For those with IBS I recommend you consider the following when working out your meal plan:

• Starchy foods:
  Avoid – white bread, granary bread or any bread containing grains and seeds; cornflakes, Rice Krispies, cereals containing nuts and dried fruit, e.g. muesli; biscuits/cakes containing nuts, dried fruit; chips/French fries, crisps/potato chips, cold/reheated potatoes
  Include – wholemeal, brown or wheatmeal bread; high fibre breakfast cereals, e.g. branflakes, Weetabix, Shreddies, porridge; all plain biscuits, plain cakes and scones; pasta, rice – preferably wholewheat/brown varieties; potatoes – baked, mashed, boiled, etc
• Dairy products
  Avoid – cream; full cream milk; yoghurt/fromage frais containing seeds or nuts
  Include – skimmed or semi skimmed milk; cheeses preferably low- fat or cottage cheese, quark; smooth yoghurts/fromage frais
• Fruit
  Avoid – fruit containing pips or seeds, e.g. raspberries, blackcurrants, etc; tough fruit skins; nuts, seeds, dried fruit
  Include – fruit juice, peeled fresh fruit, tinned and stewed fruit
• Vegetables
  Avoid – all veg containing pips or seeds, e.g. tomatoes; tough skins e.g. onion, sweetcorn, peas; or tough stalks, e.g. broccoli; pulses e.g. red kidney beans, baked beans, lentils
  Include – all other veg, though some salad and raw veg may upset some people
• Meat, poultry, fish
  Avoid – tough and fatty meat, meat pies; fish where you consume bones, e.g. sardines; fried fish in batter or breadcrumbs
  Include – lean meat and poultry; all other fish
• Miscellaneous
  Avoid – large amounts of butter/margarine; jam/marmalade containing seeds/shreds; crunchy peanut butter; pastry; soups containing pulses, onions, etc; hot spices, pickles, chutney; Chinese/Indian dishes
  Include – low fat spreads; jelly jam, shredless marmalade; smooth peanut butter; cream or clear soups; salt, pepper, ketchup, vinegar; eggs

Don’t forget that this is only the advice of someone who has suffered with IBS over a number of years. ALWAYS seek medical advice from your local GP.

 Take care….

 Alex.