Why Are Some Indian Vegetarians Unable To Eat Garlic Or Onions?

Onions and garlic are considered non-vegetarian foods due to their common properties, such as increasing passion and sexual desire when eaten raw or cooked. They also produce excessive heat in the body, which can take people away from the prescribed spiritual path. Despite their health benefits, many people abstain from consuming these foods due to their tamasic nature, which can increase negative emotions like anger and laziness.

In Hinduism, sattvic food is promoted, and onions and garlic are considered rajasic and tamasic, which means they increase passion and ignorance. Jain religious teachings recommend against eating root vegetables, as they are classified as rajasic and tamasic, which are detrimental to spiritual progression.

However, all vegetarians do have onions and garlic in their diet except for those who practice jainism and swaminarayan philosophy. Hindu devotees believe that onions and garlic make it difficult to differentiate between desires and priorities, as garlic is known as tamasic. Jain cuisine is lacto-vegetarian and excludes root and underground vegetables like potato, garlic, and onion to prevent injuring small ones.

According to scripture, garlic, onion, and mushroom are prohibited for Brahmins because they are considered impure. The survey asked all vegetarians whether they eat root vegetables, such as garlic and onion. Garlic and onion are plants, making them vegan. Some vegans may not eat onion and garlic due to personal preference, but this is most likely due to personal reasons.

Onion and garlic may also boost hormones/testosterones, which is considered bad for religious training. Therefore, while onions and garlic are considered non-vegetarian, they are not considered sattvic foods by Hindus and are considered tamasic and tamasic.

Why no onion and garlic in Ayurveda?

Ayurveda acknowledges the health benefits of onions and garlic, as they are blood purifiers and used in various ayurvedic medicines. However, Ayurveda does not support excessive usage of these ingredients, as they are considered tamasic and rajsic, which produce excessive heat in the body. This can increase the risk of other health problems. Ayurveda recommends consuming onion and garlic in low quantities, as they are often confused with spirituality and yoga, which recommend avoiding both ingredients due to their potential to distract focus and attention.

Consumption of onion and garlic is also avoided by those practicing meditation or following a spiritual path, as it is known to increase anger, aggression, ignorance, anxiety, and sexual desire. Onions, on the other hand, remove toxins from the body, normalize digestion, and are excellent for treating colds and coughs.

Why do Hare Krishnas not eat garlic?

Garlic and onion are avoided by spiritual adherents due to their stimulation of the central nervous system and potential disturbance of celibacy vows. Garlic is a natural aphrodisiac and Ayurveda suggests it is beneficial for loss of sexual power, sexual debility, impotency, and nervous exhaustion. Taoists recognized the harmful effects of alliaceous plants on humans, describing them as the “five fragrant or spicy scented vegetables” that have detrimental effects on the liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, and heart.

Onions are harmful to the lungs, garlic to the heart, leeks to the spleen, chives to the liver, and spring onions to the kidneys. These pungent vegetables contain enzymes that cause repulsive breath, extra-foul odor, lewd indulgences, agitations, anxieties, and aggressiveness, especially when eaten raw.

Did Lord Krishna eat onions?

Lord Krishna does not accept offerings containing onions and garlic, as confirmed by acharyas like A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. This implies that devotees cannot consume these foods, as they are considered sinful. The non-acceptability of onions and garlic is further confirmed in Manusmriti 5. 5, where the terms “garlic”, “ca”, “eva”, “palāṇḍu”, and “abhaḳṣyāṇi” are not eatable.

What do Indians use instead of garlic?

Asafoetida, also referred to as “hing,” is a resinous substance derived from the Ferula plant. It possesses a pungent and savory aroma that is reminiscent of garlic and onions. It is frequently utilized in Indian and Middle Eastern culinary traditions as a flavor enhancer when a garlic-like flavor is desired.

Why do Buddhists avoid garlic?

In Buddhist tradition, certain plants are avoided due to their perceived effects on the mind and body. These include garlic, onion, chives, leeks, and shallots, which are believed to increase sexual desire and anger when consumed raw. The practice of intermittent fasting, which involves abstaining from certain foods or beverages, is gaining popularity as a means of achieving weight loss. It is also employed for religious purposes.

Why do Hare Krishnas not eat onions or garlic?

Ayurveda, India’s medical science, categorizes foods into sattvic, rajasic, and tamasic modes. Rajasic and tamasic foods, such as onions and garlic, increase passion and ignorance. Pure brahmana-style cooking, including Vaishnavas, prefers sattvic foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs, dairy products, grains, and legumes. Vaisnavas avoid rajasic and tamasic foods as they are unfit to offer to the Deity and detrimental to meditation and devotions. Dr. Robert E. Svoboda, a well-known authority on Ayurveda, states that garlic and onions are both rajasic and tamasic and are forbidden to yogis as they root consciousness more firmly in the body.

