Foods That Could Be Aggravating Your Symptoms and How to Reduce Your Intake

Individual food triggers and the symptoms they cause can vary in people with IBS. So a food that causes bloating in one individual with IBS might cause gas in another and no reaction in a different person. If you’re not sure what foods are causing or worsening your symptoms, there are certain items you should try removing from your diet before others. Some likely suspects: Fruits like these, which are lower in fructose, may be more tolerable:

BananasBlueberriesBoysenberriesCantaloupeCranberriesGrapesKiwisStrawberries

Cruciferous and Other Vegetables Certain vegetables can be more difficult to digest than others because of the compounds they contain. These include cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale. Other veggies that may be difficult to digest include these choices:

ArtichokesAsparagusLeeksOnionsShallots

Fortunately, a large number of vegetables tend to be well tolerated by people with IBS:

CarrotsCeleryEggplantGreen beansSquashSweet potatoesYamsZucchini

What Is a Low-FODMAP Diet, and Would It Help Your IBS?

For many people with IBS, following a healthy diet and lifestyle, along with avoiding known food triggers, provides adequate relief from symptoms.

But some people still experience bothersome symptoms after following these steps. If this includes you, you may benefit from trying a special diet, such as a low-FODMAP diet, which cuts down on many IBS culprits. The American College of Gastroenterology recommends trying a low-FODMAP diet, noting in its 2021 guidelines that the diet is associated with a significant reduction in IBS symptoms. FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. Together, they are a group of carbohydrates found in a variety of grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and sweeteners, but they are often difficult to digest. Several categories of food contain significant amounts of FODMAPs. Fruits

ApplesApricotsBlackberriesCherriesMangosNectarinesPearsPlumsWatermelon

Vegetables

ArtichokesAsparagusBeans (kidney, navy, pinto, and others)CabbageCauliflowerGarlicLentilsMushroomsOnionsSugar snap or snow peas

Dairy Products

MilkSoft cheesesYogurtIce cream

Wheat and Rye

BreadPastaBreakfast cerealsCookies and crackers

Sweeteners

HoneyHigh-fructose corn syrupSorbitolMannitolXylitolMaltitol

What to Eat on a Low-FODMAP Diet

The basic principle is to eat healthy fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. A low-FODMAP eating plan will have you consuming these items:

Eggs and meatCheeses, including hard ones like Cheddar, Parmesan, and feta, as well as aged soft ones like BrieAlmond or oat milkOats and oatmealVegetables including eggplant, potatoes, and cucumbersFruits like grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwi, and pineapple

Always talk to your doctor, dietitian, or nutritionist before starting a diet. Additional reporting by Jordan Davidson.