I don’t know what to eat…!

Going out to restaurants can often be a minefield for those struggling with IBS symptoms.  It can often seem that whatever food you order you get a painful, embarrassing, uncomfortable IBS flare up.  And then there are the occasions where you eat the same meal twice and one time you get horrendous IBS and the next time you are absolutely fine!

There is a lot of information out there for IBS sufferers (good old Google) some of it is great and really useful and some of it is absolute nonsense.  There are no ‘wonder drugs’ in the world that will rid you of your IBS symptoms.  Most of the drugs on the market are there to provide short term relief by way of masking the symptoms or reducing pain temporarily.  Likewise there are no supplements in the world that are going to effectively eradicate your IBS symptoms for good, forever.

Quick Fix!

We are conditioned to look for a ‘magic pill’ whether it is from the doctors surgeries or from a health food shop.  I am sorry to break it to you but there isn’t one.  Only a change of diet, tailored to you and your body will effectively reduce your IBS symptoms and allow you to get your life back.  There are no short cuts in becoming IBS free. As over 500 people I have worked with on IBS can testify. They are now living their lives IBS free, knowing exactly what to eat, exactly what to avoid and having no fear or trauma when going out to a restaurant as they know exactly what they can order to enjoy a great evening out with friends, IBS symptom free.

The reason I am mentioning this before getting down to the nitty gritty of my Top Ten Foods is to provide you with knowledge that FOOD is the main cause of IBS symptoms in the first place, i.e. what you are actively putting into your Bowel is Irritating Your Bowel, Hence Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Food, therefore, is the main IBS cure.

Don’t Put Up With It Any Longer…

You will have heard from several sources that if you have IBS you will just have to ‘put up with it’ for the rest of you days, living in pain and misery filling yourself up with drugs and supplements that at best only provide short term relief and at worse provide a whole new set of nasty side effects.

And this simply isn’t true.  As I myself found out many years ago when looking for a solution to my own IBS symptoms.

So, that being said, when you are dining out at a restaurant and are not sure what to order, opt for one of these to err on the safe side of IBS.

Top 10 *Foods To Enjoy at Restaurants!

Always ask the waiter if the meal contains certain ingredients. If anyone rolls their eyes at you for being ‘picky’ or ‘awkward’ then just tell them that if you come into contact with the known allergens at best you will have to leave early and at worst you could go into **anaphylactic shock and die. This normally shuts people up and ensures the waiter is paying attention.

