Healthy Eating Guidelines
For People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that affects your
gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). The symptoms of IBS may include:

abdominal pain

bloating

cramping

constipation

diarrhea
These symptoms may come and go over time and are different for each
person. Treatment for IBS is aimed at reducing your symptoms.
General Advice for Managing IBS Symptoms

Use "Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide"
www.healthcanada.gc.ca/foodguide to plan healthy and well
balanced meals by including food from all 4 food groups.
.

Try to eat at regular times each day.

Give yourself enough time to eat your meals slowly.

Drink plenty of fluids, especially if you have constipation or
diarrhea. Fluids include water and other beverages such as milk,
juice, coffee and tea. On average, the amount of fluid you need
is:
»
2250 mL (9 cups) each day for women
»
3000 mL (12 cups) each day for men
Try keeping a food and symptom diary, ideally for seven days.
»
If it becomes clear a specific food causes you discomfort, try
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taking it out of your diet for a few weeks to see if this helps.
»
Some foods that may cause IBS symptoms include:

fatty foods,

MSG (monosodium glutamate),

»
»
»
gas-producing foods, such as beans, broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, cabbage, wheat, red meats, eggs,
alcohol, and caffeine.
If your symptoms don’t improve, add the food back into your
diet.
Continue to include a variety of foods in your diet. It is
important to get the nutrients you need.
Talk with a registered dietitian if you are avoiding many
foods.
Suggestions to Manage Symptoms of Pain, Bloating and Gas

Try reducing the amount of air you swallow as this can cause gas.
Some tips to reduce the amount of air you swallow are:
»
Chew your food well
»
Avoid chewing gum
»
Do not drink carbonated beverages such as soft drinks
»
Avoid sipping hot drinks
»
Ensure your dentures fit well
Probiotics may help reduce symptoms by adding healthy bacteria
to your GI tract. See the “Probiotics and IBS” section below for
more information.
Try taking gas reducing products such as Beano® or Digesta®, to
help you digest gas-producing foods. Rinsing beans with a lot of
water before you eat them also helps.
Limit sugar alcohols such as mannitol, xylitol and sorbitol. These
are found in some low-calorie candies, diet products and
sweeteners, also known as sugar substitutes.
Some people find that foods high in fructose cause gas. Try
© 2007 Province
of Literature
British Columbia.
English
Title All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged.
© 2010 Dietitians of Canada. All rights reserved.

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not meant to in
replace
advice provided
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acknowledged.
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This
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limiting soft drinks, fruit drinks and fruit juice. Eat fruit instead.

If you drink large amounts of fluids with meals and this worsens
your symptoms, try to drink most of your fluids between meals.
Ask your health care provider about trying peppermint oil.
Peppermint oil may improve symptoms of pain for people with IBS.
Suggestions to Manage Symptoms of Diarrhea

Drink plenty of fluids to replace the fluid lost with diarrhea.
Try increasing the amount of soluble fibre in your diet. This type
of fibre helps food stay in the GI tract longer by mixing with water
and forming a gel.
»
»

Soluble fibre is found in oats, oat bran, barley, dried beans,
peas, lentils, and psyllium.
Try decreasing the amount of insoluble fibre in your diet. Foods
high in insoluble fibre may make diarrhea worse.
»

Gradually increase the amount of soluble fibre you eat.
Insoluble fibre is found in wheat bran, bran cereals and whole
grain products such as whole wheat bread and pasta, and
brown rice.
Avoid or limit caffeine and alcohol. They can stimulate and irritate
your GI tract which may make diarrhea worse. Health Canada
suggests less than 750 mL (3 - 8oz cups) of coffee each day.
Try cooked vegetables and fruit instead of eating them raw. Some
people with IBS find they tolerate vegetables and fruits better
when they are cooked.
Suggestions to Manage Symptoms of Constipation

Drink plenty of fluids.

Try increasing the amount of fibre in your diet gradually.
»
»
Choose foods high in soluble fibre. Including soluble fibre in
your diet may help to manage constipation.
Soluble fibre is found in oats, oat bran, barley, rye, psyllium,
lentils and dried beans.
© 2007 Province
of Literature
British Columbia.
English
Title All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged.
© 2010 Dietitians of Canada. All rights reserved.

