Whether it is the base of a stock; mixed into a dressing; dried, ground, and used as a spice rub; or simply roasted and added whole to dishes, garlic and onion are everywhere. For most people, this may go unnoticed. The first was on Thanksgiving Day; after spending all day prepping and cooking, I looked down at my plate and suddenly realized I had no appetite. I was in so much pain and discomfort, and so bloated, that I could no longer fathom putting anything else into my stomach. Although I realized that this was no way to live my life, the ultimate reality check came when these gastrointestinal issues began to affect my ability to breathe. My severe bloating paired with my inability to properly digest food caused such intense acid reflux that I was unable to take deep inhales without experiencing a coughing fit. It was then and there that I realized something had to change. No longer was this simply a stomachache; it was now detrimentally affecting my health. While at first this seemed promising and a hallelujah moment of finally finding out what was going on, she informed me that there is no cure for IBS. We discussed my options going forward and, as someone who would rather take the homeopathic route over pumping my system with drugs, we decided that I would start the low-FODMAP diet, eliminating fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which are all complex names for the collection of sugar molecules that are found in food. These sugars include fructose, lactose, sugar polyols (sorbitol and mannitol), fructans, and legumes. In nonscientific terms, while following this diet, you will eliminate a large list of foods that includes gluten, dairy, legumes, sugars, and even some specific fruits and vegetables. Never did I expect that the two main culprits would be garlic and onion. When I tried to reintroduce both of these foods into my diet, I immediately experienced the IBS symptoms I had suffered from before. At first, I thought I was going crazy. Is it truly possible that these two healthy kitchen staples could be so seriously messing with my stomach? I immediately took to the internet and found that, thankfully, I was not alone. It turns out, garlic and onions contain fructans1 that can be malabsorbed in the small intestine. When these fructans are not digested properly, they then ferment in the small intestine and cause many of the dreadful IBS symptoms including bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea. After one too many nights coming home from work hungry and spending 30-plus minutes researching restaurants only to continuously find myself depleted and making the same sad eggs and toast for dinner, I knew something had to change. I took my frustration to the kitchen and began to create garlic- and onion-free versions of the foods I missed most. Turns out, they are all still delicious. Since taking garlic and onion out of my diet, I have noticed an incredible change. I no longer feel the massive bloat I once suffered from, my digestive system works on a more regular schedule, and my acid reflux has disappeared. I have also spent a lot more time in my kitchen and have expanded my talents of cooking different types of cuisines. I have learned that these two ingredients are included in the majority of restaurant items and that, without eating them for a while, their taste and scent is incredibly strong.
