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IBS Diet

IBS can seem like such an unpredictable condition – some foods will nearly always cause symptoms while others don’t, but then there are some foods which can trigger an attack one time and be perfectly fine to eat the next. It can be incredibly frustrating trying to pin down what you can and can’t eat without suffering an attack – there seems to be no logic to it.

However, this isn’t the case. There are in fact clear dietary guidelines you can live by and be assured of avoiding attacks most of the time. Certain types of foods have an established effect on the digestive system and the GI tract. This means categories of foods, not just the individual foods which can seem so elusive when you’re trying to identify the cause of your discomfort.

Any food that is high in fat, caffeine (although you can include decaffeinated coffee as well as caffeinated coffee), insoluble fibre, alcohol or carbonation is likely to bring on IBS symptoms. They are all stimulants or irritants to the GI tract, and as such they can induce violent spasms in the gastrocolic reflex, which means the muscles in your colon are affected. As you know from painful experience, this leads directly to constipation and diarrhoea, trapped wind and bloating and the attendant pains of all of them.

Eating a good IBS-beating diet doesn’t have to be restrictive – you don’t have to think of it as a condemnation to a life of bland food and no more nights out at restaurants. It doesn’t mean shopping only at the health food shop or having to keep an eagle eye on absolutely everything you eat – it’s not that restrictive by any means. It is simply a matter of recognising how foods affect the GI tract and negotiating around that. Foods can trigger or prevent a colonic spasm and it’s easy to learn how.

The worst trigger foods for IBS are:

French fries
Onion rings
Fried chicken
Anything battered and deep-fried
Anything skillet-fried in fat of any kind
Shortbread
Margarine
All oils, fats, spreads, etc.
Mayonnaise
Salad dressings
Tartare sauce
Coconut milk
Shredded coconut
Solid chocolate (baking cocoa powder is fine)
Solid carob (carob powder is fine)
Olives
Nuts and nut butters
Croissants, pastries, biscuits, scones, and doughnuts
Pie crust
Potato chips (unless baked)
Nachos (unless baked)
Shop-bought dried bananas (they're almost always deep fried)

You’d think fats are easy to identify, but this is not always the case. The likes of meat and dairy products are certainly simple to spot and eliminate from your diet, making your body healthier overall. You can adapt easily to a new diet without such foods – there are lots of substitutions you can start to use which will mean you hardly miss them. The foods that cause attacks of pain are only enjoyable until the pain starts, and that means they’re not really enjoyable at all.

Be careful with such foods as cookies and other biscuits, crackers, pancakes, waffles, French toast, scones, pastries and even mashed potatoes – these can all be high in fat. This especially applies when eating out. But take note, reducing your intake of fats should not mean cutting them out altogether. The body still needs fats – healthy ones – to function properly and be healthy. 20 to 25% of your total calories should be monounsaturated fats containing essential fatty acids. Go for olive or canola oil, avocados, finely ground nuts and fatty fish.

Remember to avoid these GI tract irritants:

Coffees, even decaffeinated, as they contain an enzyme that irritates the GI tract – herbal teas have none of this effect.

Alcohol can trigger attacks, particularly if you haven’t eaten before you drink. Don’t worry about using a bit of wine in cooking, however.

Carbonated drinks, even fizzy mineral water, can bring on cramps. Artificial sweeteners, often found in these drinks, can act in the same way too.

Artificial fats should be avoided, and also there is a lot of anecdotal evidence suggesting that MSG – found in Chinese takeaways especially – can be very bad for IBS sufferers.

Another thing to consider is the difference between soluble and insoluble fibre. Skinless white meat and seafood are fine, but watch out for dark poultry meat and skin. Dairy products from butter to yogurt to ice cream are a problem, even skimmed milk and lactose-free products, so it’s best to cut them out. (You won’t miss milk in your coffee if you’ve already cut out coffee.) Egg whites, however, won’t do you any harm. But it’s still advisable to just say goodbye to the yolks along with other dairy, and meat.