentially interfering with mental clarity and spiritual focus.