Diet for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
We know that the symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can significantly interfere with your quality of life, and finding relief can be challenging. That’s why, in this article, we want to share some research-backed keys to help you regain your well-being.
Let’s explore what the IBS diet consists of, which foods are allowed, and which ones you should avoid. Keep reading!
What is the best diet for irritable bowel syndrome?
The key to an IBS-friendly diet lies in identifying and avoiding the foods that trigger your symptoms. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all diet, since what works for one person may not work for another.
However, various studies have shown that a low-FODMAP diet can have a positive impact on most people with IBS.
What is the FODMAP diet?
The FODMAP diet refers to an eating plan designed to reduce or remove the intake of certain fermentable carbohydrates that may cause symptoms in people with IBS.
The term FODMAP is an acronym for Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Monosaccharides And Polyols — carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and can ferment in the large intestine, leading to symptoms such as:
- Bloating
- Gas
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea or constipation
Foods to avoid if you have irritable bowel syndrome
Here are some foods recommended to avoid in an IBS diet, as they are often associated with increased gas, inflammation, irritation, and abdominal discomfort:
- Cereals: wheat, rye, barley, corn, oats, among others.
- Dairy products
- Sugar and artificial sweeteners
- High-fructose fruits: apples, mangoes, pears, peaches, apricots, grapes, cherries, plums, etc.
- Certain vegetables: onions, eggplant, artichokes, leeks, asparagus, and garlic.
- Legumes: lentils, chickpeas, and soy.
- Nuts
- Spicy or heavily seasoned foods
- Alcohol
- Ultra-processed foods
Foods allowed in an IBS-friendly diet
Below is a list of foods that are allowed—and even recommended—if you have irritable bowel syndrome. However, always assess your individual tolerance to each:
- Cooked vegetables
- Sprouted legumes or hummus (to improve digestibility)
- Fresh, cooked animal proteins (avoid smoked, cured, or processed meats)
- Warm herbal infusions, according to your tolerance, to support digestion
Example of a FODMAP diet menu
Day 1
Breakfast: Surprise buns
Snack (optional): A cup of papaya chunks
Lunch/Dinner: Lemon chicken with sautéed vegetables
Dinner: Plantain and beef soup
Day 2
Breakfast: Plantain cake
Snack (optional): Chicken or turkey meatballs
Lunch/Dinner: Eggplant lasagna
Dinner: Oven-roasted chicken with potatoes and sautéed vegetables
Day 3
Breakfast: Meatballs with boiled arracacha (white carrot) or celery root
Snack (optional): Paleo crackers
Lunch/Dinner: Stuffed cassava fritters
Dinner: Roasted vegetables with turkey medallions
General recommendations
For both diarrhea and constipation associated with IBS, it’s important to:
- Stay hydrated: Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. This helps facilitate bowel movements in cases of constipation and replenishes micronutrients and minerals lost in cases of diarrhea.
- Reduce meal size and frequency: In both situations, it’s best to give your gut time and space to digest food properly.
- Manage stress: You may have noticed that psychological stress worsens your symptoms, but remember that inflammatory foods — your “enemy foods” — also act as a major source of stress for your gut.
- Keep a food diary: Write down what you eat and how your bowel movements are that day and the next. Do you notice any patterns?
Frequently Asked Questions
What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), also known as spastic colon, is a functional digestive disorder characterized by changes in bowel movement patterns and frequency, as well as other symptoms such as:
- Abdominal pain or cramps
- Bloating or abdominal distension
- Presence of mucus in the stool
- Feeling of incomplete evacuation
What are the causes or risk factors of IBS?
The exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown, but several factors are believed to contribute to its onset, including:
- Imbalanced gut microbiota
- Intolerance to certain types of fiber: soluble or insoluble fiber from “enemy foods” high in FODMAPs
- Psychological stress
- Genetics
In addition, IBS is known to be more prevalent among women under 50 years old (Brian E. Lacy, 2016).
How is IBS diagnosed?
A patient with IBS typically reports recurrent abdominal pain at least one day per week in the past three months, along with one or more of the following Rome Criteria symptoms:
- Pain associated with an urgent need to defecate
- Changes in bowel movement frequency (either increased or decreased)
- Changes in stool appearance
If you identify with any of these symptoms, we recommend following the 3R Protocol combined with a low-FODMAP diet, personalized according to your microbiota and individual tolerance.
How to prevent constipation
- Remove high-FODMAP “enemy foods” such as cereals, dairy, green apples, pears, broccoli, cauliflower, turnips, and Brussels sprouts.
- Stimulate your vagus nerve.
- Replenish essential micronutrients such as magnesium (to support intestinal motility) and iodine (to activate your thyroid, which regulates bowel transit).
- Stay hydrated: drink at least 8 glasses of pure water daily. You can also use warm infusions, according to your food sensitivities, after meals.
- Be physically active — let gravity help you!
How to prevent diarrhea
- Remove high-FODMAP foods such as garlic, onion, legumes, spices, sugar, and sugar alcohols (artificial sweeteners like maltitol, xylitol, or sorbitol), as they can irritate the gut, ferment, and draw in excess fluid.
- Eliminate alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine, as these have a prokinetic effect on the intestines and can overstimulate them.
- Reduce fat intake in general. Prefer a diet low in “enemy” fats, especially those from hydrogenated oils.
Should gluten be eliminated in an IBS diet?
Yes — it is recommended to remove gluten and all cereals, even if you don’t have celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Cereals are high-FODMAP foods, making them difficult to digest in the gut, where 70% of your immune system resides. When these foods are only partially digested, they can worsen gut dysbiosis and IBS symptoms.
It’s also important to assess for non-celiac gluten sensitivity or celiac disease, which may be differential diagnoses (Raffaele Borghin et al., 2017).
If you experience extra-digestive symptoms and would like to know whether gluten is an “enemy food” for you, you can take a genetic test — learn more about it on our website!
Do you suffer from IBS?
At NutriWhite, we can help you reduce gut inflammation and improve your quality of life.
References:
- The role of inflammation in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Qin Xiang Ng, Alex Yu Sen Soh, [...], and Wee-Song Yeo, 2018 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6159811/#!po=43.3333
- Bowel Disorders Brian E. Lacy et al, 2014 https://www.gastrojournal.org/action/showPdf?pii=S0016-5085%2816%2900222-5 )
- Gastroenterology and Hepatology From Bed to Bench. RIGLD, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases. New insights in IBS-like disorders: Pandora's box has been opened; Raffaele Borghini et al, 2017 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5495893/pdf/GHFBB-10-079.pdf
- Vervier K et als, 2022. Two microbiota subtypes identified in irritable bowel syndrome with distinct responses to the low FODMAP diet. Gut. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34810234/
NutriWhite Editorial Team