Why is onion bad in Hinduism?

Hindu devotees believe that onions and garlic make it difficult to differentiate between desires and priorities, as garlic is known as Rajogini and onions produce heat. During the nine days of Navratri celebration, they are supposed to denounce worldly pleasures and adopt a pure life. Consuming raajasic and taamsic foods during these festive days is believed to distract focus, so onions and garlic are forbidden from consumption during Navratri meals.

Why do people not eat garlic and onion in India?

Rajasic and tamasic foods are not used in Ayurveda due to their negative impact on meditation and devotions. Garlic and onions are considered rajasic and tamasic, and are forbidden to yogis due to their strong connection to the body. While some Western medicine suggests garlic has health benefits, the clinical implications of onion and garlic consumption are still not fully understood. Additionally, garlic in its raw state can carry harmful botulism bacteria, which is considered more harmful than hemlock, according to Roman poet Horace. While some studies have explored the cardiovascular implications of vegetable Alliums, the clinical implications of onion and garlic consumption remain unexplored.

Why can’t Jains eat onions?

Jain ascetics follow a great vow of nonharming, which involves minimizing harm to all organisms, including one-sensed ones. This includes the prohibition against root vegetables, which is strictly followed by Jain monks and nuns. The lesser vow, anuvrata, focuses on minimizing harm to organisms with two or more senses, such as animals. Vegetarianism is the most prominent feature of the Jain diet, both ascetic and lay. However, the ascetic diet remains the ideal diet in Jainism, and many lay Jains also avoid root vegetables to work towards this ideal.

Jonathan Dickstein, an Assistant Professor at Arihanta Institute, specializes in South Asian Religions, Animals and Religion, and Comparative Ethics. His course, Jain Approaches to Animal Sentience, is available in an online catalogue.

Do Indian vegetarians eat garlic?

Jain vegetarianism is a religious practice that adheres to the principle of non-violence, which is the most essential religious duty for everyone. It is practiced by Jain ascetics and lay Jains, who believe that non-violence is the most significant hallmark of their identity. The diet excludes root and underground vegetables like potato, garlic, and onion to prevent injuring small insects and microorganisms.

Jains believe that non-violence is the most essential religious duty for everyone, and it is an indispensable condition for liberation from the cycle of reincarnation. This strict discipline shapes their entire lives and is the most significant hallmark of Jain identity. A side effect of this strict discipline is the exercise of asceticism, which is strongly encouraged in Jainism for lay people, monks, and nuns.

In 2022, 92 of self-identified Jains in India adhered to some type of vegetarian diet, while another 5 tried to follow a mostly vegetarian diet by abstaining from eating certain kinds of meat or abstaining from eating meat on specific days. Vegetarianism historically stems from the objective of minimizing violence to all beings, and many Jains are adopting veganism due to the immense suffering of dairy animals, their forceful impregnation, and eventual slaughter in most cases.

Food is restricted to that originating from plants, as plants have only one sense (ekindriya) and are the least developed form of life. Dairy products, though they have been criticized for their inherent violence, are considered unacceptable. Some Jain scholars and activists support veganism, believing that modern commercialized production of dairy products involves violence against farm animals.

According to Jain texts, a śrāvaka (householder) should not consume the four maha-vigai (the four perversions) – wine, flesh, butter, and honey; and the five udumbara fruits (the five udumbara trees belonging to the fig genus). Additionally, Jains should not consume any foods or drinks that contain animal products or animal flesh, as long as the foods do not contain animal products or flesh.

Why is onion and garlic considered non veg in Hinduism?

In Hinduism, onion and garlic are not considered vegetarian due to their common properties, which are considered tamsik bhojan. Non-vegetarian foods like meat, egg, and fish are considered tamsik food, while earth-grown items like onion, garlic, and Masoor dal also have similar effects on the body. Other reasons for not eating garlic include the story of Rahu Ketu, which suggests that onion-garlic is grown from meat and cow bones. The story of Rahu and Ketu tells the story of a lord Shiva who consumes venom and Amrit, leading to a conflict between Dev and Asur.

Lord Vishnu divides Amrit among them, giving Amrit to Devs and Wine to Asurs, resulting in a clever division of Amrit. Despite these reasons, onion and garlic are still considered non-vegetarian in Hinduism.