Digestive Health Irritable Bowel Syndrome Nutrition What to Eat and Avoid If You Have Mixed IBS Symptoms By Barbara Bolen, PhD twitter Barbara Bolen, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and health coach. She has written multiple books focused on living with irritable bowel syndrome. Learn about our editorial process Barbara Bolen, PhD Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Priyanka Chugh, MD on September 28, 2020 linkedin Priyanka Chugh, MD, is a board-certified gastroenterologist in practice with Trinity Health of New England in Waterbury, Connecticut. Learn about our Medical Review Board Priyanka Chugh, MD on September 28, 2020 Print When dealing with the different (and often divergent) symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), it can be difficult to know which foods you can and cannot eat safely. While people will often focus on the food types they need to avoid, it is just as important to find the foods that may actually help improve your symptoms. Here are some practical tips that can help if you find yourself suffering with either constipation-predominant IBS (IBS-C), diarrhea-predominant IBS (IBS-D), or alternating-type IBS (IBS-M). Foods to Avoid If You Are Constipated Ross Durant Photography/Photolibrary/Getty Images If you are constipated, the last thing you need is to eat anything that is binding. To this end, here are some key foods you need to avoid: Anything made with white flour, especially white bread and baked goods made with hydrogenated fats Processed meat including bacon, bologna, sausage, and hot dogs Deep-fried foods (including food labeled "oven-fried") Chips of any sort Dairy products such as cheese, sour cream, ice cream, and whole milk Red meats Bananas White rice Foods to Eat If You Are Constipated Christopher Furlong/Getty Images If you are suffering from constipation, you will need to eat foods that get your system moving. Key to this is digestive fiber, also known as roughage. Especially useful is a type is known as insoluble fiber which does not dissolve in water but rather absorbs water as it passes through the intestines, softening stools in the process. The best food sources for this are: Fresh fruits (the best of which include berries, peaches, apricots, plums, and rhubarb) Whole grains which include wholegrain bread and cooked oats, brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, or barley Fresh vegetables Dried fruit, especially prunes and raisins Prune juice Nuts and nuts Beans and legumes (such as chickpeas, soybeans, lentils, navy beans, and kidney beans) are good sources of fiber but are also on the list of high FODMAP foods that can trigger IBS-D symptoms if you eat too much. Foods to Avoid If You Have Diarrhea Elaine Lemm/Getty Images If you have diarrhea, the last thing you want is to eat foods that can aggravate your condition or cause you painful intestinal spasms. Some of the foods to avoid include: Dairy products, particularly high-fat cheeses, ice cream, whole milk, cream, and sour cream Creamy foods or foods with gravy Deep-fried foods Sugar-free foods made with artificial sweeteners including candies, gum, and diet sodas Gas-producing foods like beans, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions, peaches, pears, and plums Dried fruits Caffeinated coffee, tea, or sodas Carbonated drinks Alcohol Foods to Eat If You Have Diarrhea Lew Robertson/Getty Images A basic, bland BRAT diet (consisting of bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast) is often recommended to help bind loose or watery stools. However, the restrictive diet should not be used as anything more than a short-term solution as it can deprive you of much-needed nutrition. To this end, you would want to compose a more balanced diet consisting of the following foods: Bananas White rice White toast (not whole-grain) Mashed potatoes Butternut, pumpkin, acorn squash, and other winter squashes Steamed, baked, broiled chicken or lean meat Yogurt or kefir with a live bacterial culture Chicken broth Farina, oatmeal, or cream of wheat Fresh vegetables Pretzels Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kimchi, or pickles that have a probiotic effect Sports drinks to prevent dehydration and replace electrolytes Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! One of the most challenging aspects of having IBS is trying to figure out what's safe to eat. Our recipe guide makes it easier. Sign up and get yours now! Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mueller-Lissner SA, Wald A. Constipation in adults. BMJ Clin Evid. 2010;2010 Gibson PR, Shepherd SJ. Evidence-based dietary management of functional gastrointestinal symptoms: The FODMAP approach. J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2010;25(2):252-8. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1746.2009.06149.x Wendy B, Andrew S. Acute diarrhea in adults. American Family Physician. 2014;89(3):180-9.