Irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS, is a problem with the intestines. IBS can cause belly pain, bloating, gas, constipation, and diarrhea. Most people can control their symptoms by changing their diet and easing stress.
No specific foods cause everyone with IBS to have symptoms. Many people find that they feel better by limiting or eliminating foods that may bring on symptoms. Make sure you don't stop eating all foods from any one food group without talking with a dietitian. You need to make sure you are still getting all the nutrients you need.
Changing your eating habits
You can manage your IBS by limiting or not eating foods that may bring on symptoms, particularly diarrhea, constipation, gas, and bloating.
Here are some suggestions to get you started.
- Eat slowly, and have meals in a quiet and relaxing environment.
- Try to eat meals at about the same time each day.
Don't skip meals or wait too long between meals.
- Drink plenty of fluids.
Be sure to drink water in addition to your other beverages. If you have kidney, heart, or liver disease and have to limit fluids, talk with your doctor before you increase the amount of fluids you drink.
- Limit or avoid caffeine, such as from coffee and tea.
- Avoid alcohol and fizzy (carbonated) drinks.
- Avoid foods that may cause gas and bloating.
Vegetables such as artichokes, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, green peppers, onions, peas, radishes, and raw potatoes may not be digested well by your body and can cause gas and bloating.
- Limit your intake of fresh fruit and fruit juice.
These are high in fructose. People who have IBS may not be able to digest fructose well. This can cause diarrhea, gas, and bloating.
- Limit the amount of lactose you get.
Lactose is a sugar found in milk. People who have IBS may have worse symptoms when they eat or drink dairy.
- Be careful eating some types of fiber.
Fiber affects each person who has IBS in different ways.
If you have diarrhea, try limiting the amount of high-fiber foods you eat. This includes vegetables, fruits, whole-grain breads and pasta, high-fiber cereal, and brown rice.
To reduce constipation, add fiber such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your diet each day and drink plenty of water.
- Try the low-FODMAP diet.
FODMAPs are carbohydrates that are in many types of foods. It stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.
If you have digestive problems, these can make your symptoms worse.
A low-FODMAP diet is when you stop eating high-FODMAP foods for about two months. Then you slowly add them back in to your diet to see what foods cause digestion problems.
- Keep a daily food diary.
Track what you eat, your emotions, activities, and your symptoms after eating. If you notice patterns of symptoms after eating certain foods, you can try removing those foods from your diet.
Avoiding foods that might cause symptoms
Many people find that their IBS symptoms get worse after they eat. Sometimes certain foods make symptoms worse.
Make sure that you don't stop eating completely from any one food group without talking with a dietitian. You need to make sure that you're still getting all the nutrients you need.
Foods most commonly listed as causing symptoms include:
- Cabbage.
- Onions.
- Peas and beans.
- Hot spices.
- Deep-fried and fried foods.
- Pizza.
- Coffee.
- Cream.
- Smoked food.
- Alcohol.
- Carbonated (fizzy) drinks.
Other types of food that can make IBS symptoms worse include:
- Lactose. This is a sugar found in milk. Some dairy products (like cheese and yogurt) have less lactose.
- Fructose. This is a sugar found in vegetables and fruit.
- Sorbitol and xylitol. These are artificial sweeteners found in sugar-free chewing gum, drinks, and other sugar-free sweets.
- Caffeine.
Current as of: May 9, 2022
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine