"Can I eat raisins? Are they safe for IBS?"
#373750 - 10/05/18 11:17 AM
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Heather
Reged: 12/09/02
Posts: 7799
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Like many fruits and veggies, raisins are a "caution" food. You can eat them, and should, but you might have to be careful how you do so. Raisins are dried grapes, and like most dried fruits a concentrated source of fructose, or fruit sugar. Fructose is poorly digested, even if you don't have IBS, so too much of it can cause cramps, bloating, gas, urgency, etc.
The skin on grapes/raisins is insoluble fiber and that's a powerful GI stimulant. You can't avoid insoluble fiber, and you don't want to, but again this is something to be cautious with. Have it in smaller quantities, cook it or finely chop it to break down the fiber before you eat it, and always add to a soluble fiber safe food. The soluble fiber will help keep your gut motility stable in the face of the insoluble fiber stimulant.
In practical terms, what on earth does this mean? It means use raisins as an ingredient in small-ish quantities, chop or dice them before using, and add to a soluble fiber foundation such as rice, safe quick breads, instant oatmeal, pastas, etc. Need a recipe for a concrete example of this? Try Will's dreamy lemon rice pudding for a delicious breakfast, snack, or simple dessert -
-------------------- Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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