Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is an uncomfortable disorder manifested by dramatic changes in bowel movements. IBS is a common condition that affects the digestive system. Few experience diarrhea, while some suffer from constipation. Cramps and abdominal pain can make symptoms worse. Here is an Indian diet plan for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
There’s no particular diet or medicine that works for everyone with IBS. But there are lots of other things that can help if you’ve been diagnosed with it.
Different modifications may help different people with IBS. You may need to change what you eat for a few weeks and see if they impact your symptoms. Get guidance from a professional dietician for an appropriate diet that suits your gut. Or you can follow our Indian diet plan for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Causes of IBS:
The exact cause is unknown. However, it’s linked with the speed of food passing through your gut either too fast or too slow. It can also be oversensitive intestinal nerves, stress as well as a family history of IBS.
Common Symptoms of IBS:
- Stomach pain or cramps worsens post meals and relieves after passing stools.
- Bloating where your stomach feels full and swollen.
- Diarrhea leading to uncontrolled watery stools.
- Constipation where it becomes hard to evacuate stools.
- Tiredness and a lack of energy.
- Nausea feeling of vomiting.
- Incontinence in excretion and urinating.
Indian Diet Plan for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Before we move on to see the actual Indian diet plan for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), let us first see, how to relieve the IBS symptoms with a slight modification in diet?
How to ease bloating and cramps in IBS?
- Eat soluble fiber containing oats, Barley (Jau), stewed Apple, and pear regularly.
- Avoid cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts.
- Avoid products that contain a sweetener called sorbitol.
- Eat small meals.
- And avoid heavy fatty foods.
How to reduce diarrhea in IBS?
When you have a leaky gut in IBS, it is best to avoid too much roughage.
- Cut down on high insoluble fiber foods like whole-grain foods, nuts, and seeds.
- Avoid products containing sorbitol. Sorbitol is a sweetener used in sugarless gums.
- Avoid sweet foods.
- Prefer cooked food over uncooked food.
- Avoid eating outside as much as possible.
How to relieve constipation in IBS?
- Drink ample water to help make your stools softer.
- Increase soluble fiber intake. Also include oats, pulses, carrots, peeled potatoes, and linseed in your diet.
- You can use psyllium husk to relieve constipation at regular intervals. Read – Isabgol benefits.
- Regular exercise keeps the gut healthy.
Diet for IBS
The sensitive guts of people with IBS may react to certain foods. For eg – Certain fruits and vegetables, excess sugars, excess fats, refined cereals as well as dairy products. Hot spice and coffee are restricted too. So what to eat? Let us check the list of foods allowed to a person suffering from IBS.
Everybody can tolerate modest amounts of all the foods on the restricted list. Adjustments can be made as a result of experience after the intake of those foods.
List of Allowed foods in IBS :
- Cereals like oats, daliya, quinoa, rice, and rice flakes.
- Vegetables – ridge gourd, Bottle gourd, potato, and sweet potato.
- Fruits – Choose based on diarrhea and constipation.
- Milk – Soy milk and almond milk.
- Meat and fish.
See the details of the List of allowed foods in IBS –
Cereals with high Soluble fiber :
Oats, daliya, and quinoa should be included in the diet. Also include easy digesting carbohydrates like rice, rice flakes, and potato. These easily pass in the intestines without causing any irritation to the lining. It relieves constipation and also reduces diarrhea episodes.
Colorful vegetables:
Though vegetables are high in insoluble fiber, there are vegetables that are gut-friendly. All gourd vegetables are easy to digest and provide adequate vitamins and minerals lost during diarrhea. Thoroughly cook the vegetables before eating. Avoid raw vegetables or salad as it may lead to intestinal lining irritation.
Fruits:
You can include almost all fruits when you are not experiencing an episode of diarrhea or constipation. Make sure that you wash the fruit before consuming it. Fruits also provide additional vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
Milk and products:
Restrict milk with severe diarrhea. However, curd or buttermilk is well tolerated by an individual with IBS. Paneer also helps to provide nutrition during diarrhea episodes. With milk restriction, you can switch to soy milk (if it doesn’t worsen the symptoms) or any plant-based milk extract.
Meat, fish, and poultry:
If you have severe abdominal discomfort and symptoms, then it is best to avoid high-fat meat. Fish in limited quantity is acceptable. Eggs also serve as a good source of proteins at such times.
Water:
With intestinal symptoms, we stress more on lost vitamins and minerals. But there is also a major loss of water during diarrhea. Keep the body well hydrated. Consume a minimum of 2 – 3 liters or even more water. Water also relieves constipation and softens stools. It also reduces discomfort during defecation.
List of foods to avoid in IBS :
- Restrict onions and pulses like peas, lentils, and beans. This may cause flatulence.
