What diet works for best for people with IBS?
What are IBS Diets like?
There are several diets common tried for people with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. As well as elimination diets, these have been studied:
- A low FODMAP diet excludes fermentable carbohydrates and restricts wheat, beans & pulses, garlic, onions, stone fruits such as nectarines, apples, cows milk and others
- A gluten free diet cuts out all gluten containing foods such as wheat, spelt, barley, rye and others
- A Mediterranean diet is based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, nuts, seeds, a moderate intake of of cheese and eggs, and small amount of meat
Results of the IBS Diet Trials
In this particular study each of these diets provided some benefit to the participants in terms of
- quality of life,
- stool type,
- pain and
- bloating.
- Only 3% liked the low FODMAP diet. Some people find this diet very tricky to manage, it is such a restrictive diet. The low FODMAP trial did give people with IBS-D (people more prone to diarrhoea) an improvement in their bowel movements. This is probably because it removes fermentable carbs from the diet, which can reduce bloating and gas, and excessive water in the small intestine.
- About 11% of participants enjoyed the gluten-free diet. In addition, they saw limited change in their bowel movements but did see improvement in pain, bloating and quality of life.
- The diet enjoyed the most was the balanced diet, the Mediterranean diet. The most people (86%) of people enjoyed this way of eating which includes lots of fresh vegetables, fruits, healthy fats from oils, nuts, avocados, oily fish and a small amount of meat.
The best diet for IBS is what works for you
IBS Nutritionist
Hi, I'm Anna Mapson, registered Nutritional Therapist.
I help people with IBS and SIBO get control of unpredictable gut symptoms to find long term relief from painful and embarrassing IBS without restrictive dieting.
I can help you to:
- understand your digestion better, so you recognise your triggers
- eat a well balanced diet, with tasty meals that are simple to prepare
- reintroduce your trigger foods so you can get back to enjoying food again
Find more about my 3 month 1:1 Gut Reset programme.
Your IBS diet change – how to compromise
We all want to get what we want, right? And sometimes we have to make some changes and compromises to get there… The question is, how much compromise are you willing to make in your IBS diet in order to get relief from your digestive symptoms? I’m Anna Mapson, a...
Is coffee bad for IBS?
Do you love a morning coffee? Most people do, but is coffee bad for IBS? And the impact it has on our gut. I’m Anna Mapson, a registered nutritional therapist and I help people who’ve got IBS to navigate all the information out there and find a good diet that works...
Best and worst exercise for IBS sufferers
Fancy A Bit Of Avocardio? Getting regular exercise for IBS is one of the best ways to manage your symptoms. But not all exercises are going to benefit your gut... IBS symptoms can make exercise more challenging, so I’ve outlined the best and worst exercises for IBS to...
I have ibsc , gastritis , diverticulosis, hatial hernia , maybe still h pylori, and said possible sibo. I also have splenic flexture. So hard to know what to eat.
Hi Melanie, that sounds like you’re dealing with quite a lot and some 1:1 advice would be best, would you like to arrange a time to speak to me about the Gut Reset and working with me 1:1 on your issues? Please contact me https://www.goodnessme-nutrition.com/contact/ to arrange a time to talk through what you’re looking for, Anna 🙂
I can’t get a diagnosis due to living abroad but after this last episode nearly wrote me off pain wise I am determined to stay bloat free and stop the pain of ibs? Contractions from returning. I really need help with my diet and would welcome an email going fwd x
Hi Claire, I’ve sent you an email or you can set up a free call with me to discuss what is needed – this can be booked here: https://calendly.com/annamapson/30min