Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common and chronic condition known for causing abdominal pain, bowel changes, gas, and bloating. IBS can disrupt an individual’s routine life, as there is no permanent cure for the condition. This isn’t a positive attribute, and self-care becomes extremely important in such cases. One easy way of looking out for oneself is for IBS patients to be aware of foods to avoid for managing the symptoms. Here are a few of these foods:

Alcoholic beverages
Alcohol and alcoholic beverages are abundant sources of sugar and gluten, and both of these components are known dehydrators. As a result, alcohol can trigger IBS symptoms. Alcohol consumption can cause irritation in the gut and affect the functioning of the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract. When planning to stay away from trigger foods and beverages, alcohol is one of the first foods to avoid for soothing IBS symptoms.

Dairy and dairy products
A significant part of the population is known to be lactose intolerant. Lactose is a type of sugar found in milk and various other dairy products. After reaching a certain age, the human body cannot digest this sugar and reacts negatively to it. This reaction triggers the production of gas in the digestive tract and can cause flatulence, bloating, and diarrhea. Lactose is also known to trigger IBS, making dairy products one of the foods to avoid for IBS patients, or they should be consumed with caution.

Coffee
People addicted to their cup of Joe find it difficult to admit that their source of pleasure is also a source of trouble. Coffee and other caffeinated drinks can lead to the manifestation or onset of symptoms associated with IBS. To prevent bowel troubles, it is advised that the morning cup of coffee be moved to the “foods to avoid for managing IBS” category. If this seems like a problematic permanent change, coffee-addicts can try it temporarily and then moderately reintroduce coffee into their routine to see how their body handles it.

Beans and legumes
Beans and lentils are considered healthy for people with several health conditions, but they are known irritants when it comes to gut health. For people living with IBS, oligosaccharides, which are a type of carbohydrates, do not flow well in the digestive tract, causing gas formation that can lead to discomfort and bloating. Safe to say, if one does not have the time to pre-soak their lentils for a few hours before cooking, they should move beans and lentils over to the “foods to avoid for managing IBS” side.

Insoluble fiber
It’s healthy to include a considerable amount of fiber in the daily diet. We’ve always been told to bulk up on the salads and fruits, haven’t we? But little did we realize that piling up our plates with salads also meant piling our already inflamed gut with insoluble fibers. While fiber is healthy, the insoluble variety also triggers IBS. So, it is necessary to include soluble fibers in the diet and remember that foods with insoluble fiber are to be avoided by IBS patients.