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Disclaimer: this article is for information only and aims to explain food and lifestyle for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). It draws on the scientific literature and field experience, but it is not a substitute for medical advice. IBS is a chronic condition: any persistent, painful or unusual symptom should be assessed by a doctor. The dietary ideas below aim to support day-to-day digestive comfort, as part of a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. They are not a treatment and should be tailored to each situation, ideally with a doctor, gastroenterologist or dietitian.
Read Part 1 already? Then you know what's happening in an irritable bowel, and why aggressive "detoxes" are best avoided. Now for the concrete part: the plate. Because, frankly, that's where it all plays out day to day.
To soothe IBS day to day, food rests on three pillars: cutting the fermentable sugars that irritate (a low-FODMAP approach), favouring gentle, easy-to-digest foods, and gradually reintroducing diversity — soluble fibre, plant-based omega-3s, gentle fermented foods. It's the best-documented dietary approach for IBS, and the one I see work in the field. Always, I'll repeat, alongside your doctor's follow-up.
In this second part, I cover the foods to favour and to limit, meal ideas, the place of living foods, enzymes and marine plasma, then how to maintain the benefits over time. And, at the end, your most common questions.
Video: why living food (episode 2)
Contents
IBS: which foods to favour and to limit (FODMAP)
A low-FODMAP approach means temporarily cutting fermentable sugars, then reintroducing them one by one to pinpoint your triggers. Developed by Monash University, it's today the best-validated approach for IBS. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials confirms it clearly reduces symptom severity compared with a standard diet.
Important: the strict phase isn't meant to last. It serves to identify what bothers you, so you can then widen your plate as much as possible. We add, we don't subtract for the sake of it. Ideally, run it with a dietitian.
The foods that soothe (low-FODMAP)
- Gentle proteins: firm tofu, tempeh, pumpkin and sunflower seeds.
- Well-tolerated starches: rice, quinoa, potatoes, sweet potato, buckwheat.
- Cooked vegetables: carrot, zucchini, squash, spinach, green beans, chard (cooking softens them a lot).
- Low-fructose fruit: ripe banana, blueberry, strawberry, kiwi, orange (in moderation).
- Good fats: olive oil, a little avocado, plant-based omega-3s.
On omega-3s: flaxseed oil (one tablespoon, about 10 to 15 ml a day, never heated) and ground chia seeds are my staples. Soothing, easy to slip in anywhere.
The foods to limit (at least while you soothe)
- Onion, garlic, leek, shallot — very high in fructans.
- Large amounts of legumes (lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans).
- Wheat and rye in sensitive people, and dairy (lactose).
- Raw cruciferous veg (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts) and mushrooms.
- High-fructose fruit (apple, pear, mango, cherry, watermelon) and polyol sweeteners (sorbitol, xylitol).
Turmeric, on the other hand, fits into almost any cooked dish: a pinch with a little fat and a touch of black pepper, and off you go. Start gently, never on an empty stomach.
A very simple starting point: a spoonful of virgin organic flaxseed oil and a pinch of raw turmeric on your cooked vegetables in the evening. Two tiny gestures, to test over a few weeks, watching how your belly responds.
Sample meals to soothe IBS
Knowing what to avoid is good. Knowing what to put on the plate is better. Here's a sample day, low-FODMAP and easy to digest. Adapt it to your tolerances, of course.
Morning. A gently cooked porridge (rice, buckwheat or oats if you tolerate them), with a mashed ripe banana, a spoonful of chia seeds and a drizzle of flaxseed oil. Or, quicker: a plain plant yoghurt with a few blueberries. Skip the very strong coffee and the acidic orange juice on an empty stomach.
Midday. A base of rice or quinoa, cooked carrots and zucchini, pan-fried firm tofu, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of turmeric. Chew thoroughly — digestion starts in the mouth.
Evening. Light is the rule. A squash-and-carrot soup with ginger, a spoonful of miso stirred in off the heat, a steamed sweet potato. A heavy or late dinner is often a restless night guaranteed.
