In the diet for irritable bowel syndrome stimulant foods like coffee, chocolate or black tea, for example, should be avoided. In addition, fatty or heavily sugary foods, as well as alcoholic beverages and condiments should also not be ingested as they increase irritation of the intestine, leading to the onset or aggravation of the symptoms of the problem, such as diarrhea or abdominal pain.
It is also important to avoid foods that are difficult to digest or increase the amount of intestinal gas, such as fatty meats, soy, barley, chickpeas or Brussels sprouts. See the full list of forbidden foods, also called FODMAPS, to test which ones cause the seizures.
What you can eat
In irritable bowel syndrome it is important to eat several meals of small amount throughout the day, preventing the bowel from having a large activity at one go. In addition, some foods that help calm the bowel and prevent seizures are:
- Soothing teas like chamomile, linden or lemon balm;
- Fruits such as papaya, melon, lemon, orange, avocado, plum or grape;
- White or orange vegetables such as cabbage, chuchu, carrot, pumpkin, zucchini, cucumber or lettuce;
- White meats such as chicken or turkey;
- Fish of any kind, but not fried;
- Probiotic foods like yogurt or kefir.
Although food changes help prevent the onset of seizures, they do not help relieve symptoms during irritable bowel attacks, so the gastroenterologist may recommend the use of some medications, such as anti-spasmodic or anti-diarrheal. See which remedies are most used in treating this problem.
Example of a 3-day menu
The following table shows the example of a 3-day menu to control Irritable Bowel Syndrome:
| Meal | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Breakfast | 1 glass of almond milk + potato bread with egg and cured cheese | Orange juice + omelet with 2 eggs, shredded chicken and oregano | 1 glass of milk without lactose + oatmeal + 1 egg + 1 slice of cheese |
| Collation | 1 banana + 10 cashew nuts | 1 natural yogurt with honey | 1 glass of green juice with orange and cabbage |
| Lunch dinner | pumpkin puree + grilled meat with olive oil + raw salad | hiding ground beef and pasta + vegetables sautéed in olive oil | grilled fish in the oven with vegetables + boiled potatoes + green salad |
| Afternoon snack | Pineapple juice + 1 tapioca with grated coconut | Avocado vitamin with oat milk | 1 natural yogurt + 5 oatmeal cookies |
During the day you should drink 2 liters of water or soothing teas, but without adding sugar. To learn more about foods that may or may not eat in Irritable Bowel Syndrome, watch this video:
If you think you may have this problem, before you change your diet, check out the most common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome.