  1. Soup.  Soup is a fantastic starter and providing it isn’t Tomato (tomato affects 12% of people with IBS) or Onion (Onions affects 25% of people with IBS) or contain any cream (dairy affects 70% of people with IBS) this should be a relatively good option for starting your meal without causing any cramping, gas, pain or embarrassing bloating during the meal.  Avoid the bread and enjoy the soup!
  2. Melon. A popular starter this refreshing palette clearer will prepare you for the main course without making you feel like you need to rush to the toilet with IBS symptoms.
  3. Chicken.  Very rarely do any of my clients test positive for an intolerance to chicken.  However, beware of sauces, particularly creamy or tomato based sauces.  Chicken salad, Roast chicken, Chicken and chips are all meals that you are likely to find in almost any restaurant as an easy option. Obviously chips aren’t the most healthy of choices but if you are only dining out occasionally and there are no other healthier options on the menu then once in a blue moon isn’t the end of the world.
  4. Potatoes.  Only around 10% of my clients test positive for an intolerance to the humble spud and quite often this is only a temporary problem. Baked potatoes, Roast potatoes, Chips, Mashed potatoes – most restaurants will have at least one of these options.  Just ask the waiter if the roast potatoes have had any flour (GLUTEN) added to them and ask if the mash has had any dairy added other than butter. Butter is generally OK but milk is a known IBS allergen and should be avoided.
  5. Salad Leaves.  Fresh green salad leaves can aid the digestion and these are mostly harmless to the IBS sufferer.  Make sure the salad isn’t drowned in a cream or cheese sauce and ask to have any dressing in the side, where you can ignore it if you are unsure of the ingredients.  This way you can have a nice, fresh salad full of nutrition without having the cramping and indigestion pains. If you are in a place where they can make you a fresh salad dressing with oil, lemon and fresh herbs then this is the ultimate in easy to digest dressings for your salad.
  6. Steak.  Again, it is very rare that beef shows up on an intolerance test and providing it isn’t smothered in a creamy peppercorn sauce this could be a simple go to dinner whilst eating out.  And don’t opt for onion rings or tomatoes with it.  Try steak with peas and mash or chips and salad for a safe bet. A parsley butter sauce is usually OK and a better option than anything creamy.
  7. Rice.  Rice is a valuable food source and will keep you feeling fuller for longer as, like potatoes, it is a starchy carbohydrate when combined with vegetables and protein will help you to reduce sugar cravings too.  To ensure ease of digestion, it would be best to opt for a plain version rather than egg fried rice or pilau and get the flavourings you want from the meat and or veg accompanying the rice. If the only rice dish is risotto it may be as well to leave this as it will contain dairy which may cause IBS symptoms. Unless they specifically do a dairy free version.
  8. Vegetables.  Most veg aren’t a problem for the average IBS sufferer with the possible exception of Tomatoes and Onions (see above).  A side order of veg can be really beneficial to aid the digestion as veg are full of vitamins and minerals that should build up your immune system and ultimately strengthen your gut without causing problems. Some people with IBS (not as many as the Dieticians dealing out the FODMAP would have you believe) do have problems digesting brassicas, legumes, nightshades. But this is a relatively small number of people and if you know you struggle with these then look at other incredible veg to consume for your Vits and Mins intake.
  9. Water.  Still or sparkling, with or without lemon water is an essential accompaniment to any meal.  Refreshing, rehydrating and life giving do whatever it takes to learn how you can enjoy drinking water at every opportunity throughout the day.  Water is the number one best friend of the IBS sufferer. #ProTip always start and finish eh day with a glass of water to hydrate the body,
  10. Fruit.  If there is a desert option such as a fruit salad then go for it.  Avoid anything creamy or that has cream, custard or ice-cream as it is the dairy content of these that often start an IBS flare up.  A fruit sorbet is likely to be the safest bet to enjoy a refreshing desert without feeling bloated and uncomfortable although these can often be high in sugar which may aggravate an existing gut bacterial issue.

*All suggestions made are generally OK for most IBS sufferers.  If you know one of these food items irritates your IBS symptoms then please continue to avoid it.

**With food allergies such as peanuts, shellfish and coeliac disease this is very much a real possibility. It goes without saying to always be careful with known food allergies.

Different Restaurant Cuisines

What to order to feel confident at a variety of different popular restaurant cuisines. I have included my favourite meals, these may or may not work for you but once your gut is healed and you are no longer irritating it on a daily basis then you should be able to bear a wider variety of foods that will actively help to continually heal your gut rather than harm it.

English / American

Most of the above listed foods are available at English and American restaurants. Again, be wary of sauces and dressings as it is most likely these that will cause a flare up and providing you continue to avoid any known allergens and stick to gluten, dairy, onion free meals, go steady on sugar and salt you should be OK.

Eggs are not as much of an enemy to IBS sufferers as you would initially think. Out of around 500 IBS clients I have worked with in the capacity of food intolerance testing and diet programming, only around 8% of these clients have issues with eggs. So, eggs (unless you know eggs disagree with you) could be another option. Omelettes can have all sorts of wonderful veggies added to them to make them highly nutritious, full of good protein ands healthy fats.

My favourite UK / US meal would be steak, mash and salad, with water and no dessert (I trained my sweet tooth away as desserts are a pointless waste of calories)

French

Similarly to English and American cuisine, French restaurants tend to focus on meat, potatoes and salad (often as an afterthought) so this might be a great IBS free meal combination to stay safe and order.