For a snack. A handful of blueberries, a few soaked almonds, a kiwi. Nothing revolutionary. Just gentle, just regular.
Living foods, gradually
Living foods (sprouted seeds, young shoots, fermented foods) are a great digestive ally — as long as you introduce them in small touches when you have IBS. The trap is wanting everything at once: a big bowl of raw vegetables on a sensitive gut, and the evening ends early.
So we go in stages. Gentle sprouted seeds — alfalfa, broccoli — are a lovely way in: rich in enzymes, they're already "pre-digested" by sprouting. Start with a small handful (20 to 30 g) over a warm dish, two or three times a week.
Fermented foods gently reseed the flora. Not raw sauerkraut or spicy kimchi to begin with: start with a spoonful of kefir, then build up. I've detailed all this in our articles on fermented foods and gut flora and on choosing between kefir or kombucha.
Video: the benefits of fermented foods
Digestive enzymes
Digestive enzymes help break food down upstream, which reduces the share of residue that ferments in the colon. Concretely, the less the stomach and small intestine struggle, the less work the colon has — and the less gas. Simple physiology.
With us, enzymes come as a powder, taken at the start of the meal. Never as tablets or capsules — living food, not pills. To understand their role, see our full piece on enzymes, those metabolic auxiliaries.
One customer, Chon du Barry, writes (review ★★★★★): "The enzymes for digestion, I can't do without them anymore!" A personal report, passed on as is, with no promise.
Marine plasma, in isotonic use
Marine plasma — pure seawater drawn and prepared following the work of René Quinton — provides almost all the minerals and trace elements found in the ocean (more than 70). For a sensitive gut, the watchword is gentleness: you take it in isotonic use, that is, diluted, not concentrated.
In practice, the Quinton® marine plasma sold in bottles is hypertonic (concentrated). To get an isotonic drink, close to the concentration of our body fluids, you dilute it: about 1 volume of hypertonic plasma to 2 volumes of low-mineral spring water. Aim for the equivalent of 20 to 30 ml of plasma a day once diluted, preferably away from meals, and always as part of a varied, balanced diet.
Let me be clear, because it matters: marine plasma is not a "detox cure", and it replaces no treatment. It's an intake of marine minerals, nothing more, nothing less. If you have high blood pressure or follow a salt-free diet, ask your doctor before taking it.
Maintaining the benefits: the 80/20 rule
Once calm returns, the goal isn't to eat "perfectly" for life, but to last: aim for 80% soothing plate and allow 20% flexibility. It's sustainable, and it's exactly what avoids the "all or nothing" that always ends up breaking.
Concretely, that means keeping your basics (cooked, gentle, soluble fibre, gradual fermented foods) most of the time, and accepting a more festive meal now and then without guilt. One slip doesn't erase weeks of work. Your body, above all, thanks you for consistency.
And the plate isn't everything. Sleep, daily walking, breathing before meals: all of it counts as much as the contents of your fridge. As we saw in Part 1, the gut and the head are linked.
Want to move step by step? Pick a single habit this week — for example sprouted seeds on your lunch — and observe. The next week, another. It's slow, and that's exactly why it lasts.
Mistakes to avoid
- Cutting everything at once. Too restrictive a diet impoverishes the microbiome and the plate. Restriction is temporary, not a lifestyle.
- Staying strict low-FODMAP for months. Beyond a few weeks without reintroduction, you impoverish yourself. Reintroduction is part of the protocol.
- Increasing fibre too fast. Jumping suddenly to lots of fibre, without drinking more, is bloating guaranteed. Go gradually.
- Confusing soothing with curing. IBS is chronic: you learn to live better with it, you don't "fix" it in one cure. Beware of miracle promises.
- Ignoring warning signs. Blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, intense pain: see a doctor, without delay (see the FAQ).
Conclusion: regularity, day after day
There we are. In Part 1, you understood your IBS and what to avoid. Here, you have the keys to the plate: cut FODMAPs while you soothe, favour the gentle and the cooked, reintroduce diversity and living foods slowly, and look after sleep and stress too.
