Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a gastrointestinal (GI) disorder affecting 11% of the population.
Common symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, and altered bowel movements (diarrhea and/or constipation).
In people with IBS, 60% report that their food choices cause unpleasant GI side effects.
To manage these side effects, growing research supports following a low FODMAP diet to manage IBS symptoms and identify trigger foods.
A large 2021 meta-analysis, including 14 studies, concluded that the low-FODMAP diet can reduce IBS severity by 66% and improve quality of life by 42% compared to a control diet.
Try this seven-day low-FODMAP IBS meal plan to help reduce your symptoms.
Microwaved old-fashioned oats with lactose-free milk (or a low-fat dairy alternative), cinnamon, blueberries, and sweetened to taste with sugar.
Grilled or baked chicken seasoned with pepper and parsley. Serve with sautéed green beans and steamed rice.
Onions and garlic are both high FODMAP and shouldn’t be used in your cooking.
However, if you love these flavors, a low FODMAP hack is to infuse them into olive oil, which can be drizzled over your dish.
You can buy a premixed bottle at the store or make your own at home.
Baked salmon seasoned with lemon juice and pepper.
Serve with roasted carrots and white potatoes seasoned with rosemary and thyme.
Lactose-free yogurt and clementine; raw bell peppers with one handful of almonds.
Gluten-free toast topped with scrambled eggs, spinach, and peppers. Serve with fresh strawberries.
Leftover cooked salmon served cold over spinach salad with olive oil.
Add cranberries, two tablespoons of walnuts, and feta cheese.
Add pre-cooked chilled rice to the salad.
Brown rice noodles with shrimp.
Seasoned with gluten-free, reduced-sodium soy sauce (or Tamari), lime juice, olive oil, and fresh ginger.
Serve with sauteed oyster mushrooms, sliced carrots, red bell peppers, and bamboo shoots.
Peanut butter (or almond butter) with small, firm banana; pineapple, and lactose-free cottage cheese.
Plain lactose-free, nonfat Greek yogurt topped with sliced almonds and blueberries.
Hot coffee with a splash of lactose-free or dairy-alternative milk.
Chicken salad made with lactose-free nonfat Greek yogurt, grapes, and celery served with gluten-free bread.
Add raspberries and a side of broccoli.
Lean (92% lean) ground beef skillet hash made with tomatoes, ½ small sweet potato, red bell peppers, and garlic-infused oil.
Sautéed green beans with black pepper and olive oil as a side dish.
Trail mix made with Brazil nuts, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds (limit to one handful); lactose-free nonfat yogurt and kiwi.
Smoothie made with lactose-free milk or a dairy alternative like almond milk.
Add a small, firm banana, two tablespoons of peanut or almond butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, and ground flax seed.
Quinoa salad made from pre-cooked and cooled quinoa.
Add chopped cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, feta cheese, and olives.
Make a dressing with olive oil, lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper. Add cooked chicken for additional protein.
Lean (92% lean) ground beef tacos seasoned with garlic-infused oil, tomato paste, cumin, and paprika.
Serve on corn tortillas with shredded cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, and romaine lettuce.
Carrot and cucumber slices with lactose-free cottage cheese; unsalted nuts, and grapes.
Egg scramble made with sautéed spinach.
Serve with oranges and gluten-free toast with one tablespoon of peanut or almond butter.
Leftover beef taco meat and toppings served over white rice with corn tortillas crumbled on top for a taco bowl.
Serve with blueberries and raspberries.
Slow cooker chicken soup made with chicken breast, chopped carrots, and spaghetti squash.
Season with garlic-infused oil, rosemary, bay leaves, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and parsley.
Serve with toasted gluten-free rolls or bread.
Pecans and unsweetened lactose-free nonfat yogurt; hard-boiled egg and cantaloupe.
Low FODMAP energy bites pre-made with gluten-free old-fashioned oats, chia seeds, peanut butter, unsweetened cocoa powder, pure maple syrup, and a sprinkling of mini dark chocolate chips.
Pair with your choice of fruit (small firm banana or blueberries).
