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In vegetarian restaurants, the menu will strictly indicate "five pungent vegetables," also known as five pungent or strong-flavored foods. The five pungent vegetables refer to five types of vegetables with a "pungent" flavor, including: garlic, scallions, leeks, chives, and asafetida. In modern interpretations, this has been expanded to include any allium plant that contains allicin (such as onions).
Vegetarians avoid the five pungent vegetables primarily based on religious beliefs and cultural practices. This dietary restriction originated from the dietary taboos of Brahmins in India, and Buddhism and Taoism consider that consuming these pungent vegetables can lead to bad breath, disturb one's mood, interfere with inner peace, and hinder spiritual practice.
However, chili peppers are not included in the five pungent vegetables. The distinctive feature of the five pungent vegetables is the presence of sulfur compounds that can stimulate sexual hormones. While chili peppers also contain stimulating components that can cause a burning sensation on the tongue, they do not affect sexual hormones, which is why they are not classified as one of the five pungent vegetables.
The decision to adhere to vegetarianism may depend on personal beliefs and philosophies. If you are vegetarian for religious reasons (such as Buddhism), then alliums like garlic and scallions fall outside the vegetarian category. However, if you are vegetarian for health, environmental, or animal welfare reasons, you need not worry about the five pungent vegetables and can determine your own standards for vegetarianism.
*Asafetida, known in traditional Chinese medicine, belongs to the Apiaceae family. Its underground parts, including roots and rhizomes, can be used medicinally. After harvesting and processing, it becomes a traditional medicine. The resin secreted from asafetida is used both internally and externally, or as a spice; it is not native to the Central Plains or Jiangnan regions and was historically misidentified as various other plants, such as mustard greens, rapeseed, or coriander.
