According to this link

http://www.salagram.net/Onions-Garli...avism.html#Why no Garlic and Onions?


(i) Because they are of the food category of Rajas and Tamas. They cause a disturbance, and even pain and sickness to those who eat them. Especially if you are not used to eating them and find them slipped into a meal – painful air, diarrhea, are often side effects – symptoms of the modes of passion and ignorance.

(ii) Because they (such foods) cannot be offered to the Deity.

(iii) Because they impair Deity worship by their profound and even bad smell, and their repeating nature so as to effectively disqualify the sadhaka from performing Deity worship as laid down in the Hari Bhakti Vilas, and Bhaktirasamrta Sindhu (even Hing and Gingerly are mentioned, what to speak of onion and garlic) regarding making sure that such foods that repeat upon one, and that food in general is thoroughly digested before one performs the pujas.

(iv) Because the onion and garlic are considered to grow below the ground and thus tamasiki in nature many chaste Vaishnavas would not partake of them.

(v) Because they are not a native to devotional cooking see (I) & (ii) & (iii) being introduced from
other countries (karma bhumi – outside of dharma-bhumi) like so many other things.

(vi) Because of the references to their origin as being derived of animal sacrifice, as evolved from the sin of steeling the offering and when caught for that by her husband throwing that to a distant place where due to its being impregnated with life invoking mantras took the seed form as red dahl, red onion and white onion.



If you say only "Satvic" can be offerable, then we cannot offer anything that is fried like pooris,samosa,kachoris,pakoras,gulab jamuns,salty,pungent,with chilli or pepper, any sweet preparation because too sweet is also not satvic. WE cannot offer idlis,dahi,bread or any fermented stuff as its not freshly prepared. We cannot offer any frozen things or chilled items.
Also I read that only qualities of food were mentioned while describing satvic or rajasic, no where the names of the food mentioned. Correct me in case you know more

Why am I still pondering..and having hard time in understanding these.I think being vegetarian/vegan would be enough, and limiting diet to not eating carrots, or radishes, red lentlils, tomatoes, seem to me little outrageous. Why do people fall for these things. In fact, its not even mentioned anywhere as far as I know in the texts (forgive me if it is, AND if so, let me know where and which verse,etc)

And its interesting if you check out the history of tomatoes and potatoes, it had been introduced in Asia, only a few centuries back from South Americas. Whereas Onions and garlic were grown indigenously and has been eaten since prehistoric times.

Yours humbly,
OmHari