Foods To Avoid For Women With IBS

Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts are harder for the body to digest. Those with IBS will find because of this, cruciferous vegetables cause more embarrassing symptoms, including more frequent diarrhea and flatulence. This occurs for two reasons. One, this kind of vegetable contains more fiber. Women with IBS must watch their fiber intake carefully and increase their intake slowly to avoid unfortunate side effects. These vegetables also contain indigestible sugars, which cause discomfort when they are eaten in excess, especially when eaten raw. Thus, cruciferous vegetables are best avoided to reduce the severity of IBS symptoms.

Dairy Products

Women with IBS must avoid consuming dairy products for two reasons. The first reason is that dairy products contain quite a bit of fat. For those with IBS, this means increased episodes of diarrhea. The first step would, of course, be switching to low-fat dairy products. If women were drinking 2 percent milk, switching to skim is good.

However, many women with IBS also deal with lactose intolerance. This means their body cannot digest lactose, which is a sugar found in dairy products. These women should cut out dairy products and look for alternatives. Great options include soy, almond, rice, and coconut milk. There are also soy yogurts and cheeses. There’s even cashew cheese!