Why Don't Vegans Eat Onions and Garlic? Exploring Cultural and Health-Based Diets

October 4, 2025 •

4 min read

Over 600 million people worldwide follow a vegetarian diet, yet a common misconception persists: that vegans do not eat onions and garlic. The truth is that while alliums are plant-based and suitable for most vegans, specific religious, cultural, and health-related diets are the real reason why some people abstain.

Quick Summary

Certain plant-based dietary practices, rooted in religious or health beliefs, exclude onions and garlic. This is distinct from mainstream veganism, which permits alliums as plant products.

Key Points

Veganism permits alliums: Standard veganism does not restrict onions or garlic, as they are plants and not animal products.
Religious reasons are primary: The main reasons for avoiding these ingredients are tied to religious beliefs like Jainism, some forms of Buddhism, and Hinduism.
Jainism emphasizes non-violence: Jains avoid root vegetables to minimize harm to soil-dwelling microorganisms and avoid spiritual stimulation.
Buddhist practices focus on spiritual purity: Some Buddhist diets classify alliums as pungent roots that disrupt meditation and stimulate negative emotions.
Health issues may necessitate avoidance: Medical conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) often require a low FODMAP diet, which excludes onions and garlic due to fermentable carbohydrates.
Ayurveda classifies alliums as stimulating: Ayurvedic and Yogic traditions label onions and garlic as rajasic or tamasic, which can agitate the mind and senses.
Flavourful alternatives exist: Diets that exclude alliums can still be flavorful using substitutes like asafoetida (hing), ginger, and various herbs.

The Core Vegan Definition vs. Allium Avoidance

First, it is important to clarify that onions and garlic are, by definition, vegan. As plants, they are suitable for consumption according to the standard principles of veganism, which seeks to exclude the exploitation and cruelty of animals for food, clothing, and other purposes. Confusion often arises when observers encounter individuals who identify as vegan but also refuse to eat alliums, leading to questions about the core tenets of veganism itself. The reality is that these prohibitions stem from beliefs and health considerations outside of the core vegan philosophy. These reasons are often spiritual, cultural, or medical, and are followed by specific groups or individuals who may also happen to be vegan or vegetarian for ethical reasons. The vegan community itself does not have a blanket rule against consuming alliums.

Religious and Philosophical Reasons for Abstaining

Jainism: The Principle of Ahimsa

In Jainism, a religion that emphasizes non-violence (ahimsa) towards all living beings, the avoidance of onions and garlic is a core dietary practice. This prohibition is part of a broader stance against eating root vegetables, which also includes potatoes, carrots, and radishes. The reasons for this are twofold:

Harm to microorganisms: Uprooting vegetables like onions and garlic is believed to harm countless small insects and microorganisms living in the soil.
Harm to the plant itself: The entire plant is killed in the process of harvesting root vegetables. Jains therefore prefer to consume vegetables and fruits that can be harvested without destroying the plant, such as those that grow above ground. To add flavor to their cuisine, Jains often use other spices like asafoetida (hing).

Buddhism: The Five Pungent Plants

Within certain schools of Buddhism, particularly Mahayana traditions, practitioners may abstain from the “five pungent roots” or “five pungent plants,” which include onions, garlic, leeks, chives, and scallions. This is not due to a concern for killing the plant but rather for the stimulating effect these foods are believed to have on the mind and body.

Disruption of meditation: Consumed raw, these pungent foods are thought to cause anger, while cooked, they are said to increase sexual desire. Both effects are believed to disturb the peaceful mind required for meditation and spiritual cultivation.
Effect on spiritual beings: Some texts also suggest that the breath of someone who has eaten these foods might repel benevolent spirits and attract negative ones.

Hinduism and Ayurvedic Medicine

In certain Hindu sects, such as Vaishnavism and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), onions and garlic are avoided for spiritual reasons. According to the ancient Indian medical system of Ayurveda and the Bhagavad Gita, foods are categorized into three qualities or gunas: sattva, rajas, and tamas.

Rajasic and Tamasic classification: Onions and garlic are classified as rajasic (stimulating and passionate) and tamasic (dullness and ignorance).
Spiritual goals: Devotees aiming for spiritual advancement and mental clarity seek to increase sattva (purity and goodness) in their diet and avoid rajasic and tamasic foods, which are believed to agitate the mind and senses.

