While you may end up sorting out your personal food triggers the hard way, it can be helpful to know what may contribute to an IBS flare-up and encourage these unpleasant IBS symptoms. Diet can also play a role in helping your condition, and having a list of the foods that are IBS-friendly is handy when you’re looking for food swaps as well.
Here are some practical tips on foods to avoid (and reach for) if you are trying to manage constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C), diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D), or alternating-type IBS (IBS-M).
Anything made with white flour, especially white bread and baked goods made with hydrogenated fatsProcessed meat including bacon, bologna, sausage, and hot dogsDeep-fried foods (including food labeled “oven-fried”)Chips of any sortDairy products such as cheese, sour cream, ice cream, and whole milkRed meatsBananasWhite rice
Especially useful is a type is known as insoluble fiber, which doesn’t dissolve in water. Instead, it absorbs water as it passes through the intestines. That water softens your stool.
The best food sources to improve IBS constipation are:
Fresh fruits, especially berries, peaches, apricots, plums, and rhubarbWhole grains, including whole-grain bread and cooked oats, brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, or barleyFresh vegetablesDried fruit, especially prunes and raisinsPrune juiceNuts and seeds
Beans and legumes (such as chickpeas, soybeans, lentils, navy beans, and kidney beans) are good sources of fiber but are also on the list of high FODMAP foods that can trigger IBS-D symptoms if you eat too much.
Some foods to avoid if you have or tend to have IBS-related diarrhea include:
Dairy products, particularly high-fat cheeses, ice cream, whole milk, cream, and sour creamCreamy foodsGravyDeep-fried foodsSugar-free foods made with artificial sweeteners, such as candies, gum, and diet sodasGas-producing foods like beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, peaches, pears, and plumsDried fruitsCaffeinated coffee, tea, or sodasCarbonated drinksAlcohol
However, this restrictive diet should not be used as anything more than a short-term solution during diarrhea flare-ups. Long term, it can deprive you of much-needed nutrition.
A more balanced anti-diarrheal diet consists of:
BananasWhite riceWhite toast (not whole-grain)Mashed potatoesButternut, pumpkin, acorn squash, and other winter squashesSteamed, baked, or broiled chicken or lean meatYogurt or kefir with a live bacterial cultureChicken brothFarina, oatmeal, or Cream of WheatFresh vegetablesPretzelsFermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or pickles with a probiotic effectSports drinks to prevent dehydration and replace electrolytes
