Irritable Bowel Syndrome Message Boards | "Are hard cheeses safe and do you have a list of those that are usually OK to eat?"

Unfortunately, all cheeses are likely IBS diet triggers, even hard cheeses, as they are all dairy. They will all be high fat, and have the dairy proteins casein and whey, which are hard to digest. Hard cheeses are lower in fat than soft cheeses, and may be lower in lactose, the milk sugar that is a FODMAP and also just generally a GI issue for many people.

But - hard cheeses are still a very high fat food, and they are still dairy, with all of the other IBS triggers that dairy contains. You may be able to tolerate a little hard cheese, with a safe soluble fiber foundation like pasta, rice, potatoes, etc. But I would consider this a rare splurge when your IBS is otherwise stable, and not something to try and cheat with regularly or in large quantities.

--------------------
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!

Print Remind Me Notify Moderator