- Reduce your intake of milk in case of diarrhea. Use lactose-free milk or supplement with calcium-enriched plant milk.
- Reduce high-fat dairy foods and fatty meat.
- Avoid hot spicy food and caffeinated drinks. It aggravates the symptoms of IBS. It stimulates the colonic spasm.
- Avoid Fizzy carbonated drinks can tend to cause bloating.
- Restrict alcohol as irritates the gut and may cause diarrhea.
- Avoid Sorbitol-containing foods. Sugar-free mints, chewing gum, flavored water, and other low-calorie products may contain sorbitol, mannitol, or xylitol. These can cause diarrhea if excess quantity is consumed.
Read –
Indian Diet Plan for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS):
Here is a 1-day sample Indian Diet Plan for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Sample Diet Plan:
Empty stomach: 1 glass aniseed water or barley water
Breakfast: 1 bowl Oats Porridge with 2 dates
OR 1 bowl sot cooked daliya with potato.
Mid-morning: 1 bowl boiled moong dal ( with salt and lemon) OR Freshly made homemade paneer (chenna).
Lunch: Curd Rice 1 cup+
Vegetable soup 1 cup +
½ cup mashed potato (for diarrhea) OR
½ cup boiled beetroot and carrot (for constipation) +
curd 1 cup
Mid-afternoon: 1 glass buttermilk
Snack: 1 fruit (Papaya/ banana/ Orange/ Apple) +
1 cup curd OR 2 boiled eggs
Dinner: Pumpkin soup 1 cup OR
Bone Broth 1 cup
vegetable khichdi 1 cup +
curd 1 cup OR 1 glass buttermilk
Bedtime: 1 cup milk + psyllium husk 1 tsp(for constipation) OR
1 glass buttermilk + psyllium husk 1 tsp (for diarrhea)
Read –
Indian diet plan for Ulcerative Colitis
Weight gain diet plan for IBS and Ulcerative colitis
EndNote:
Always keep track of your symptoms and modify your lifestyle accordingly. Be aware of how your body reacts to certain diets. Then, select the appropriate food for your body. National Institutes of Health says along with diet and drinking plenty of water are important. They also suggest that exercising regularly and decreasing caffeine resolves IBS symptoms. Hope this Indian Diet Plan for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) be of help to you.
Dont forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel for health and fitness-related videos that will guide you in all health conditions. Subscribe Now.
Thank you very much for good information Iam suffering from IBS now I follow low food map diet can you reply my diet is ok
I have breakfast rice flakes murmura
And take 1glass butter milk
Afternoon take chapti and sabji
Dinner take khichdi and daliya
And drink 1-2 liters water
in low fodmap you need to avoid gluten . to get better results. replace gluten foods.
Hey mam which dal is suited in lowfodmap …coz in my house mostly in dinner dal is prepared
mung dal yellow
Hi,
Please confirm if the following can be eaten as part of low fodmap for IBS
1) Toor dal
2) Buttermilk
3) Poha
4) Dates, Raisins, Pumpkin seeds, Figs
5) Masala Tea
6) Chappati made of Multigrain atta like pillsbury
7) Manna healthmix
replied
Thank you so much for the informative article.
For IBS ,can I have tomatoes (As in rasam/soup) and egg ?
Is idly good for IBS?
Thanks
tomatoes are sometimes not digested well .. so you wil have to check on personal level. also if you follow low fodmap on ibs idliy must be avoided.
Thank you so much for the informative article.
Can I have tomatoes (As in rasam/soup) and egg ?
Thanks so much , I am suffering from IBS .
Need your guidance and personal call if possible for an hour (I will pay pay your fee).
Based on what I eat please help me out with what to eat and what to avoid.
I am staying without family and in so much of gut pain need your help.
Thanks
Sree
Hi Srikanth,
Thank you for reaching out. we have an “Email Only “service. You can check out here – https://www.dietburrp.com/diet-services/
Thank you for the useful information please share more on daals &vegetable please &some snacks i have gluten intolerance and milk products i can’t have it at all cbut i like paneer sometimes i can digest homemade shenna (paneer minced) please help me to choose more ideas
https://www.dietburrp.com/?s=gluten+free for gluten free choices and https://www.dietburrp.com/indian-weight-gain-diet-plan-for-lactose-intolerance/ for lactose
Can we eat ragi ki Roti in IBS? Is that low FODMAP?
Hi Neha , yes ragi is low fodmap. you can use its flour.
Very Informative…..Thank you
🙂 Thanks fr your kind words
Very good article
Very good article but please tell weight increasing diet or high protein diet in gastroenterologist deseases . Please upload it on Google
Wow thats true…i like your way of writing the article….thankyou for sharing your knowledge with us.