May be
its entirety
source doctor
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This information
is reproduced
not meant to in
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advice provided
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acknowledged.
or individual
counseling with a registered dietitian. It is intended for
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This
not meant
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medical doctor or individual counseling with a registered
dietitian. It is intended for educational and informational
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Updated: May 10, 2010 I PAGE 1
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Probiotics and IBS
Probiotics are friendly, live microorganisms that can provide a health
benefit. Many types or strains of probiotics have shown benefits in
improving IBS symptoms. It is not yet known what the best dosage is,
duration and the most effective strains of probiotics to help with IBS
symptoms.
The following are examples of probiotic strains you can try which may
improve your symptoms of IBS:

Bifidobacterium infantis 35624 (Align®)

Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains (GG and Lc705)

(VSL#3®) a blend of 8 strains of probiotics
Talk with your doctor about which type and how much probiotic to take.
Other Things to Consider

Lactose intolerance is when your body cannot digest lactose.
Lactose is a sugar found in milk and milk products such as yogourt
and cheese. It can cause symptoms of loose stools, bloating,
abdominal pain and gas. While it is not more common in people
with IBS than in the general population you may want to talk to
your doctor if you think you have this condition.
If you have a family history of celiac disease, or you have diarrhea
often, talk to your doctor about getting tested for celiac disease.
Symptoms of celiac disease can be similar to those of IBS.
Other Lifestyle Steps to Help Manage IBS

Reduce stress. If you have trouble managing the stress in your
life, ask your doctor for help.

Exercise regularly.

Get enough sleep.

Stop smoking. The nicotine in tobacco may make symptoms worse
by stimulating the bowel.
© 2007 Province
of Literature
British Columbia.
English
Title All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged.
© 2010 Dietitians of Canada. All rights reserved.

May be
its entirety
source doctor
is
This information
is reproduced
not meant to in
replace
advice provided
from your medical
acknowledged.
or individual
counseling with a registered dietitian. It is intended for
educational
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informationalispurposes
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This
not meant
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medical doctor or individual counseling with a registered
dietitian. It is intended for educational and informational
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Updated: May 10, 2010 I PAGE 1
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Updated: 2013-12-24 | PAGE
HealthLinkBC www.HealthLinkBC.ca Medically approved non-emergency
health information and advice.
.
HealthLinkBC File #68h Fibre and Your Health
www.HealthLinkBC.ca/healthfiles/hfile68h.stm
.
Dietitian Services Fact Sheets available by mail (call 8-1-1) or at
http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthyliving/healthyeating/
.
Managing Lactose Intolerance (Package, available by mail only)
Canadian Society of Intestinal Research http://www.badgut.org
.
Health Canada’s "Caffeine in Food" http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fnan/securit/addit/caf/food-caf-aliments-eng.php
.
These resources are provided as sources of additional information believed to be reliable and accurate
at the time of publication and should not be considered an endorsement of any information, service,
product or company.
Distributed by:
© 2007 Province
of Literature
British Columbia.
English
Title All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged.
© 2010 Dietitians of Canada. All rights reserved.

May be
its entirety
source doctor
is
This information
is reproduced
not meant to in
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or individual
counseling with a registered dietitian. It is intended for
educational
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informationalispurposes
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This
not meant
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medical doctor or individual counseling with a registered
dietitian. It is intended for educational and informational
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Updated: May 10, 2010 I PAGE 1
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Updated: 2013-12-24 | PAGE
Dietitian Services at HealthLinkBC (formerly Dial-A-Dietitian),
providing free nutrition information and resources for BC residents
and health professionals. Go to www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthyeating
or call 8-1-1 (anywhere in BC). Interpreters are available in over 130
languages.
.
© 2007 Province
of Literature
British Columbia.
English
Title All rights reserved.
May be reproduced in its entirety provided source is acknowledged.
© 2010 Dietitians of Canada. All rights reserved.

May be
its entirety
source doctor
is
This information
is reproduced
not meant to in
replace
advice provided
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acknowledged.
or individual
counseling with a registered dietitian. It is intended for
educational
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informationalispurposes
only.
This
not meant
to replace advice from your
medical doctor or individual counseling with a registered
dietitian. It is intended for educational and informational
purposes only.
Updated: May 10, 2010 I PAGE 1
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Updated: 2013-12-24 | PAGE