New research points to the idea that irritable bowel syndrome may be caused by an overgrowth of bad bacteria in the intestines. It seems that some foods favour the spread of these bad bacteria and one way to reduce their population is to identify which foods support their growth.

It important to keep a food and symptoms diary as this is the only way you will be able to track the specific foods that trigger your IBS Symptoms.

The list below shows 2 known foods that definitely trigger IBS symptoms in many people. They are:

1. Gluten: Is a protein found in a lot of grains and that includes but not restricted to wheat,oats,rye,spelt,rye and barley.The first thing you need to do is go on a gluten free diet for at least 2 weeks.

This means you have to pay close attention to the foods you are eating and read food labels and even over the counter medicines because even some of the foods and medications you least expect may contain gluten.

You should notice a significant improvement in your symptoms once you eliminate gluten from your diet.

2. Coffee (especially when combined with sugar): I used to suffer from IBS myself so I have experienced some of the symptoms e.g. gas, bloating, stomach making noises, spastic contractions of the colon, and stomach cramps etc.

I noticed a significant improvement in my symptoms the very next day I stopped drinking coffee.

You see coffee and sugar are both acidic foods and they will increase the acidity of your stomach. If you suffer from IBS, it is important that your stomach is not too acidic. One of the ways to achieve this is to reduce the amount of acidic foods you eat and consume more foods that leave an alkaline residue in your body.

We have looked at two specific foods you need to stay away from if you are an irritable bowel syndrome sufferer, but there are many more foods that trigger the symptoms of IBS.

Click on pen to