What’s the real logic behind not consuming onion and garlic? | The Times of India (2024)

Onion and garlic are important and essential ingredients for our daily cooking. Both of them give depth and a distinct flavour to any dish they are added to. Talking about Indian cuisine, onion and garlic are basic constituents in curries, biryanis, kebabs, or street foods. Apart from improving the flavour profile of a dish, both these vegetables have many health benefits also. They lower high blood pressure, reduce high cholesterol, are natural blood-cleansers, have anti-fungal and antibacterial properties, and act as natural antibiotics.

Despite having various health benefits, many people abstain themselves from consuming onion and garlic. Additionally, many are advised not to eat both because of a number of reasons. This is because as per Ayurveda and a few western researches, onion and garlic might not be very beneficial for health. Though it may stand true for some people, the article does not intend to promote the belief. Moreover, the reasons behind not consuming onion and garlic (as per Ayurveda) varies and differs from person to person and can’t be generalized. Keeping all this in consideration, here is a look at 5 reasons behind not consuming onion and garlic.

Garlic is a powerful herb and Ayurvedic doctors use it as medicine, but do not recommend it as food for daily consumption. Because it is a versatile antibiotic, garlic (especially raw) kills not only the bad germs but also the needed and important friendly bacteria in the gut.

As per Ayurveda, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha are the three life forces, which give each person a unique constitution. Pitta contains the properties of the fire and water element and regulates all metabolic processes in the body as well as body temperature and our hormonal balance. As any sulfur-rich ingredient, onions and garlic are very heating. They aggravate Pitta on both physical and emotional levels. For someone suffering from acid reflux, ulcers, colitis, heartburn, intestinal inflammation, skin rashes or redness, etc. eating these two substances aggravates the aforementioned.

Ayurveda specialists suggest that consumption of onion and garlic results in some negative feelings and emotions like anger, aggression, ignorance, lethargy, anxiety, and increase in sexual desire. Hence, those who practice meditation or choose to follow the spiritual path, live in complete avoidance of consumption of onion and garlic.

It is also said that Rajsik foods such as onion and garlic have an adverse effect on one's consciousness, where they can distract an individual's focus, affect a person's presence of mind and also result in an unstable intellect. Rajsik food is a mixture of hot, spicy and salty food items with pungent taste. It is believed to promote negativity, passion, restlessness and high blood pressure.

According to a research conducted by Dr Robert [Bob] C. Beck in the 1980s, garlic has a detrimental effect on the brain. Beck found that garlic is toxic to humans because its sulphone hydroxyl ions penetrate the blood-brain barrier and are poisonous to brain cells.