Foods, IBS and Elimination Diets: What's Worth Avoiding (and what's not)
- Jen Smith
- 8 hours ago
- 5 min read
If you've been diagnosed with IBS, you've probably found yourself searching for answers like:
'Should I stop eating gluten?'
'Is dairy causing my IBS?
'Should I go Low FODMAP?'
'Why does everything I eat seem to make me bloated?'
It's understandable. When symptoms flare after eating, it's natural to assume that food is the problem.
The reality, however, is often more complicated.
While certain foods can absolutely trigger IBS symptoms, food isn't always the underlying reason your digestive system has become so reactive in the first place. From a functional medicine perspective, we don't just ask 'What food caused today's symptoms?' We ask 'Why is your digestive system reacting to this food?'
That shift in thinking can completely change your approach to healing.
Is food always the cause of IBS?
No.
Food can certainly trigger symptoms, but a trigger isn't always the underlying cause.
Think about it this way. Imagine driving a car with a warning light flashing on the dashboard. Covering the warning light over and over again doesn't fix the engine. Similarly, removing a food that triggers symptoms may reduce discomfort for a while, but it doesn't always address why your digestive system has become so reactive in the first place. In the same way, foods may expose an already sensitive digestive system, but they aren't always the reason that sensitivity developed.
That's why two people can eat exactly the same meal and have completely different experiences.
One feels perfectly fine. The other is bloated for hours.
The question isn't simply, 'Which food should I remove or avoid with IBS?'
It's 'Why is my gut reacting?'
Common foods that can trigger IBS symptoms
There are some foods that are more commonly associated with IBS symptoms than others.
These include:
High FODMAP foods such as onions, garlic and certain fruits.
Dairy products containing lactose.
Wheat and gluten-containing foods (although not everyone with IBS reacts to gluten).
Alcohol.
Caffeine and coffee.
Fatty or fried foods.
Artificial sweeteners and sugar alcohols.
However, just because these foods appear on an IBS list doesn't automatically make them your triggers.
This is where many people become stuck and frustrated.
They remove more and more foods until eating becomes stressful, restrictive and confusing.
Why tracking is more valuable than guessing.
One of the biggest mistakes I see is people removing foods without first looking for patterns. Instead of guessing, I encourage people to become curious.
Keeping a simple food and symptom diary for a few weeks can tell you far more than following another list from the internet. its real data- your data.
Start asking questions like:
Do symptoms happen every time I eat that food?
How much did I eat?
Was I rushing my meal?
Was I stressed when I ate?
Did I sleep well the night before?
Have symptoms appeared within the next 24-72 hours?
Over time, patterns often begin to emerge. This allows you to make informed decisions rather than unnecessary restrictions. And when you can pinpoint areas that may be struggling with, you can apply effective interventions to improve them.
Don't forget about digestion itself.
One area that's often overlooked is how well you're digesting your food in the first place.
Many people assume IBS begins in the large intestine, but digestion actually starts long before food reaches your gut and I have many clients who have experienced significant relief in their symptoms, simply by addressing upper digestion first.
In clinic, I often explore some of these foundations first:
Are you chewing your food thoroughly?
Are you eating in a relaxed state or rushing meals?
Are digestive enzymes doing their job effectively?
Could low stomach acid be affecting digestion?
When these early stages of digestion aren't working well, food isn't broken down as efficiently as it should be.
That can contribute to symptoms such as bloating, excessive gas, fullness and digestive discomfort—even when you're eating nutritious foods.
Sometimes it's not simply what you're eating.
It's how your body is processing it.
Should I just avoid foods? Are elimination diets a good idea?
Elimination diets can be incredibly useful—but only when they're used correctly.
I often think of them as investigations rather than permanent diets.
A structured elimination trial can help identify genuine food triggers and reduce symptoms while you gather valuable information about your body.
The problem is that many people stop there.
Foods are removed...
...but they're never systematically reintroduced. The process is never completed.
Over time, diets become more and more restrictive, confidence around food disappears, and nutritional variety is reduced.- often quite severley.
The goal isn't to see how many foods you can avoid.
The goal is to identify the foods that genuinely don't suit your body while keeping your diet as varied and nourishing as possible.
My therapeutic framework.
When I suspect food may be contributing to IBS symptoms, I don't recommend randomly cutting out six or seven food groups.
Instead, I use a structured approach.
First, we review symptoms and look for clear patterns.
Then, if appropriate, we carry out a targeted elimination of the most likely trigger.
Finally—and this is the part many people miss—we systematically reintroduce foods to understand exactly what your body tolerates.
This creates clarity.
Rather than living with a long list of foods you're afraid to eat, you develop confidence in what actually works for you.
A quick word about food sensitivity testing.
Many people ask me about food sensitivity tests that measure IgG or IgG4 antibodies.
Although they're widely marketed, these tests aren't considered reliable for identifying true food intolerances. In fact, they often reflect exposure to foods rather than proving that those foods are causing symptoms.
The result can be pages of foods to avoid, unnecessary dietary restriction and a lot of confusion.
For most people, a carefully planned elimination and reintroduction process—supported by good symptom tracking—provides far more meaningful information.
The goal isn't restriction—it's understanding.
Living with IBS can make food feel frightening.
I've worked with many people who begin avoiding foods "just in case," only to find themselves eating fewer and fewer things without seeing lasting improvement.
My aim is different.
I want people to understand why symptoms occur, become curious about their own patterns and make evidence-informed decisions based on their individual experience—not fear.
Ready to understand your own food triggers?
......but want to do it without unnecessarily restricting your diet?
In IBS Unlocked, I walk you through the exact framework I use with clients to investigate food triggers, improve digestion, and use elimination and reintroduction protocols safely. You'll also find symptom trackers, worksheets and practical tools to help you understand which foods genuinely affect your body.
Because the goal isn't to avoid as many foods as possible.
It's to understand your body well enough that you can eat with confidence again.
Buy my book here:
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