There are certain foods that cause problems for lots of IBS sufferers. Knowing what these foods are and realizing that you probably don’t have to give up all your beloved foods for good is a great first step to make.
Typical traits of foods that cause IBS symptoms are foods that are one or more of the following:
High in fat (fried foods, junk foods, etc.)
Acidic (tomatoes, orange juice, etc.)
High in insoluble fiber (often produce gas and are hard to digest- broccoli, nuts, etc.).
You may be thinking, “Wait a minute. My doctor told me I should increase my fiber. How can broccoli be bad?” It’s true that you should get your daily allowance of fiber, but you need to be careful how you get it.
If you eat a big plate of steamed broccoli, you’re probably going to be running to the bathroom not much later. I personally love broccoli with cheese melted on top. If I eat more than a tiny amount of it at a time, say more than ten small florets, I almost invariably get gas and/or diarrhea.
The thing with insoluble fiber is that your body can’t digest it. It adds roughage that can help alleviate constipation, but in many people with IBS it also triggers problems such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea because it can’t be digested.
There are many foods high in insoluble fiber that are great for your body and that taste great too. The secret to enjoying these foods are: quantity and variety. You shouldn’t have more than a small portion at a time of these foods until you can tell whether or not they are going to cause a reaction in your system. Also, you shouldn’t have more than one of these types of food in a meal. If you have brussel sprouts and broccoli together in a meal you will more than likely have symptoms.
Another tip when eating these foods is to eat slowly and chew them well. If you don’t chew up the food enough that can cause more stress on your intestines as they try to process bigger, more fibrous pieces of the foods.
Many fruits that you love are probably high in insoluble fiber too, due to the skins. To reduce the chances of having symptoms with these foods you have a few choices. Peeling the fruit is an easy option. You can also use fruit in smoothies or eat them pureed. Personally, I hate slimy (pureed) foods, so I stick to peeling or smoothies. Sometimes cooking fruits in dishes can help soften them up and make them easier to digest.
Foods high in fats trigger IBS symptoms because they are harder to digest. Fat takes longer to digest as well. With an IBS system, any extra work or stress can cause symptoms, which is part of the reason fat is a trigger food.
I am a junk food nut! To enjoy my snacks without suffering later I’ve had to make some compromises. Baked chips are much less fatty than regular chips. A caution on this though: never, ever eat chips with Olean (olestra) used in them. It can cause diarrhea and “anal leakage” in people who have healthy digestive systems. Imagine what havoc it would wreak on your sensitive gut!
Getting back to junk food compromises, you’ll also want to be careful of foods with sugar alcohol (many sugar free or reduced sugar snacks have this) or artificial sweeteners. I can tolerate a little bit of sugar alcohol, but if I have very much I get diarrhea, cramping, and gas. My IBS is more constipation than diarrhea, so I think that tells us something about sugar alcohols. Usually there will be a notice on the package that consuming too much of the product can have a laxative effect.
Diet pops or other drinks (sugar free Kool-Aid, Crystal Light, etc.) contain artificial sweeteners. While these are different from sugar alcohols, they can still cause symptoms in some people. The reason that they can be problematic is that they can’t be fully broken down in the intestines. The intestines try to break them down and that can result in gas and bloating.
The key to controlling sugar substitutes is probably best handled by keeping a food log, or diary, of when you had which type of sweetener and how much. Then you can note if you had symptoms and to what degree they affected you. You may tolerate some substitute sweeteners, but not others.
Another factor that can affect this is whether or not you consume them on an empty stomach. Varying this may help decrease your symptoms.
One way to enjoy foods that are problematic is to eat them with foods that have soluble fiber. Soluble fiber forms a gel that helps move things through the intestines. It also helps absorb some fat from other foods you’ve eaten. When you have a meal you should eat something with soluble fiber first and then eat the other foods.
As I mentioned before, it is also a good idea to eat slowly and chew everything thoroughly. This not only helps make the food more easily digestible, but it also cuts down on the air you swallow as you eat, which can result in less gas.
Stimulants can also cause problems in people with IBS. Anything containing caffeine can be problematic to the sensitive gut of a person with IBS. Most drinks have a decaf version available, so you don’t necessarily have to give up tea, coffee, or pop.
Acidic foods such as orange juice and tomatoes also cause some people with IBS to have symptoms. I can sometimes drink orange juice without a problem, but other times it causes bloating and cramps. I think that it depends on what else I’ve had that day and whether or not I drink it on an empty stomach. Cutting the seeds out of tomatoes and cucumbers makes them safe for me to eat. Otherwise they cause similar symptoms to when I have orange juice.
Another note on fiber: increase your daily intake slowly. It’s too easy to get all fired up about increasing your daily amount of fiber after talking to your doctor or reading about its benefits. If you usually only eat 5-8 grams of fiber a day you shouldn’t jump up to eating the full 35 grams the next day. If you do you’ll most likely experience bloating, cramping, gas, and possibly diarrhea.
Gradually increase your fiber intake by 2-3 grams a day until you reach your target amount. Also remember not to overdo the insoluble fiber.
I remember when I tried to up my fiber dramatically. I ate a large bowl of Fiber One cereal. I believe it has nine grams of fiber per serving. I probably had at least two servings in my bowl. Not only did I eat almost my full daily recommended allowance of fiber in one meal, but I didn’t have any fluid with it other than the skim milk in the bowl! I had such a horrible time that day. I later told my doctor about it, and she just smiled, shook her head, and explained to me why I’d had such a bad reaction.
A quick note about water: Drinking plenty of water helps keep constipation under control in addition to helping you absorb fiber. It also helps keep you hydrated if you have diarrhea. The recommended amount of water for an adult is eight 8 ounce glasses a day.
The key to controlling your IBS symptoms is through monitoring your diet and symptoms. There will undoubtedly be trial and error for the first couple of weeks, but after that you should be able to predict and curb the more severe symptoms.
By knowing how to predict and preempt IBS symptoms you’ll also enjoy the benefit of feeling in control of your body again. That in itself can reduce stress, which can in turn lighten the burden of IBS symptoms.
