white bread

[Junkjournal1]

Hi there I was just wondering if anyone else with IBS/D finds that white bread in particular plays havoc with their stomach. Thank you for taking the time to read my post.

[Hidden]

Yes try wholemeal or wholegrain breads as an alternative.

[Junkjournal1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you 😊 I reintroduced brown bread a couple of weeks ago after being gluten free for about three years and seem to be okay with it at the moment. I’ve tried white bread on three separate occasions and each time it’s had same effect so I’m steering clear off it now. It’s just strange as both brown and white bread contain gluten.

[Hidden in reply to Junkjournal1]

It's because white bread is highly processed compared to the browns.

[Boxroad in reply to Hidden]

Or put some honey on it, that should sooth the stomach

[225AEDWARD05 in reply to Boxroad]

Isn't honey supposed to be bad for IBS ? It isn't included in the Fodmap list of "safe" foods ? I stopped having honey in my tea based on that endless list.🤔

[Boxroad in reply to 225AEDWARD05]

I thought it was but DC39 took offence when I said that to someone else and said I had my facts wrong so I am not going to say either way. I think DC39 is an expert on IBS, but I will not have honey as it triggers my IBS terribly

[Luisa22 in reply to 225AEDWARD05]

Yes indeed. Honey is listed as "High Fodmap". However, I have always found it to be non threatening to my IBS D, and even gained a little bit of benefit from a Manuka honey medical grade, experiment 2 years ago. The only reason I had to stop it was because it was killing my current account. The stuff is really expensive on a regular basis.

But the benefit was only quite a slight improvement, though I did notice a little help from it.

Not a "cure" though unfortunately.

I have honey (not Manuka now) on my (white ciabatta toast every morning, and it never causes me any upsets. That might not be the same for everyone though, and I cut it out during the strict 8 week Low Fodmap trial.

[Luisa22]

Are you gluten sensitive?

If not, then it might be what's in the kind of white bread you get. There is so much junk in processed bread usually. There could be all manner of things you shouldn't be eating. Apparently there's even sweetener in bread! ? If that happens to be a non-sugar sweetener that could play havoc with an IBS tummy.

White bread as such - (always toasted, cos I like it toasted) - doesn't trouble me. I have IBS D too. But I can't stand the taste of most of them and the only one that really tastes like bread to me is Tesco's ciabatta, Vaguely similar to the "proper" white bread my mum used to make. However, that's probably got loads of additives too but it tastes a bit purer than most others. Anyway it's OK on my tum.

Plain white bread should have: flour, yeast, salt, water and maybe a tiny wee bit of sugar to activate the yeast (though I don't think my mum ever used it for that.) Compare those ingredients to what you're going to read on a "plastic bread" bag!

Make your own. With unbleached organic white flour, and if you can get it (?) fresh live yeast. Probably not, so use dried.

[711debbie]

if you also have histamine issues, stay away from sourdough bread (it's fermented and will make you feel less than comfy!)

[Luisa22 in reply to 711debbie]

I defintely get an irritated tummy from sourdough bread and had to stop trying to eat it. Though it tastes nice.

[Letswalk]

Yes I can’t eat white flour at all. I bake with whole meal flour too. Much better for you

[Luisa22 in reply to Letswalk]

When I first started with IBS D it took me a very long time to work out that my usual healthy wholegrain brown artisan bread (I couldn't think of eating any other bread!) -was causing me a lot of gut upset. It took me many weeks. It was only when I switched to white and found a nicer white bread for me, that my gut symptoms lessened a bit. There was way too much fibre for me in the brown bread. The one I ate was pretty healthy with few additives too, and none of them suspect. It was just the high fibre.

But brown might be better for IBS C. Maybe...maybe not.

[CockeyMoor]

Learnt recently that supermarket bread etc.. have raising agents used to make them rise faster for quicker output.

The more expensive artisan breads where the bread is left to rise naturally apparently give less problems. I love white bread but it doesn’t like me . I hunt for the homemade. I need to learn how to make bread like Mum did.

[Junkjournal1 in reply to CockeyMoor]

Thank you sorry white bread doesn’t agree with you either I think I’ll just stick to the brown. I’ve been having gluten free bread for a few years but it was the cost of it that made me try normal bread it’s not very nice but I sort of got used to it. Thank you again for taking the time to respond 🙏

[Luisa22 in reply to CockeyMoor]

I think the secret is in the pure simple ingredients, choosing a good organic unbleached flour. Being prepared to knead that dough and treat the yeast prep. right.

