Symptoms and conditions
IBS diet chart (Indian): what to eat and avoid, day by day
There is no single IBS diet, but most people do better with regular meals, soluble fibre, fewer fried and very spicy foods, and a short trial of reducing fermentable carbohydrates such as onion, garlic, wheat, rajma, chana and milk. Rice, most cooked vegetables, eggs, fish, chicken, curd in small portions and firm bananas are usually well tolerated. This chart is a starting point to adapt with a dietitian.
In short
- Eat at regular times, slowly, in moderate portions.
- Start with general measures for two to four weeks. If symptoms continue, try a low FODMAP diet for two to six weeks with guidance.
- Restriction is temporary. Foods are brought back one at a time to find your own triggers.
- Tolerance is individual. Portion size often matters more than the food itself.
What are the first steps for everyone with IBS?
- Three meals and one or two small snacks, at consistent times
- Do not skip meals or eat late at night
- Limit tea and coffee to two or three cups a day
- Reduce fried food, very spicy food, fizzy drinks and alcohol
- Add soluble fibre, such as a teaspoon of isabgol in water, increasing slowly
- Drink enough water, and walk for ten minutes after meals
Which Indian foods are usually well tolerated?
| Group | Usually well tolerated |
|---|---|
| Cereals | Rice, poha, idli, plain dosa, rice noodles, oats, ragi and jowar in moderate portions |
| Vegetables | Carrot, potato, tomato, brinjal, spinach and other greens, cucumber, capsicum, French beans, pumpkin |
| Fruit | Firm banana, papaya, orange, sweet lime, pineapple, ripe guava |
| Protein | Eggs, chicken, fish, firm tofu, paneer in moderate amounts, moong dal in small portions |
| Dairy | Curd and buttermilk in small portions, lactose-free milk |
| Nuts and seeds | Peanuts, walnuts, a few almonds, pumpkin and sesame seeds |
| Seasoning | Ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, coriander, turmeric, hing in place of onion and garlic |
Which foods are common triggers?
| Group | Common triggers during the trial period |
|---|---|
| Cereals | Large amounts of wheat: several rotis, bread, maida, semolina |
| Vegetables | Onion, garlic, cauliflower, mushrooms, green peas |
| Pulses | Rajma, chana, chole, lobia, large portions of any dal |
| Fruit | Apple, mango, watermelon, pear, large amounts of fruit juice |
| Dairy | Milk, milky tea in quantity, ice cream, soft cheeses |
| Sweeteners | Honey, sugar-free sweets and gums containing sorbitol or similar |
| Nuts | Cashews and pistachios |
| Others | Deep-fried snacks, very oily gravies, fizzy drinks, alcohol |
These are reduced for a few weeks, not banned for life.
A three-day sample chart
| Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| On waking | Warm water; a teaspoon of isabgol if constipated | Warm water | Warm water |
| Breakfast | Idli with coconut chutney (no garlic) and a boiled egg | Vegetable poha with peanuts | Oats porridge with lactose-free milk and banana |
| Mid-morning | Papaya | Orange | A handful of walnuts |
| Lunch | Rice, moong dal (small bowl), carrot-beans sabzi, curd | Rice, fish or egg curry without onion and garlic, spinach sabzi | Jowar roti (one or two), brinjal sabzi, cucumber raita |
| Evening | Buttermilk with roasted cumin | Roasted peanuts, ginger tea | Banana |
| Dinner | Vegetable khichdi with ghee, sautéed pumpkin | Plain dosa with tomato chutney, vegetable sambar (small portion) | Rice, grilled chicken or paneer, sautéed capsicum and carrot |
Rotate these days, and vary the vegetables and proteins within the “well tolerated” list.
How do I adjust it for my type of IBS?
Mostly constipation
More soluble fibre: oats, isabgol, papaya, cooked vegetables. More fluid. Two kiwi fruit a day help many people. Do not add bran.
Mostly loose stools
Smaller meals with less fat. Less caffeine. Check your response to milk. Avoid sugar-free sweets.
Mostly bloating
Eat slowly, avoid fizzy drinks, and pay attention to onion, garlic, wheat and pulses. Treat any constipation.
How are foods brought back?
After two to six weeks, if symptoms have improved, reintroduce one food group at a time, over three days each, in increasing portions. Keep notes. Most people find that only two or three groups cause trouble, and that small portions of those are fine. See the low FODMAP diet for the full method.
When should I see a doctor?
Before starting a restrictive diet, make sure the diagnosis is right. Blood in the stool, weight loss, fever, anaemia or symptoms that wake you at night need investigation. See IBS.
Questions patients ask me
Can I eat roti if I have IBS?
Often, yes. One or two rotis at a meal are tolerated by many people; larger amounts of wheat cause bloating in some. Rice, jowar and ragi are alternatives during the trial period.
How do I cook without onion and garlic?
Use hing, ginger, cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves and the green tops of spring onions. Oil in which garlic has been fried and then removed gives the flavour without the fermentable part.
Is curd good for IBS?
Small portions of curd and buttermilk are tolerated by most people, as fermentation reduces the lactose. If milk upsets you, test curd separately.
How long should I follow this chart?
The restrictive phase lasts two to six weeks. After reintroduction, your long-term diet should be as varied as you can comfortably manage.
Sources
This page is written for patients and is based on the guidelines and studies below. It is for education and does not replace a consultation.
- American College of Gastroenterology guideline on irritable bowel syndrome. Lacy BE et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2021. doi:10.14309/ajg.0000000000001036
- British Society of Gastroenterology guideline on irritable bowel syndrome. Vasant DH et al. Gut. 2021. PubMed 33903147
- Indian consensus statements on irritable bowel syndrome in adults. Ghoshal UC et al. Indian J Gastroenterol. 2023. PubMed 36961659
- Controlled trial of a low FODMAP diet in irritable bowel syndrome. Halmos EP et al. Gastroenterology. 2014. PubMed 24076059