This post is the first in the series ‘Best for IBS.’ Check out the other post: Best Probiotics for IBS
If your IBS kicks in after you eat, finding foods that don’t trigger your symptoms is very important.
But with so much information about different diets out there, how do you know which is best?
New research has shown that the best diet to reduce your IBS symptoms is actually a low-FODMAP diet.
A large number of people with IBS who followed a low-FODMAP diet found improvements in bloating, abdominal pain, and gas.(1)
What is a FODMAP? It’s an acronym.
Fermentable
Oligosaccharide
Disaccharide
Monosaccharide
And
Polyols
FODMAPS are carbohydrates that are not properly absorbed in the gut and are fermented by the gut’s bacteria.
You’re probably familiar with the term ‘fermented’ – it’s the process used to create food products such as yogurt, beer and sauerkraut. During fermentation microorganisms like bacteria and yeast break down the food’s carbohydrates, or sugars. The result is a food that is more digestible and contains probiotics – a good bacteria that our gut needs. The popularity of fermented foods is growing as more and more people find their health improves when they eat them.
However, when fermentation happens in the gut the results can be painful. Cramping, diarrhea, bloating and gas can result – all symptoms of IBS.
The foods that are most likely to cause fermentation in the gut are FODMAPS.(2)
I Have IBS – What Foods Should I Avoid?
If you are interested in trying a low-FODMAP diet, below you will find a list of foods that you shouldn’t eat. These are the foods most likely to cause IBS symptoms:
Vegetables
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Garlic
- Jerusalem artichoke
- Leeks
- Okra
- Onion
- Shallots
- Snow peas
- Sugar snap peas
- Radicchio
- Tomato sauces and tomato paste
Fruit
- Apple
- Apricot
- Cherries
- Mango
- Nectarine
- Peach
- Pear
- Persimmon
- Plum
- Watermelon
Proteins
- Legumes such as lentils, beans, and peanuts
- Soy including edamame, tofu, tempeh, and soy milk
Fats
- High FODMAP oils include vegetable oils and fats that are high in omega-6 fats such as canola, sunflower, safflower, grape seed, soybean, cottonseed, and peanut oils.
- Prepared mayonnaise and salad dressings
Starches
- Legumes
Nuts & Seeds
- Pistachios
- Almonds
- Hazelnuts
Dairy
- Cheese
- All commercial dairy products made from non-pastured, grain-fed cows, such as commercial yogurt and pasteurized milk
Herbs, Spices & Cooking Ingredients
- Seasonings and condiments that contain sugar, grain, soy, or gluten including ketchup, soy sauce, some tamari sauces, balsamic glaze, commercial mayonnaise, and salad dressings.
- Chicory
- Sugar alcohols like sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol.
- Gums – carrageenan or soy lecithin
- MSG and colorings
Sweets
- Agave syrup
- Artificial sweeteners (You can read more about the harmful effects of artificial sweeteners)
- High-fructose corn syrup
- Honey
- Refined sugars
Beverages
- Beer (most contain gluten and/or mannitol)
- Fruit juice
- Soda
- Wine (especially ports, late harvest, ice wine)
Are There Foods that I Should Be Careful Eating?
In some people, the following foods could be triggers for IBS symptoms. If you decide to eat them you will want to monitor your reaction closely to see how your body responds.
Vegetables
- Avocado
- Brussels sprouts
- Celery
- Fennel bulb
- Green peas
- Mushrooms
Fruits
- Banana, unripe
- Longon
- Lychee
- Rambutan
- Grapes
Fats
- Avocado
Starches
- Sweet potato
- Yam
Nuts & Seeds
- Most nuts, seeds, and nut butters
Dairy
- High-fat, low-lactose dairy products made from the milk of pastured cows, ideally raw.
- Cream Kefir that has been fermented 24 hours
- Yogurt that has been fermented 24 hours
Herbs, Spices & Cooking Ingredients
- Coconut aminos
- Garlic and onion powders
Sweets
- Coconut including unsweetened shredded, milk, cream, and butter
- Coconut sugar
- Dark chocolate (100% cacao)
- Maple syrup
Beverages
Both alcohol and caffeine may irritate the GI tract so take care when drinking:
- Decaffeinated coffee
- Coffee
- Black tea
- Mate
- Dry wine
- Teas with a FODMAP fruit
So What Can I Eat?
Enjoy as many of these foods as you like as they’re unlikely to cause IBS symptoms.
Vegetables
- Bamboo shoots
- Beets
- Bok Choy
- Carrots
- Cucumber including pickles made without sugar
- Dandelion greens
- Eggplant
- Endive
- Fermented vegetables
- Green beans
- Kale
- Lettuce
- Olives
- Parsnips
- Sea Vegetables
- Spring onions – the green part only
- Sprouts and microgreens including alfalfa and sunflower
- Summer squash such as zucchini, pattypan, and yellow squash
- Swiss chard
- Tomatoes including cherry tomatoes
- Winter squash including acorn, butternut, pumpkin, and spaghetti squash
Fruits
- Banana
- Ripe blueberries
- Grapefruit
- Kiwi
- Lemon
- Lime
- Mandarin
- Melons including cantaloupe and honeydew
- Orange
- Papaya
- Passionfruit
- Pineapple
- Raspberry
- Rhubarb
- Strawberry
Proteins
- Muscle meats
- Organ meats
- Homemade bone broth
- Fish and Seafood
- Poultry
- Eggs
- Bacon made without sugar
Fats
- Avocado oil
- Coconut oil
- Cod liver oil
- Ghee – clarified butter made from buffalo or cow milk
- Lard from pastured animals
- Olives and EVOO
- Macadamia oil
- Homemade mayonnaise
Starches
- Cassava / Yuca Plantain
- Rutabaga
- Taro
- Turnip
- White potato
- White rice
Nuts & Seeds
- All nuts may be difficult to digest, and caution should be taken.
- Sprouted nuts or homemade sprouted nut butters may be best tolerated.
Dairy
- Butter
- Ghee – clarified butter made from buffalo or cow milk
Herbs, Spices & Cooking Ingredients
- Fresh and dried herbs
- Ginger
- Pepper
- Salt including Celtic sea salt, Himalayan salt, Murray River salt
- Seaweed
- Vinegar
Sweets
- As sweets contain either natural or artificial sweeteners it is best to avoid them for at least 30 days
Beverages
- Either flat or sparkling water, with lemon or lime juice if desired
- Homemade bone broth
- Unsweetened white, green, oolong, or rooibos tea
- Herbal teas without unsafe fruits
Now that you know all about the best diet for IBS, be sure to check out the other blog post in our series ‘Best for IBS’:
Best Probiotics for IBS
Read more of our blog posts about IBS.
Now, I want to hear from you.
Has a low-FODMAP diet help to alleviate the symptoms of your IBS?