Grown-up charcuterie plate: olives, mozzarella cheese, gluten-free crackers, boiled egg, a handful of almonds or walnuts, raspberries, grapes, carrots, and raw broccoli.
Rice or corn-based gluten-free pasta topped with sauteed spinach, oyster mushrooms, lactose-free cream cheese, and baked salmon.
Seasoned with lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and parsley.
One handful of macadamia nuts and strawberries; Colby cheese and gluten-free toast.
Microwaved old-fashioned oats with lactose-free milk (or dairy alternative), ground flax seed, chopped walnuts, and raspberries.
Tuna sandwich on gluten-free bread with tomato slices, lettuce, Swiss cheese, and mustard or mayonnaise.
Serve with grapes and baby carrots.
Baked pork chops served with brown rice, cooked collard greens, and carrots.
Strawberries and lactose-free nonfat Greek yogurt; one or two pre-made low-FODMAP energy bites.
To begin, FODMAP is an acronym for foods that often worsen IBS symptoms. FODMAP stands for:
Intake of high-FODMAP foods can trigger IBS symptoms of gas, bloating, pain, and bowel movement irregularity.
As you start a low-FODMAP diet, you’ll remove all high-FODMAP foods.
If IBS symptoms improve, you’ll reintroduce specific groups of moderate or high FODMAP foods to determine the exact triggers.
Once those are identified they’ll be eliminated.
The low FODMAP diet is meant to be used temporarily (four to six weeks) to develop a customized long-term diet that improves IBS symptoms.
They can help you follow the restrictive low-FODMAP diet safely and successfully and determine a long-term eating plan to get IBS symptom relief.
Below are five tips to keep in mind while following an IBS meal plan.
Following an IBS meal plan, such as the low-FODMAP one, is restrictive.
Most people need expert support to understand which foods to avoid and include and the timeline for how and when to reintroduce high-FODMAP foods.
Dietitians understand how other medical conditions can impact your health as well.
The goal of the low-FODMAP diet is to maintain a reduced, cumulative FODMAP intake each day.
Sometimes, you can eat a small amount of FODMAP-containing food if you consume little to no other foods with FODMAPs. Exceeding portion sizes can trigger IBS symptoms.
It’s easy to accidentally consume high-FODMAP foods or ingredients.
Common culprits when eating out are onions and garlic.
By preparing more meals at home you’ll have full control over the ingredients, which can reduce the chances of unintentionally eating a high-FODMAP food.
Keep track of your food and portion sizes on paper or a smartphone.
Note any IBS symptoms (or improvement).
This will help you problem-solve any reactions.
You can easily share the food diary with a registered dietitian to help understand if you're eating low-FODMAP and identify any gaps in your nutrition intake.
Monash University, the world’s foremost authority on FODMAPs, provides a comprehensive app that includes recipes and a detailed database sharing the FODMAP content of most foods.
Stool irregularity is a common symptom of IBS. There are three IBS subtypes:
The treatment goal for IBS-C is to increase bowel frequency, while the goal for IBS-D is to reduce excessive stools.
Finally, the goal for IBS-M is to find a middle ground of consistent bowel patterns.
Based on the large meta-analysis shared at the beginning, researchers have found that the low-FODMAP diet improves all IBS subtypes.
Regardless of stool regularity, patients reported improvement after following the low-FODMAP diet.
Improvement was more notable in the IBS-D group compared to the IBS-C and IBS-M groups.
The low-FODMAP diet is often considered the first-line treatment for any subtype of IBS due to its great success and relief of symptoms.
Working with a dietitian can help further customize your diet to address constipation, diarrhea, or mixed stool pattern subtypes.
Working on specific amounts of fiber (insoluble and soluble) can further improve stool regularity.
Have IBS symptoms? Take the IBS quiz understand whether or not you have IBS.
This 7-day IBS meal plan is a great first step in reducing your IBS symptoms.
The meals avoid high-FODMAP foods while emphasizing fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats for a balanced and filling diet.
Meeting with an IBS registered dietitian for individualized care can help you manage IBS.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your healthcare journey, you can find a dietitian who accepts insurance through Nourish.