Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is a common digestive disorder wherein the muscle contractions that move food through the intestine become irregular and uncoordinated. This disrupts the usual flow of food and waste material, leading to symptoms like abdominal pain, bloating, mucus in stool, constipation, and alternating diarrhea.

When suffering from IBS, it is advised that you include high-fiber foods in your diet as these regulate proper bowel movement. Apart from that, a low FODMAP (Fermentable Oligo Di Mono-saccharides And Polyols) diet is recommended. FODMAP food ferments in the gut and leads to aggravated IBS symptoms. If you know your triggers, managing your diet is easy and you can enjoy a fantastic meal without worrying about how your digestive system will react!

Some safe foods that you can consume to avoid triggering IBS are as follows:

Papaya
Papayas are a part of the low FODMAP list and hence make for a healthy snack! It contains an enzyme called papain which breaks down protein easily and makes it easy to digest. A study suggests that people who consumed a papaya-based formula for 40 days experienced improved bowel movement and less bloating.

Beetroot
Beetroot is known to have a positive effect on your bowel system. Two medium-sized raw beets contain about 4.6 grams of dietary fiber which helps in keeping your bowel movements regular.

Oats
Oats have soluble fiber which basically adds bulk to your stool. They are known to be naturally low-FODMAP, and it is best if you buy them plain, and mix it with other ingredients low in FODMAP. Unflavored oats are the best as you know there aren’t any additional ingredients in it.

Fruits
Fruits naturally contain sugar fructose, which can cause some problems with IBS. Avoiding fruits completely should not be the call here, instead, look for fruits that have low sucrose content. You can try eating bananas, blueberries, cranberries, grapes, oranges, kiwi, strawberries. Fruits like apples and pears have high fructose, so try to avoid those.

Vegetables
Vegetables, in general, are good for your bowel movement, as they have good fiber content. Although, remember to avoid cruciferous vegetables, as they may trigger IBS symptoms further. Safe veggies would be green beans, eggplant, sweet potato, carrots, spinach. You can easily whip up your recipes that include these safe foods if you’re not fond of what’s out there already. Roasted vegetables are also a great option and you can add certain herbs that keep your taste buds satisfied.

Baked Potato Chips
Eating healthy meals regularly is important to keep your IBS in check, and hence you should also look for healthy snacks to introduce to your diet. Fruits can get boring after some time, but there are always baked chips! Baked potato chips are loved by everyone, and you can even experiment by baking other veggies like kale, carrots, and zucchini.

Plant-based milk
All dairy products contain lactose, so you must keep a check on their consumption. You can instead give lactose-free milk or plant-based milk a try. Most of us can handle small amounts of lactose, but if consumed more than what your intestine can handle, this lactose can lead to the formation of gas and abdominal pain. If you are lactose intolerant, then only stick to plant-based milk.

IBA and the diet it requires changes from person to person, so what may work for you, may not work for someone else or vice versa. Consult your doctor to best understand your diet, and take necessary steps to keep your IBS under control.