Garlic v Onions… Aroma vs Aftertaste

As someone on the spectrum, smell and taste don’t just fade once I’m done eating. They stick. And garlic and onions are two ingredients that really highlight that difference for me.

Garlic is intense right away. The smell fills the kitchen fast, and sometimes it’s almost too much while cooking. But once the meal is over, it usually *stops*. I can move on. Brush my teeth, drink some water, and I’m okay.

Onions are kind of the opposite for me. The smell while cooking isn’t bad at all, especially if they’re sautéed or caramelized. But the aftertaste lingers for hours. I can still feel it in my mouth, and that lingering sensation can become distracting or uncomfortable, especially on days when my sensory tolerance is already low.

Because of that, I tend to prefer garlic over onions—not because I dislike onions, but because I can predict how garlic will affect me. Predictability matters a lot for my sensory comfort.

I don’t think this is about being picky or dramatic. It’s about how long a sensory input stays in my system.

Does anyone else here notice this kind of difference with smells or aftertastes? And does your preference change depending on how overstimulated you are that day?