You don't cure IBS overnight — but you can live clearly better with it, and get back a social life, calm meals, peaceful nights. That's the real goal. At your own pace, always. To revisit the basics, Part 1 is here.
Your questions, answered
Which foods should I avoid with IBS?
Mainly high-FODMAP foods: onion, garlic, leek, large amounts of legumes, wheat in sensitive people, dairy (lactose), raw cruciferous veg, and high-fructose fruit (apple, pear, mango). Polyol sweeteners (sorbitol, xylitol) are also best limited. It's temporary, the time to identify your triggers.
Which foods calm an irritated gut?
Gentle, cooked, low-FODMAP foods: rice, quinoa, cooked carrot and zucchini, ripe banana, firm tofu, olive oil. Soluble fibre (psyllium, chia seeds), plant-based omega-3s and gentle fermented foods support comfort, as part of a varied, balanced diet.
What food rests the gut?
During a flare, favour simple, cooked food: gentle vegetable broth, squash-carrot soup, white rice, ripe banana. The idea is to lighten the digestive workload for a few days, without fully fasting, before reintroducing gradually.
IBS: what to eat in the morning?
A gentle porridge (cooked flakes, ripe banana, chia seeds, a drizzle of flaxseed oil), or a plant yoghurt with a few blueberries. Avoid very strong coffee, acidic orange juice on an empty stomach, and wheat pastries if you're sensitive.
What alcohol can I drink with IBS?
The safest is to strongly limit alcohol, which irritates the mucosa and disturbs the microbiome. If you do drink, an occasional glass of dry wine is generally better tolerated than beer (high in FODMAPs) or sugary cocktails. Always in moderation, and never on an empty stomach.
Are living foods suitable for IBS?
Yes, as long as you introduce them gradually. Gentle sprouted seeds and gentle fermented foods are rich in enzymes and helpful microorganisms. Start with small amounts, observe, and increase only if all goes well.
When should I see a doctor?
Without delay if there is blood in the stool, unexplained weight loss, persistent fever, intense or night-time pain, anemia, symptoms starting after age 50, or a family history of colorectal cancer. These signs are not compatible with simple IBS and call for medical advice.
Is marine plasma useful for IBS?
Marine plasma provides marine minerals and trace elements. For a sensitive gut, you take it in isotonic use (diluted), away from meals, as part of a balanced diet. It's not a treatment or a detox. With high blood pressure or a salt-free diet, ask your doctor.
Should I take probiotics?
Some strains, yes, especially Bifidobacterium infantis 35624, the best studied for IBS. Not all strains are equal and the effect varies from person to person: better to choose a targeted product with a healthcare professional.
How long before I see an improvement?
It varies a lot. With an adapted diet, some people feel better within a few weeks, others need more time and adjustments. IBS is managed over time: it's regularity, more than intensity, that pays off.
Scientific references
- Monash University. "The Low FODMAP Diet". Reference from the team behind the low-FODMAP diet.
- Black, C.J., et al. "Efficacy of a low FODMAP diet in irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis". Gut / peer-reviewed journal. Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (high level of evidence).
- "Dietary interventions for irritable bowel syndrome: a systematic review and network meta-analysis" (2025). The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology.
- "Efficacy of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: systematic review and meta-analysis". Synthesis on probiotic strains, including Bifidobacterium infantis 35624.
- Assurance Maladie (Ameli). "Irritable bowel syndrome: what to do and when to consult". French institutional reference.
In practice
Last updated: June 2026. Article reviewed by Éric Viard, founder of Biovie and ISTOM agronomist, co-author of "Algues au quotidien" (Gallimard, 2024) — Best Cookbook in the World, Gourmand Cookbook Awards 2025, and Best Cookbook in France, Académie Nationale de Cuisine 2025.
Disclaimer: the information in this article is provided for general information only and does not constitute medical advice. IBS requires diagnosis and medical follow-up. Consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any change to your diet or supplementation. As part of a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle.