I really like roast duck with french fries as an option with a pear salad as a starter.

Italian

This is where things tend to get a little problematic for the person with IBS as Italian meals tend to be really gluten heavy. Pasta is made from flour and water = gluten, pizza dough the same = gluten. Many pizza places are now providing gluten free options, however it is often the combination of gluten, dairy and tomatoes that cause an IBS flare up. Therefore pizza is definitely out. And a lot of pasta dishes also.

If you are going to an Italian restaurant my advice would be to ask for dairy and gluten free meal options or get them to make you up a big bowl of salad and hold the dressing.

My favourite meal in an Italian restaurant is a Chicken, Bacon and Avocado salad. Without the garlic bread on the side and a lemon / pepper dressing.

Greek

Greek food is one of my favourites. Fresh salads, fish, olives. Happy days! The greeks do love cheese however and you will find halloumi and feta as staples in greek meals. As most greek restaurants I have been to are family run there may be less chance of finding a dairy free vegan cheese oil the menu, however it doesn’t hurt to ask. Saying that, halloumi and feta are often less problematic than cows cheese products, by about 12%

My favourite greek meal is a greek salad (holding the onions for me) with a fish course as a main, holding the sauce unless I know what is in it.

Indian

It is entirely possible to go for an Indian meal without getting IBS. I have tried it and won! And I am highly intolerant to onion and have to be careful with gluten and dairy. As much as I used to love a chicken korma or a jalfrezi I now know that these are best to be avoided if I don’t want to embarrass myself, feel uncomfortable and have to leave early for a night with a hot water bottle crying myself into my pillow.

I tend to order the same thing when I go so I know how I will feel. I normally order a chicken tandoori, which is cooked in yoghurt (a much lesser evil in the dairy group), herbs and spices. I ask for mine onion free and in my local restaurant they are happy to oblige as these are cooked fresh. I then company this with plain rice, starting with popadoms with mint sauce and skip the naan bread.

Chinese

Chinese food often causes problems if you have IBS and this may be to do with the liberal use of MSG (monosodium glutamate). This preservative is high in salt and can exacerbate existing IBS problems as it can easily irritate the gut. Many Chinese restaurants are cottoning on to this and offering MSG free versions of meals.

However, MSG may not be the only thing that is causing you gut to be irritated as the noodles (chicken chow mean) are often made with egg and contain gluten, two other known IBS allergens. And the sauces tend to be rich and heavy and hard to digest.

Saying this, I have found meals in Chinese restaurants that don’t upset my IBS. I tend to opt for crispy duck pancakes. These do contain gluten but it is a small amount and two or three of these sit well with me. If you are COELIAC these wont work for you. I leave out the onion and enjoy the rest. Then as a main I would go for Cashew chicken and ask them to leave the onions out, with plan rice and crispy seaweed sprinkled over the top. Prawn crackers are gluten free so these are normally a safe bet.

Japanese

Sushi is one of the healthiest and easiest on the gut foods to enjoy. Simple rice and fish combinations (providing you don’t have a fish allergy) are tasty and come in a wide variety of combinations. Just be careful with the wasabi! I always add ginger and steer clear of the soy sauce and don’t go for anything too complicated and so far so good!

Thai

Saving the best till last, I simply love Thai food! I love the spices, the flavours, the textures, the colours. My all time favourite type of cuisine is Thai. I only have to concern myself with the amount of onion in each dish and avoid this. In general Thai food is one of the healthiest as it is fresh, full of nutrients and packed with flavour. Just be wary of the salt content and try to opt for MSG versions where possible.

My favourite meal is a papaya salad (HOT) to start or tom yum soup (If they can make it onion free) with Thai green chicken curry and plain rice. What could be better than that?

I hope this gives you some inspiration to get out and about a bit more and start enjoying eating out at restaurants with a little more confidence.