Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic condition that affects the digestive system. It causes abdominal pain, discomfort, and changes in bowel habits. Other common symptoms include bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, mucus in stool, and a feeling of incomplete evacuation. The current dietary recommendation for IBS is called a low-FODMAP diet. It is a strict, regulated diet where lists of foods that are allowed/not allowed must be consistently followed. This diet also excludes gluten and lactose. Bodil Ohlsson, a professor at Lund University and consultant at Skane University Hospital, decided to investigate the role of sugars and starches in IBS.
A previous study conducted by Professor Ohlsson showed that the starch and sucrose-reduced (SSRD) diet greatly reduced IBS symptoms such as recurring pain, tightness in the abdomen, diarrhoea, and/or constipation. Sweet treats, highly processed foods, and ready-to-eat meals were to be avoided.
The latest study, published in the scientific journal Nutrients, addresses how the SSRD (starch and sucrose-reduced diet) compares to the current dietary recommendation for IBS, the low-FODMAP diet
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"We launched this study in 2022 to compare SSRD and Low FODMAP. One hundred and fifty-five patients diagnosed with IBS were included and randomly allocated to follow either SSRD or Low FODMAP for four weeks. They were not allowed to have been on a diet at the start of the trial, but rather ate 'everything,'" says Bodil Ohlsson. Participants in both groups had to follow the basic principles of each diet. However, they chose how often or regularly they ate.
Reducing sugary foods from diet can help with IBS symptoms.Photo Credit: iStock
How Starch And Sugar Reduction Helped Patients With IBS:
1. Improvement In Symptoms
In both groups, regardless of diet, IBS symptoms improved in 75-80 percent of the patients, which according to Bodil Ohlsson "was even better than we expected."
2. Weight Loss
Weight loss after four weeks was greater in the SSRD group.
3. Reduced Sugar Cravings
Sugar cravings also decreased the most in this group, which is positive, as IBS patients weigh more on average than healthy people, says Bodil Ohlsson.
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"We wouldn't even call SSRD a diet. It's how everyone should eat, not just those with IBS. And unlike Low FODMAP, SSRD is easy to understand and easier to follow. You can eat everything when you are invited to dinner, just less of certain things. If you rest your stomach for the rest of the week, you can indulge a little one day!" says Bodil Ohlsson.
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