Health-Related Reasons for Avoiding Onions and Garlic

The Low FODMAP Diet

Beyond religious and spiritual reasons, some people avoid onions and garlic for health purposes, most commonly as part of a low FODMAP diet. FODMAPs are a group of short-chain carbohydrates that can be difficult to digest for some individuals, especially those with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Fructans: Onions and garlic are particularly high in fructans, which ferment in the gut and can cause symptoms like bloating, gas, cramping, and diarrhea in sensitive individuals.
Low FODMAP alternative: For those with sensitivities, special infused oils are used to capture the allium flavor without the fructans, which are not oil-soluble. The green tops of spring onions and chives are also low-FODMAP alternatives.

Navigating a Diet Without Alliums

For those who must avoid onions and garlic, whether for spiritual, cultural, or medical reasons, it is entirely possible to create delicious and flavorful meals. Many cuisines have existed for centuries without these ingredients. By focusing on other aromatic spices and herbs, a diverse range of flavors can be achieved.

Asafoetida (Hing): This resin offers a pungent, savory flavor that is an excellent substitute for onion and garlic, especially in Indian dishes.
Ginger: Provides a warm, spicy flavor that can act as a flavor base in many dishes.
Other Herbs and Spices: Fresh herbs like cilantro, basil, and parsley, along with spices like cumin, coriander, and turmeric, can create deep and complex flavors.
Low FODMAP Options: Infused oils, chives, and the green parts of spring onions can be safely used to replicate allium flavor profiles for those with digestive sensitivities.

Comparison of Diets Regarding Allium Consumption


Aspect	Standard Veganism	Jainism	Ayurvedic/Sattvic Diet
Allium (Onion/Garlic) Consumption	Permitted (as plants)	Prohibited (as root vegetables)	Prohibited (as rajasic/tamasic)
Primary Reason for Avoidance	N/A (unless personal)	Non-violence (ahimsa) towards microorganisms and plants	Spiritual clarity, pacifying mind
Associated Beliefs	Ethical, environmental, health	Minimizing harm, spiritual liberation	Balance of gunas (qualities of energy), meditation
Other Restrictions	Excludes all animal products	Excludes all animal products and root vegetables	Excludes animal products, focuses on pure food

Conclusion

The perception that vegans do not eat onions and garlic is a widespread misconception, rooted in an oversimplification of varied plant-based dietary practices. Mainstream veganism, focused on animal welfare, has no rules against consuming these plants. The actual reasons for avoiding alliums are found in distinct religious and cultural traditions like Jainism and certain forms of Buddhism and Hinduism, which prohibit them for spiritual purity or non-violence. Additionally, medically-based diets like the low FODMAP plan exclude them to manage digestive sensitivities. The diversity of these dietary choices shows that adopting a plant-based lifestyle is not a monolithic choice, but a complex spectrum of ethical, spiritual, and health-conscious decisions.

For more information, the Vegan Society offers resources on the definitions of veganism.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, onions and garlic are plants and are suitable for most vegans. Any avoidance is based on religious, cultural, or personal health reasons, not the core tenets of veganism itself.

The low FODMAP diet is for managing symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). It excludes foods high in fermentable carbohydrates, known as fructans, which are abundant in onions and garlic and can cause digestive distress.

Jains eat a wide variety of other plant-based foods, including leafy greens, fruits, grains, and legumes. For flavor, they often use spices like asafoetida (hing) as a substitute for garlic.

No, it is a practice followed by some specific branches, especially Mahayana monastic traditions, who avoid the 'five pungent roots' for spiritual and meditative clarity.

In Ayurveda, rajasic foods are stimulating and passionate, while tamasic foods cause dullness and lethargy. Onions and garlic are classified as such, and are avoided by those seeking a calm, clear mind for spiritual practice.

Yes, garlic and onion-infused oils are low FODMAP because the fructans are water-soluble but not oil-soluble. The flavor compounds are transferred to the oil without the problematic carbohydrates.

Absolutely. Many cuisines, including certain Indian traditions and specifically Jain cooking, have perfected methods for creating flavorful dishes using other spices like ginger, asafoetida, cumin, coriander, and fresh herbs.