Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that affects the digestive system. It causes abdominal pain, discomfort and a change in bowel habits. Other common symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, mucus in the stool and a feeling of incomplete bowel movement. The current dietary recommendation for IBS is called the low-FODMAP diet. This is a strict, regulated diet where a list of allowed/not allowed foods must be followed consistently. This diet also excludes gluten and lactose. Bodil Ohlsson, professor at Lund University and consultant at Skåne University Hospital, decided to investigate the role of sugars and starches in IBS.
A previous study conducted by Professor Ohlsson showed that a starch and sucrose-reduced (SSRD) diet significantly reduced IBS symptoms such as recurrent pain, abdominal tightness, diarrhea and/or constipation. Sweet dishes, highly processed foods and ready-to-eat meals should be avoided.
The latest study, published in the scientific journal Nutrients, describes how the SSRD (starch and sucrose-reduced diet) compares to the current dietary recommendation for IBS, the low-FODMAP diet
Also read: FODMAP diet: This extremely restrictive diet can help people with IBS and digestive stress
“We started this study in 2022 to compare SSRD and Low FODMAP,” says Bodil Ohlsson. One hundred and fifty patients suffering from IBS were included and randomly allocated to follow either SSRD or Low FODMAP for four weeks. They were not allowed to stay on the diet at the beginning of the trial, but were allowed to eat ‘everything’. Participants in both groups had to follow the basic principles of each diet. However, they chose how often or regularly they ate.
Reducing sweet foods from the diet may help IBS symptoms.Photo Credit: iStock
How cutting down on starch and sugar has helped IBS patients:
1. Improvement in symptoms
In both groups, regardless of diet, 75-80 percent of patients had improvement in IBS symptoms, which was “even better than we expected,” says Bodil-Ohlsson.
2. Weight loss
After four weeks, weight loss was greater in the SSRD group.
3. Reduces sugar cravings
Sugar cravings also decreased the most in this group, which is positive, says Bodil Ohlsson, because IBS patients weigh more on average than healthy people.
Also read: Pears for gut health: 5 reasons why you should include pears in your daily diet
“We wouldn’t even call SSRD a diet. It’s the way everyone should eat, not just people with IBS. And unlike Low FODMAP, SSRD is easy to understand and follow. When you’re invited to dinner you can eat everything, just eat less of a few things. If you give your stomach a rest the rest of the week, you can eat a little bit on one day!” says Bodil Ohlsson.
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