IBS friendly coffee tips

[iiser]

Hi, I have been suffering from IBS for last 5 years, and now the symptoms are much better. But whenever I have coffee it makes my ibs bad, I mostly tried instant coffee. Is there any particular kind of coffee that I should try?

Thanks

[Luisa22]

I can have some things people with IBS often react badly to, and I have experimented with coffee. The results are (for me anyway) coffee makes no difference to my IBS. I have 2 cups (small mugs) every morning. I have that every day. I can go weeks with normal bowel movements and no other IBS symtoms, but at some point my gut does a little flip again and I will have a time when it's not so great agin, though thankfully no terrible flare ups for quite some time now.

During the not-so-good times I still drink my morning coffee, and it doesn't make me any worse, put it that way. It doesn't appear to bother my IBS at all. I cut it out during the low Fodmap trial, drank peppermint tea every morning instead, and there was no difference. Re-introduced it slowly, and again -no difference.

The coffee I drink is by Taylor's and it is called "Lazy Sunday". For my taste, it's the tastiest coffee I have found yet. It's a fairly mild roast at number "3" on strength.

Most supermarkets stock it. It's ground coffee. I use a decent sized teaspoonful, put it in a small jug, pour a mugful of "just off the boil" water on it, stir, and let it steep 3 minutes -ish. Then I pour that through a tea strainer into my cup. I have no milk or sugar with it.

It isn't decaf.

I heard a fascinating thing though the other day, on a YouTube video. There was this guy who was a barista, and he spent his time researching coffee. He became a coffee expert! He said that coffee contains fibre! Would you believe it?

Anyway that coffee is what I like. But I think everyone with IBS is so different. What suits one doesn't suit another,

[TedsMum247 in reply to Luisa22]

Hi, that's a very interesting post about coffee, in particular ground filter coffee. My GP gave me a list of what to avoid, coffee was up there. However, my IBS is exacerbated by anxiety mainly, if I'm in a state where there's nothing going on in my life to make me anxious I drink coffee in the morning and it doesn't affect me at all. As you say, what suits one might not suit another. Most of the time it's one or two mugs of instant coffee I have in the morning.

[Luisa22 in reply to TedsMum247]

Oh believe it! Coffee of any kind can really irritate IBS. I don't think it's just the caffeine, it might be some oils or something in the coffee. Not sure. I don't think your doctor is wrong. I was amazed to discover it apparently made no difference to me. Perhaps there are others like me?

But even I know that I can't have more than 1 or 2 coffees in the morning. Often it's 1 and 1/2. I just love the taste, and it helps me come back to earth!

If anxiety seems to be at the root of your IBS, then coffee is not good for anxiety and can make you shaky if you just have a tad too much.

I don't know if instant is any different. I doubt it. All coffee is similar on what it does to the body. Maybe decaf might suit you? All I know is instant doesn't taste as good as the ground one.

[Andann]

I dont think coffee affects my ibs either but it does cause stomach pain quite often....so I changed to decaff and that is fine, whether it's from a cafe or Nespresso pods.

[iiser in reply to Andann]

I will try this, thanks Andann

[Misspomfrey]

I've always used Kenco Decaffeinated, ordinary coffee caused upsets, but Decaf is fine. Besides, it's not as strong as other coffees. I only have one small cup a day, I'm a tea drinker.

[Mustar]

I find Decaf works for me. Anything else sets IBS D off. 😊

[Pedrof1976]

It's probably the caffiene that's causing it

[Mango3]

I have IBS was advised by a gastroenterologist & dietitian to limit caffeine intake. I love both coffee & tea I allow myself 1 cup of normal tea in a morning & a very occasional caffeinated coffee, but the rest of the time I have decaf. I drink fresh good quality coffee & tea & my IBS is much improved. Give it a try, it might take a while for things to settle down. Good luck.

[Edgar77 in reply to Mango3]

Coffee is a stimulant, for IBSC it can help but NOT for IBSD. Best to stick to decaff. It can also keep you awake.

[icycool]

Try tea

[711debbie]

My problem with caffeine (and it applies to coffee, decaf and black tea) is that if I have too much caffeine during the day, I've lost too many electrolytes and I go into some kind of spasms, which can be some part of the body, the jaw, foot cramps - it's totally unpredictable. I have to immediately drink an electrolyte mix or black strap molasses to stop the cramps. It can be really scary sometimes.

When I'm in the UK, I try to find Carte Noire decaf at Waitrose, since decaf does have about 6% caffeine in it. You can always add 1/2 tsp instant coffee (organic if possible) or a splash of Starbucks Skinny Latte if you need a little more caffeine and see how things go. A really good idea I read somewhere is for us IBS sufferers to always drink 1-2 glasses of water after you drink coffee and I think that also applies to decaf. But, like most of the other writers here, I stick with decaf unless I'm collapsing with sleepiness to keep my spasms to a minimum.

[gussmithy]

I advise trying beer instead.......

[Luisa22 in reply to gussmithy]

Ha ha! I love this! 😆

[DG1960]

I only drink decaffeinated coffee and tea now. Hope that helps

[Boxroad]

I can’t tolerate caffeine so have decaf, it suits me

[theboldbadger]

Like you I have always found coffee to be terrible for my IBS so I have cut it out completely.

[laurajn087]

Hi, decaffeinated coffee is much better for me. Normal coffee aggrevates mh IBS-D unfortunately.