Sugar-Free Sweeteners
Many sugar-free sweeteners simply substitute sugar with sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners. These artificial sweeteners often contain ingredients like aspartame, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium. These are bad for the health.
Sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and mannitol are difficult to digest, especially in people with IBS. They may trigger digestive problems such as bloating or diarrhea. [8]
When buying sugar-free food items, always check the labels and avoid those with these compounds.
Spicy Foods
Research shows that eating spicy foods can cause symptoms such as abdominal pain and gastroesophageal reflux to flare up in IBS patients. [9] Spicy foods such as red chili and jalapeno are also high in capsaicin. [10] This compound moves food through the gut faster and may cause diarrhea.