Then, giving the dough a nice warm place to rise with no draughts. My mum used a wooden shelf in her airing cupboard. and covered the dough with a clean warm damp teatowel. Giving it time to almost double in size.

Then baking in a HOT oven, middle of the oven for not TOO long, but just until golden brown on top. And cooling on a cooling rack which lets air circulate.

Oh and....bread needs salt to bring out the flavour, so experiment with how much to get it right, or find a recipe with the exact amount for the amount of dough.

I need to get doing this myself! But I only have a mini-oven and bread would quickly burn in that.

[angelwings52]

Definitely - that was one of the first food triggers I found - I switched to wholemeal and brown bread, and then bought a bread maker (best thing I ever did!) so I know exactly what goes into the bread. I also found that bread from a proper bakery (not supermarket ones) tend to be less likely to cause issues.

[Catspaws100]

Personally I don't find that a problem. For me when I have a flare up I find 'white' foods are the only types of food that don't cause me a problem.

[Luisa22 in reply to Catspaws100]

Yes that's the same for me too. Only way I get to do any management with IBS D when at it's worst

[jardinamour]

We make bread with spelt as it seems to be more digestible for both us.

[Mgt8 in reply to jardinamour]

Yes, I've read that Waitrose Spelt bread is a good one for ibs sufferers. Something about the long slow ferment time and the spelt flour...Mgt

[Alanis4000]

Yes white bread gives me a bad stomach but I’m ok with whole meal etc. I’m alright with pizza etc so I think it’s not as bad if it’s cooked first, can you tolerate it toasted? The half & half stuff is quite nice if you don’t like whole meal. So many chemicals in processed bread

[Minty00]

Hi there i developed diverticular disease in 2017 it was awful .Id always ate white bread . Once i had recovered i changed my diet totally scrapping white bread for wholemeal and there was instant improvement . White bread is really not good for you it is stripped of all nutrients and cloggs up your system if i were you i would slowly introduce wholemeal bread and also increase water intake

[spabbygirl]

I do, I was at river cottage cookery school last week on a day learning about wholesome baking and they were saying how nourishing grains like spelt etc were so much better for you, Hugh is writing a book on them with Dr Tim Spector

[mentalist]

I've cut out bread completely except for a once a week burger in a bun. It's definitely a trigger for me.

[PurpleEllie]

Hi, have you tried sourdough? I normally avoid all bread but if I’m stuck I find sourdough gives me fewer symptoms, as do bagels. Not sure why, but it might be worth a try.

[sandybeach12066]

I have IBS d and can only eat white and sourdough breads

[bungi1961]

I only eat 2 slices of the stuff they bake in store a week and 1 of their own baked bread rolls each week I never buy what I call the plastic stuff so I can't really comment about it but I do try 2 keep my bread in take down 2 the minimum if I can well the only thing that I can say is try and chew it at least 10 times or more if you can before swallowing as that is what I've been told 2 do by a dietitian but I do that with most of my food but I find that a chore in itself having Diverticular Disease/IBS diagnosed 2/3 years ago following 2 colonoscopies early 2021 both in a month "YUKKY" Well take care and sorry I can't be of more use well I tried!!! I did try sourdough that gave me really bad farts we just can't win all ways "CATCH22"

[loveyourbunny]

I feel sourdough is much nicer, no yeast issues, tastes good too but all bread and starches are digested in the mouth from enzymes in saliva, swallowing too quickly or combined with protein will cause problems.

[Hidden]

Biggest culprits are yeast and sugar.. some combinations of foods will “create” fermentation “inside” you.. gas… bloating .. cramping .. inflammation.

If you recently took antibiotics.. or produce low stomach acid.. (SIBO or ppi)your body has trouble sorting out good bacteria from bad.

Eating fermented foods .. means the fermentation has already happened “outside” the body.

kimchi .. sauerkraut .. ginger .. apple cider vinegar..allicin… will dampen down internal fermentation.. and destroy bad bacteria… leaving the good ones to build up the gut microbiome… which comes from fibre and probiotic therapy.

You must avoid omega 6 .. . And switch to omega 3 oils and gradually over the next few weeks notice how things start to settle down…you may have SIBO and react to gluten and grains.

Decide on a regime and stick to it…once things are under control .. you can have the occasional sugar treat without triggering such

Knock on effects.. best wishes.