Why Garlic Causes Stomach Pain: IBS and Fructan Intolerance Explained
Health ConditionsDigestive Health

Why Does Garlic Make My Stomach Hurt?

Why Does Garlic Make My Stomach Hurt?
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Updated on August 7, 2025
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When you think of garlic, stomach pain probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind.

While garlic can be an excellent way to flavor a dish and even make it healthier, it can also cause abdominal pain and other unwanted symptoms in some people.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fructan intolerance, or garlic intolerance may explain why garlic causes stomach pain.

Garlic Exacerbates Irritable Bowel Syndrome

If you’ve noticed that you seem to have a garlic sensitivity, there’s a good chance IBS may be to blame.

Harvard Health Publishing reports that 1 in 10 people in the United States have IBS. When people with IBS eat certain foods, they can have gastrointestinal symptoms, such as:

  • Abdominal cramping
  • Bloating
  • Gas
  • Diarrhea

While each person with IBS has unique trigger foods, many physicians recommend people avoid consuming too many fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs). The list of high-FODMAP foods includes:

  • Lactose
  • Gluten
  • High-fructose foods
  • High-fructan foods
  • Legumes

Garlic is one food high in fructans, which can trigger IBS symptoms. However, not all people who follow a low-FODMAP diet see improvement in IBS symptoms.

Garlic and Fructan Intolerance

According to Cleveland Clinic, fructans are natural carbohydrates found in high concentrations in foods such as:

  • Garlic
  • Wheat
  • Onions
  • Shallots
  • Asparagus
  • Artichoke

While many people’s bodies break down fructan without issue, some people experience abdominal discomfort when they consume foods high in this carb. This is known as fructan intolerance.

People with fructan intolerance may associate raw or cooked garlic with stomach pain, but they also have pain after consuming other high-fructan foods. Symptoms of fructan intolerance are similar to those of IBS. People can have both conditions, too.

In some cases, people may believe they have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) when they actually have fructan intolerance.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, research has not confirmed that gluten definitively triggers the immune reaction for such individuals; fructan may be the cause.

If you believe you have NCGS but seem to also have a garlic sensitivity, fructan intolerance may be the underlying issue.

Garlic Intolerance and Allergy

If IBS or fructan intolerance are not the source of your garlic sensitivity, you may have a garlic intolerance or allergy.

People often use the terms “intolerance” and “allergy” interchangeably as they relate to food. After all, both are bodily reactions to specific foods.

However, food allergies and intolerances are different phenomena and cause different types of symptoms.

Mayo Clinic reports that food intolerances are more common and typically less serious than allergies. A garlic intolerance, or intolerance to any food, may cause surprising symptoms, such as fatigue and headache.

A food allergy can cause similar symptoms as well as anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening. If you experience severe symptoms from a food, seek immediate medical attention. If a specific food seems to cause painful symptoms, see your doctor as soon as possible to determine whether you have a sensitivity or other issue.

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Jennifer Frediani

Jennifer Frediani, PhD, RD

Medical Reviewer

Jennifer K. Frediani, PhD, RD, ACSM-CES, is a nutrition scientist, exercise physiologist, and registered dietitian with over two decades of experience in clinical research, education, and lifestyle intervention. She's an assistant professor, research track, at the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University, adjunct faculty in the nutrition and health sciences program at the Rollins School of Public Health, and a member of the Winship Cancer Institute.

Dr. Frediani earned her PhD in nutrition science from Emory University, and a master’s in exercise science and a bachelor’s in nutrition and dietetics from Georgia State University. Her doctoral research focused on body composition and dietary assessment among tuberculosis patients in the Republic of Georgia, and her postdoctoral work explored nutritional influences on pediatric liver disease.

She has published widely in journals such as Nature Scientific Reports, The New England Journal of Medicine, Clinical Nutrition, and Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases.

At Emory, she directs adult clinical studies for the NIH RADx initiative, overseeing trials on novel diagnostics for infectious diseases. She also leads the development of Emory’s fully online master of science in clinical nutrition program, designed to prepare future registered dietitian nutritionists through integrated coursework and supervised experiential learning.

Her research focuses on weight-neutral lifestyle interventions to improve cardiometabolic outcomes, with a special emphasis on dietary assessment, physical activity, and metabolomics.

Frediani’s teaching philosophy centers on creating inclusive, student-driven learning environments that foster critical thinking and professional growth. She is passionate about reducing weight stigma in clinical care and promoting sustainable, individualized approaches to food and movement.

Outside of work, Frediani is an avid runner and food enthusiast who travels the world to explore culinary traditions and cultural foodways. She believes that everyone deserves to enjoy food that nourishes both body and soul — without shame or restriction.

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Mackenzie Maxwell

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Mackenzie is a writer with seven years of experience in the health and wellness space. She first got interested in college, when she had to be her own medical advocate in getting an accurate diagnosis for her autoimmune disease. Since then, Mackenzie has written for NurseCore, Epic Health Services, Florida Behavioral Health, and several physician offices. She co-owns a martial arts gym with her husband, where she advocates for mental and physical health in her small community.

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