Why Can't Some Vegetarians Eat Onions and Garlic?

November 21, 2025 •

3 min read

Over 40% of households in India follow a strict vegetarian diet, yet many people are surprised to learn that some of these vegetarians avoid common ingredients like onions and garlic. This avoidance is not a universal rule for all vegetarians but rather stems from specific spiritual, ethical, and health-related beliefs rooted in ancient traditions.

Quick Summary

This article explores the specific spiritual, ethical, and health-related reasons certain religious followers avoid alliums, challenging the common misconception that this practice is universal among vegetarians.

Key Points

Not Universal: The exclusion of onions and garlic is not a rule for all vegetarians; it is specific to certain religious and philosophical traditions, primarily within India.
Jainism and Ahimsa: Jains avoid all root vegetables, including onions and garlic, to prevent the harm and death of microorganisms and the plant itself when it is uprooted.
Hinduism and Gunas: In Ayurvedic and Vedic traditions, these alliums are considered rajasic (passion-inducing) and tamasic (ignorance-inducing) foods, which are avoided by those seeking spiritual clarity (sattva).
Buddhism and Meditation: Certain Buddhist sects abstain from the 'five pungent vegetables' (including onions and garlic), believing they excite the senses and interfere with meditative practices.
Flavor Alternatives: Cooks can successfully replace the flavor profile of onions and garlic with substitutes like asafoetida (hing), ginger, and a variety of other spices.
Health Diets: Some modern health plans, such as the Low-FODMAP diet, also recommend avoiding onions and garlic to alleviate digestive symptoms like bloating and gas.

Spiritual and Ethical Roots of Allium Avoidance

Abstaining from onions and garlic among some vegetarians is deeply tied to religious and spiritual philosophies within Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. These traditions view food as influencing one's mind, body, and spiritual journey. The classification of food into gunas is central to this belief system in Hinduism and Ayurveda.

The Ayurvedic View: Gunas and Their Influence

Ayurvedic and Vedic philosophy categorize foods into three gunas:

Sattva: Purity, balance, and harmony, promoting mental clarity and peace. Examples include fresh fruits and most vegetables.
Rajas: Passion and activity, leading to restlessness and stress. Onions and garlic are considered rajasic due to their pungent properties.
Tamas: Inertia and ignorance, causing lethargy and negative thoughts. This includes meat, and some traditions place onions and garlic here.

Followers seeking spiritual enlightenment often avoid rajasic and tamasic foods, including alliums, believing they disturb concentration.

Jainism and the Principle of Ahimsa

Jainism's principle of ahimsa (non-violence) influences diet to minimize harm. Jains avoid root vegetables like onions and garlic because uprooting kills the plant and harms soil microorganisms, violating non-violence.

Buddhist Interpretations of Alliums

Certain Buddhist sects avoid pungent vegetables (onions, garlic, leeks, chives, scallions), believing they excite senses and interfere with meditation. The Shurangama Sutra suggests they disturb meditative states.

Comparison of Reasons for Allium Avoidance


Aspect	Jainism	Hinduism (Sattvic Diet)	Buddhism (Specific Sects)
Core Principle	Ahimsa (Non-violence)	Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas)	Spiritual Clarity and Meditation
Primary Reason	Harvesting root vegetables and disturbing soil-dwelling organisms kills numerous life forms.	Onions and garlic are seen as rajasic/tamasic foods that stimulate passion and dull the mind, hindering spiritual focus.	Pungent foods disrupt meditation, excite passions, and can cause agitation.
What is Avoided	All root vegetables and alliums that grow underground (onions, garlic, potatoes).	Onions, garlic, and other stimulating/heavy foods classified as rajasic or tamasic.	The five pungent vegetables: onions, garlic, chives, leeks, and scallions.
Impact on Practitioner	Uprooting leads to bad karma and hinders liberation.	Stimulates baser instincts, causes restlessness, and makes achieving a peaceful mind difficult.	Disturbs meditative states and can lead to irritability and loss of concentration.

Practicalities and Alternatives in Allium-Free Cooking

Cooking without onions and garlic requires creativity. Many spices, herbs, and ingredients create rich flavors.

Flavorful Replacements

Asafoetida (Hing): Provides a savory depth similar to onions and garlic.
Ginger: Offers a spicy, warming flavor.
Cumin and Coriander: Form the base of many curries.
Fresh Herbs: Cilantro, mint, and basil add freshness.
Spiced Blends: Traditional Indian masalas offer balanced flavor without alliums.

Culinary Traditions

Some regional Indian cooking and ceremonial foods (prasad) are naturally allium-free. Dishes like shahi paneer demonstrate delicious allium-free options. Jain or Sattvic restaurants are good choices when dining out.

Health and Modern Dietary Considerations

Beyond religion, some modern diets avoid alliums. The Low-FODMAP diet restricts them for managing IBS symptoms. Some alternative health practices also suggest alliums negatively affect energy.

Conclusion

Understanding why can't some vegetarians eat onions and garlic reveals a blend of religion, philosophy, and diet. It's based on beliefs about spiritual purity, non-violence (ahimsa), and food's effect on the mind. Jains prioritize non-harming to microorganisms and plants. Certain Hindus and Buddhists avoid stimulating foods to maintain a focused, sattvic mind. These traditions highlight the diverse practices within vegetarianism.

Authoritative Link: The Hare Krishna Movement provides extensive information on the Vaishnava tradition of excluding onions and garlic, categorizing them based on the gunas

Frequently Asked Questions

The main religious reasons are rooted in philosophies like Jainism and Ayurveda. Jains avoid all root vegetables based on the principle of ahimsa (non-violence) to avoid killing microorganisms. In Hinduism and Ayurveda, these vegetables are classified as rajasic and tamasic foods that are thought to disturb the mind and hinder spiritual growth.

No, onions and garlic are not considered non-vegetarian in the same way as meat. They are plants. However, in certain spiritual contexts, they are seen as impure or spiritually detrimental because of their stimulating properties or the harm caused during harvesting.

No, this is not a universal rule for all Hindus. While some followers, particularly those on a spiritual path or belonging to certain communities like Vaishnavas, adhere to this practice, a vast number of Hindus do not have this restriction.

A Sattvic diet is an Ayurvedic dietary approach that focuses on foods that are pure, light, and promote mental clarity and peace. This diet avoids alliums like onions and garlic, along with meat, fish, and fermented foods, to help achieve a state of spiritual balance.

For flavor, you can use alternatives like asafoetida (hing), which mimics the savory, pungent taste, especially when cooked in oil. Other spices like ginger, cumin, and coriander can also provide depth and warmth to dishes.

Yes, for some individuals. People with digestive issues like IBS may benefit from avoiding onions and garlic, as they contain FODMAPs (fermentable carbohydrates) that can trigger symptoms. Some alternative health practitioners also recommend avoiding them.

In addition to onions and garlic, Jains typically avoid all root vegetables because harvesting them involves uprooting the plant and killing numerous microorganisms in the soil. This includes potatoes, carrots, radishes, and others.