What IBS Folks Can Eat in 2023
Now, in this new year of 2023, would you like to know what kind of diet to follow to avoid those foods that trigger those agonizing IBS attacks that we IBS folk know so well? Until the medical community comes up with safe and effective meds that stop IBS in its tracks, controlling the food we eat seems to me to be the best option.
I have tooled around so-called IBS websites to check out their recipes and I am horrified at the ingredients they often include. No wonder so many IBS folks are crying on IBS support groups because they cannot control their IBS. So few websites tell the complete story about what foods to avoid and what foods to eat.
Why listen to me since I am not a medical professional, a doctor or nurse? Because I am a researcher about this affliction and I have come to know a lot about the foods that are safe and the ones that are not.
Yes, I thank God for Monash University and their research breakthrough about FODMAPS. Their App is so helpful, giving us lists of foods that contain fodmaps and giving us the safe amount of that food, if any, that we CAN eat. So helpful.
BUT, that same App says nothing about the dangers of insoluble fiber and will often say a low fodmap food is safe to eat when it contains so much insoluble fiber that it can send you to the loo for a week.
How to avoid such a situation? Get yourself a list of insoluble and soluble vegetables. Heather Van Vorous’s website, helpforibs.com lets you down load a list for free. (I love her book “Eating for IBS” for it’s helpful description of causes of IBS and methods to lessen its power over us. Unfortunately, the information needs updating and I don’t know if Heather plans to update it. I go to the mayo clinic website for more up to date info. However, even they often give bad food advice.
For now, here are Ten foods IBS folk can eat that are safe most of the time.
- Plain boiled rice. (I add a little vegan butter and grated parmesan cheese because I can tolerate it. Aged cheese is often tolerable because the lactose has aged out of it. I also often make Chinese porridge(Congee) when my IBS is acting up.
- White sour dough bread (Sour dough kills the fodmap fructan in wheat. I buy a sour dough baguette at Stop and Shop’s bakery. Sometimes I can eat Pepperidge Farm white bread (original) or Paramount Italian round loaf at ShopRite without repercussions. I stay away from whole wheat, 7 grain or anything loaded up with insoluble fibers and grains.)
- Eggs (some people cannot tolerate egg yolks}, but otherwise, eggs are safe and very versatile. I love making frittatas, soft scrambled eggs, fried eggs, etc.
- Chicken breast (dark meat is fattier and therefore harder on the IBS tummy. You don’t have to give up chicken cutlet. Just sauté in a non stick pan and don’t deep fry anything.
- Carrots ( a soluble fiber veggie that is safe to eat and delicious in soup, stews or salads.
- Zucchini (A soluble fiber vegetable that is safe to eat. I do scrape out the seeds and peel off the skin before I use it.)
- Radish (Another soluble fiber food that tastes delicious in salads and sandwiches for bite and crunch.
- Pasta (There are many gluten free pastas for those sensitive to fructan in wheat. Avoid those made with beans or chickpea which is hard on the IBS tummy. I like those made with rice and corn flours.)
- Tomato Sauce (Sauté the garlic in olive oil and remove it, add chopped scallion stems for onion flavor and sauté a bit in the oil. Then add a small can of tomato puree,1/2 can of water. Whirl in a blender a can (28 oz.) of imported Italian tomatoes in juice that don’t contain added garlic, oregano. and add. Then, add chopped fresh basil , salt and pepper and cook for an hour.)
- Gluten Free Angel Food Cake (You can use a mix or make your own. Angel food is low in fat and totally safe when you use gluten free flour. See King Arthur’s website for a recipe.
For more safe foods and recipes, go to my website, ibskitchn.com.
